Christmas wreath guides

Traditional vs natural vs contemporary Christmas wreaths: which should you choose?

Our three handmade wreath styles share the same Noble Fir base but look quite different on a door. This guide explains what is in each one, how they feel, and which front doors and homes each style suits best.

By Finnegan Christmas WreathsPublished 3 November 20267 min read

A fresh handmade wreath from our farm on a front door

Quick answer

Choose Traditional for a classic red and green look, with holly and a red velvet bow. Choose Natural for warm neutrals, burlap and dried orange. Choose Contemporary for a clean, modern finish with rosemary and acorns. Pick by door colour and house style, then choose Regular 34cm or Large 65cm.

Styles: Traditional, Natural, Contemporary
Sizes: Regular 34cm, Large 65cm
Fresh from: £45

Our three Christmas wreath styles at a glance

We make three handmade wreath styles on our farm, and each one starts with the same Noble Fir base. What changes is the bow, the extra foliage and the decorations, which gives each wreath a different mood. This table shows how they compare.

	Traditional	Natural	Contemporary
Foliage	Noble Fir and variegated holly	Noble Fir with fresh glossy stems	Noble Fir with glossy seasonal greenery
Bow	Hand-tied red velvet	Hand-tied burlap	Hand-tied burlap
Decorations	Artificial red berry clusters, cinnamon stick bundles, pine cones	Small pine cones, dried orange slices, twisted hazel, lotus heads	Dried orange slices, twisted hazel, lotus heads, rosemary sprigs, acorns and more
Colour palette	Classic red and green	Warm neutrals	Green with natural tones
Feel	Festive and classic	Soft, rustic and warm	Clean and modern
Best for	Traditional doors and homes, deep or dark door colours	Cottages, country and stone homes, soft or natural door colours	Modern homes, sleek or monochrome doors

Sizes and prices. Every style comes in two sizes: Regular 34cm at £45 and Large 65cm at £65. All three are made to order, with free UK delivery.

Our wreaths are handmade from natural materials, so each one varies slightly from the pictures. How the colours and shapes sit together is part of the charm.

Traditional Christmas wreath: red, green and classic

If the picture in your head when you think “Christmas wreath” is deep green foliage with a splash of red, this is the one. Our Traditional wreath pairs Noble Fir with variegated holly, finished with a hand-tied red velvet bow, artificial red berry clusters, cinnamon stick bundles and pine cones.

To be accurate about the materials, the red berries on this style are artificial. The foliage, cinnamon and cones are natural.

Which doors and homes suit it? The red and green palette is at its best against deep, rich door colours such as dark green, navy or black, and on cream or white doors, where the red stands out. It suits brick houses, terraces and period or older homes, and anywhere you want a classic Christmas feel. It can also sit well against a pale painted door, where the red bow adds some contrast.

Left: our Traditional wreath, handmade on the farm. Right: a classic red brick frontage, shown for styling context only, not our wreath. Photo: Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

Natural Christmas wreath: warm, soft and rustic

Our Natural wreath trades red for warm neutrals. It is built on Noble Fir with fresh glossy stems, a hand-tied burlap bow, small pine cones, dried orange slices, twisted hazel and lotus heads. The effect is soft and earthy, more woodland than festive shop window.

Which doors and homes suit it? It tends to look at home on natural wood doors, and on soft painted colours such as sage green, stone, grey or muted blue, where the warm neutrals blend in rather than clash. Cottages, farmhouses, stone fronted houses and country homes are a natural fit. It also suits anyone who likes a calmer look without bright red.

Left: our Natural wreath, handmade on the farm. Right: a dark wooden door in a stone surround, shown for styling context only, not our wreath. Photo: T on Unsplash.

Contemporary Christmas wreath: clean and modern

Our Contemporary wreath is the modern, understated option. It uses Noble Fir with glossy seasonal greenery and a hand-tied burlap bow, with dried orange slices, twisted hazel, lotus heads, rosemary sprigs, acorns and more. The styling is clean and modern, so it reads as a fresh, natural wreath rather than a heavily decorated one.

