Two houses on the same Chicago suburbs block can both have a perfectly lit roofline, and one will still look noticeably better than the other. The difference almost always comes down to the details: the lit wreath over the door, the garland wound through the porch railing, the soft glow of candles in the upstairs windows. Roofline lighting is the foundation of a great holiday display, but holiday wreaths, garland, and window accents are what make it feel complete — finished, intentional, and custom to the home.

After designing displays for homes from Hinsdale to Frankfort, we can tell you the roofline is what makes people notice your house, but the accents are what make them remember it. These are the elements that turn a nicely lit house into the one the whole neighborhood talks about. Here's how each one works and where it earns its place.

Why Accents Matter More Than You'd Think

A roofline traces the top edge of your home. That's powerful, but it's a single plane of light, high up and far from where people actually approach the house. Accents bring the display down to eye level and into the spaces people experience up close — the front door they walk to, the porch they stand on, the windows that glow from inside the home.

This is the same logic behind layering bulb types or wrapping trees: depth. A display that lives only on the roofline can feel a little flat and distant. Add a wreath, some garland, and lit windows, and suddenly the whole front of the house is engaged, top to bottom, near and far. That fullness is exactly what reads as "professionally done."

The Lit Wreath: Your Display's Focal Point

If you add one accent, make it a wreath. The front door is the natural focal point of almost any home's facade, and a generously sized, well-lit wreath draws the eye straight to it like a bullseye. It's the welcome — the thing guests see as they walk up and the thing that anchors the entire composition.

The keys to a wreath that looks high-end rather than hardware-store: appropriate scale (most homeowners go too small for their door), even lighting, and secure, clean mounting that survives wind and snow. A wreath that's the right size for a tall suburban entry, lit evenly in warm white, instantly elevates everything around it.

Garland: The Connective Tissue

Garland is what ties a display together and adds richness at the human scale. Wound through a porch railing, draped over a doorway, wrapped up a column, or run along a fence, lit garland fills the in-between spaces that roofline lighting can't reach. It adds texture and a sense of abundance — the difference between a display that looks applied and one that looks designed into the house.

Garland is especially effective on the architectural features common across Chicago suburbs homes:

  • Covered front porches — railings and posts wrapped in garland frame the entry beautifully.
  • Columns — a spiral of lit garland up a porch column adds vertical interest.
  • Entryways and doorframes — draped garland creates a warm, welcoming arch.
  • Lamp posts and fences — extending the display out toward the street.

Window Accents: The Glow From Within

There's something uniquely cozy about windows lit for the holidays — that warm glow that makes a home look lived-in, welcoming, and quietly festive against a dark Illinois winter evening. Window accents range from simple candles in each window to lit wreaths hung on the glass to outlined window frames. They're subtle, but they do something the roofline can't: they make the home feel warm from the inside out.

On a two-story suburban home, lit upper-story windows are a particularly nice touch — they bring the display up the full height of the facade and balance the roofline, so the house glows top to bottom rather than just along its edge.

How It All Comes Together

The reason these accents work so well isn't any single one of them — it's how they combine with the roofline and the landscape into one cohesive composition. The roofline defines the silhouette. The trees and shrubs add depth out in the yard. The wreath anchors the entry. The garland connects and enriches at eye level. The windows glow warmly from within. Each layer covers what the others can't, and the result is a display with no empty spots and no afterthoughts.

That layering is the heart of what we do in a custom holiday lighting design — planning how the roofline, accents, and landscape elements work together before anything goes up, so every part of the home contributes. If you've only ever done roofline lights, adding even a couple of well-chosen accents is the single biggest upgrade available to you, and it's worth talking through what would make the most difference on your specific facade.

A Word on Doing It Right

Accents reward care and punish shortcuts. An undersized wreath, garland that sags and gaps, or candles that don't match in color undercut the whole effect — and like all holiday décor in the Chicago suburbs, these pieces have to survive wind, snow, and freeze-thaw without coming loose or going dark. Commercial-grade lit décor, secured properly and supported through the season, holds up where consumer pieces droop and fail by mid-December. And when January comes, professional takedown and storage means your wreaths and garland are removed carefully and kept in good shape for next year, rather than crammed back into a bin to deteriorate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do professional holiday lighting companies install more than just roofline lights?

Yes. A full holiday lighting service typically includes wreaths, garland, window accents, and tree and shrub lighting in addition to the roofline. These accents are a core part of professional design because they add the depth and detail that make a display look complete rather than just outlined.

What size wreath should I get for my front door?

Most homeowners choose a wreath that's too small. For a standard entry, a larger wreath reads far better from the street and in proportion to the door, and tall suburban entryways often call for an oversized wreath. Professional installers size the wreath to your specific door and facade so it looks intentional, not lost.

Where does garland look best on a house?

Garland shines on porch railings, columns, doorframes, and entryways — the eye-level architectural features people see up close. Wrapping a porch column or draping a doorway adds warmth and richness that roofline lighting alone can't provide, tying the whole display together.

Are window candles worth adding to an exterior display?

They are. Lit windows create a warm glow that makes a home feel welcoming from the inside out and, on two-story homes, balance the roofline by carrying the display up the full height of the facade. They're a subtle accent that adds a lot of coziness for relatively little.

Complete Your Display — Let's Add the Finishing Touches

If your home has a great roofline but feels like it's missing something, the answer is almost always the accents — a statement wreath, garland through the porch, a warm glow in the windows. Twinkle Bros designs and installs the whole picture, then takes it all down in January, so your Chicago suburbs home looks finished from the eaves to the front door. Request a free holiday lighting quote or call (708) 316-4569, and let's make yours the house the neighborhood remembers.