Door wreaths are no longer just for the holiday season. Just ask Whitney Brumley of WLB Designs, who creates contemporary wreath designs and handcrafted home décor for use year round. “Wreaths are for so much more than just the front door now! They look awesome over a fireplace, on windows, above the bed, in your kitchen, and even as nursery decor. Pretty much anywhere you decorate, you can put a wreath and once you starting seeing them as not just front door decor, a whole new world opens up.”
I love the designer’s use of colorful florals, like the Sunflower Pineapple and Lemon Boxwood wreaths. Brumley identified the farmhouse chic Boxwood and Lambs ear wreath as the shop’s most requested design, which is no surprise, given the lovely shades of green. Brumley constructs each wreath by hand wiring the individual pieces to the wreath base. “I always really disliked when I would buy a wreath and something would fall off right away as it was being held on with a bit of hot glue,” she professed. “While it takes me longer, I use floral wire to ensure a snug fit and then cover the ends of the wire in adhesive so no one gets poked.”
Many of the California-based WLB Designs creations are beach-inspired. “My favorite wreath design was a custom coastal design for Christmas that was full of glittered starfish, sand dollars and more. It was such a unique wreath that allowed me to really draw on my love for the beach,” she shared. “I live about 15 minutes from the beach and spend all my free time there. The beach has always been a relaxing, almost therapeutic-like place for me.” Beyond the wreaths, Brumley also uses resin to create ocean-like designs, like serving trays, ornaments, trinket dishes and dish coasters. “All the sand used in the resin art is actually from local Southern California beaches,” she explained. “A typical resin piece takes about three to seven days. I put a minimum of two layers on my smaller pieces and usually three or four layers on my larger items. All items are then dried for a minimum of 24 hours before shipping out.”
Brumley stumbled into home décor as a styling side business. “I started WLB Designs originally to help local homeowners redesign a room and update their décor,” she recalled. “After some time offering these clients orchid and succulent arrangements, a few asked if I could recreate a wreath for their door or for wall art, which led to me offering wreaths individually. From there, it evolved and I started offering more resin art. I absolutely love crafting and always want to give everything a try so I have to force myself to keep it to a few things at once.” Seeing her works of art displayed by their new owners is still thrilling. “I love when I get photos from clients of my designs in their home! Nothing beats the feeling of knowing someone trusted me and liked my item enough to spend their hard earned money on it. Then that they take the time to send me a photo and thank me is amazing,” Brumley exclaimed.
Dress up your front door or an empty wall in your home with a custom wreath or other décor from WLB Designs. “I just released state-shaped resin pieces and am working on country shapes as well. Plus, I am adding more ornaments including some state shaped. And, of course, one of a kind fall and Christmas wreaths are coming!” All of the available designs are in the WLB Designs Etsy shop and follow along on Instagram for new releases for the holidays.
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