Move Over, Mistletoe — We've Discovered a Better Way to Do Festive Foliage, and It'll Elevate Any Room This Christmas

With a holiday as classic as Christmas, it can sometimes be hard to come up with original styling ideas. Your best bet? Putting a twist on the traditional. When I came across this "Christmas cloud" DIY on Instagram, it made me think of mistletoe but done in a more modern and elevated way.

This chic display of winter foliage also lifts your floral arrangements and centerpieces off the table, creating a dazzling overhead display, and leaving more room below for merriment. (Plus, we all know about the magic that happens under the mistletoe.)

This year, I'm all about hanging centerpiece ideas, but this elevated look can easily be extended beyond the dining room, too. It's also terribly easy to recreate, meaning you can customize it to suit your style or soirée — stuff it with pine, poinsettias, or whatever you please. Want to know more? (Of course, you do.) Scroll on.

Interior design expert and digital creator, Cheryl Brown, shares some of the best minimalist Christmas decor ideas across her social channels. Her seasonal style incorporates neutral color palettes, layered with fresh, green foliage for a touch of magic. She was also the creator of the "Christmas cloud," the whimsical cherry on top of her holiday embellishments.

"I love being creative and wanted to create a Christmas piece with a wow factor," she told me. "I saw someone using the polystyrene balls for holiday crafting and it gave me the idea that you could decorate them in so many different ways."

The steps for this DIY are fairly simple. You'll need a foam crafting ball (from Walmart) in whatever size works for your space, some twine (from Amazon) to hang it, and some beautiful faux stems to decorate it with.

"My tips are to push your foliage in as far as you can to help to cover the ball quicker," says Cheryl. "It does take a lot of foliage to cover it so consider the size of the ball you use."

The design opportunities for this "Christmas cloud" are endless. You could hang baubles, ornaments, and ribbons for a look that is a bit more maximalist and playful, or opt for touches of eucalyptus and a monochrome color scheme for a more minimalist scheme.

"You could hang these from anywhere really or create a set of different sizes and heights to create a group feature," adds Cheryl. "It adds impact and interest to your Christmas decor and it makes it more interesting coming from above."

Shop the 'Christmas Cloud' DIY

Ready to replace your mistletoe and centerpieces with a chic "Christmas cloud" instead? Picking the best stems is one of the most important steps. While choosing mostly artificial branches will be the most cost-effective (and will help ensure it lasts well into the new year), it looks the best when you add a few real branches in too.

The key is to vary your textures and colors. To help, I've included my favorite faux foliage stems to shop below.