Some garland is easier to work w/than others, but it does do its own thing and must be corralled and tamed. LOL
I personally think cheaper garland may be better becasue it's not as thick and full, but the downside is more has to be added to fill it out.

I think what's missing in your kitchen is the garland is not overhanging the front of the cabinets and it's a tad too far back and just laying there..
If you plan to do it every yr or even now, use nails as posts for garland ties to secure and bring it forward.

Also when not fully in mood - do not attempt dealing w/it esp when ladders are required. Do sprints w/it and not marathons.

A suggestion - pls do a swag on top of your entry hall mirror to finish the look.
It could be a piece of your garland cut to fit and swag over the top and a few picks/bows, etc added.

The garland on the hutch looks fine where it's placed - I would just add few more picks to it.
It looks now like the garland is adjusted to flow to the left - what you could do to add interest is from the center, arrange one side to go left and the other right and in the center put a bow or large ornament to hide the shift.
Jim

I think those are all perfect places to use the garlands. And yes, it can be difficult to shape. Jim gave you some excellent suggestions, you just need to play with it a bit more--when you're in the right mood. LOL

Luvs

I agree about it needs pulled forward on the cabinets. Like I said none of the garland is adjusted right. I was so sick of messing with it last night. Blah. Also agree about how everything's going in the same direction on the hutch. That one's also hard to twist and mess with. I was just glad when I got it to lay flat. :)

Garland ties..excuse my ignorance but do you mean like those little tie twisties?

Never thought about the swag on top of the entry mirror. How big/wide? Command hooks on the wall?

Maybe I'll take that garland back after all.

I think I'm going to take it down from the kitchen cabinets. What about the entertainment stand?

Prelit garland is sounding nice. :)

Don't carry it back. It will be fine. Just wait until you are in a better mood to fine tune it the way Jim suggested.

Jim is the expert on garland and wreaths. Jim, please post your blue mantle garland and wreath that you posted last year. That was the most beautiful mantle I ever saw.
I was too computer dumb then to even know how to save it. I sat with a pencil and paper trying to draw a diagram of it so I could copy it some day!! LOL I even went and bought the garland after Christmas on sale so I would already have it. Please Jim, post it again. Thanks.
Betty

Betty, tho you may not want to hunt it down...LOL...I think Jim's blue garland and wreath are in the Xmas album. I know I saved them myself as they were so lovely.

I'm learning to rethink things and say that "one can never have too much garland". LOL. Tho I wish I had more of the prelit, and that's what I'm buying after Xmas sales this year. Its the ONLY thing I need, LOL. My garland on the two mantles isn't lit so only looks pretty during the day.
But I wasn't up to stringing lights on it, this decorating is really a 'bear' this year for me.
I try to shape the garland as much as possible before I put it up, and I use fishing line to hold it up on the mantles, so its easier to mess with and doesn't slip off.

hugs, Karen

Don't take it back! It really looks good up there. You just need to bring it forward a bit so a few strands hang over the front edge. And just put a few small nails up on top where they won't show to hold it in place. You can even loop some fishing line or small wire around the garland and then hook it onto the nail to secure it. That will hold it in place. Then I'd have to add some white or red poinsettias, or a few red berries to add a touch of color to it. Luvs

I used little tiny eye screws way back on my mantle and on my china closet. The string always seemed to slip off the nails (even the ones with big heads). I had to predrill using the smallest drill bit I could find, as the wood was hard and the threaded part of the eye screw looks pretty fragile. I leave the eye screws in all year, as they are not visible way in the back. They are placed in the back at the center, at both ends, and halfway between each end the the center.
I tie string around the main "spine" of the garland and thread the string through the eye screw. I let the garland hang over the ledge a bit, pulling up on the string until the garland in positioned where I want it. Then I tie it off. After all is secure, I add lights. Then I "fluff." If I still want more things, I put them on last.
When it's time to take it down, I snip the string. I use regular string, as it gets lost in the garland, but I guess you could color it black if it sticks out.