It does share some elements with the Natural style, including the burlap bow, dried orange and twisted hazel. The difference is in the foliage mix, the rosemary and acorns, and a cleaner overall finish.

Which doors and homes suit it? It works well with sleek doors in black, charcoal, white or grey, and on modern frontages, new builds and simple, uncluttered porches, where a restrained wreath fits the lines of the house.

Our Contemporary wreath, handmade on the farm: the cut-out on the left and a close photo on the right.

Which style goes with which door colour?

These are starting points, not rules. The best test is how the wreath looks beside your actual door, so think about contrast first. For more help with colour, material and position, see how to choose a Christmas wreath for your front door. For a door-by-door look at colour, with photos, see our front door colour style guide.

Your door	Style to try first	Why
Black or charcoal	Contemporary or Natural	Greenery and warm tones stand out well against dark paint.
White or cream	Traditional	The red bow and berries add colour to a pale door.
Deep green or navy	Traditional or Natural	Red lifts a dark door. The Natural wreath’s warm neutrals add contrast.
Red or burgundy	Natural or Contemporary	Neutrals avoid competing with a strong red.
Natural wood	Natural	Warm neutrals sit comfortably with timber.
Soft grey, sage or blue	Natural or Contemporary	Gentle tones that suit a calmer look.

Size, freshness and care are the same for all three

Whichever style you pick, the practical side is the same. Each is a fresh wreath made from Noble Fir, so it looks its best in a cool, shaded spot. The RHS notes that fresh wreaths last longer outdoors than indoors, and we cover timings in how long a fresh wreath lasts.

Size: choose between the Regular 34cm and the Large 65cm. For help matching it to your door, see what size Christmas wreath you need.
Real or artificial: if you are not sure fresh is right for you, read real vs artificial Christmas wreaths.
Small items: the decorations include cones, berries and wires. Keep them out of reach of small children and pets.

Still unsure?Look at the colour of your door and the style of your house, then pick the wreath that contrasts with the door and matches the mood of the home. If it is a close call between Natural and Contemporary, ask yourself whether you want soft and rustic, or clean and modern.

Sources and further reading

RHS: Christmas wreaths (fresh wreaths last longer outdoors)
Product details: Traditional, Natural and Contemporary wreaths

Wreath style questions

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions about choosing between our three wreath styles.

What is the difference between a traditional and a natural Christmas wreath?

Traditional is red and green, with variegated holly, a red velvet bow, red berry clusters and cinnamon bundles. Natural uses warm neutrals, with a burlap bow, dried orange slices, twisted hazel, lotus heads and small pine cones. Both are built on Noble Fir.

What makes a Christmas wreath modern?

A modern wreath usually has a cleaner, more restrained finish. Our Contemporary style uses glossy seasonal greenery with a burlap bow, dried orange slices, twisted hazel, lotus heads, rosemary sprigs and acorns for a modern look.

Which Christmas wreath suits a black front door?

Greenery stands out well on black, so any of the three can work. Contemporary and Natural tend to look sleek against dark paint, while Traditional adds a stronger pop of red. Choose by the mood you want.

Are the red berries on the Traditional wreath real?

No. The red berry clusters on our Traditional wreath are artificial. The Noble Fir, variegated holly, cinnamon stick bundles and pine cones are natural, so remove the artificial berries before composting.

Do all three wreath styles come in the same sizes?

Yes. Each style comes in Regular 34cm at £45 and Large 65cm at £65. Delivery is free across the UK, and each wreath is made to order and boxed ready to hang.

Which style is best for a country cottage?

The Natural wreath is a good fit for cottages and country homes, as its warm neutrals and burlap bow sit comfortably with stone, timber and soft painted doors. Traditional also suits older homes if you prefer red.

Our family farm

Three styles, one Noble Fir farm.

Every wreath is handmade fresh on the Finnegan family Christmas tree farm in Clogher, County Tyrone, using Noble Fir foliage grown on the farm. They are made to order, in small batches, and each one varies slightly because the materials are natural.