Learning how to decorate a gorgeous holiday mantel is easier than you think! Today’s how to guide is a all about creating a interesting holiday mantel. Here are the top 10 tips on how to decorate a gorgeous holiday mantel and centerpiece of your family room.
There’s no wrong when it comes to prettying up your mantel for the holidays but, I’ve learned a few tricks that take my mantel from nice to WOW. If your mantel is looking a little weak see if you can add in something from this list.
A guest post by The Nester from Nesting Place
1. Layer
I keep those shutters up on my mantel year around, they provide a nice backdrop to whatever I want to show off. Command strips hold my coffee filter wreath and flowers and candles are layered in front of the shutters.
2. Texture
Ok, so I’m going to be repeating myself here. But let’s face it, it’s nice to have items that serve more than one purpose, actually, that’s the goal. For texture I have the slats in the shutters, the coffee filters, the drawn on brick {chalk board vinyl stickers and chalk markers on my surround} the wooden beads…you get the idea.
3. Varying Height
This is an issue many mantels have that is easy to solve. By hanging the wreath high on the shutters I automatically created height. And to give it extra umph, I added that turquoise ribbon {it’s just hot glued to the top of the shutters and tucked behind the wreath, it took 3 seconds}. And of course if you use candles, make some squatty and some tall.
4. Color
Stick to three or so colors. I’m not much of a rule follower when it comes to my home but, it does help me focus when I shop the house to stay within a color family. For my mantle I went with blue, green and white. You can always add in a few ornaments if you don’t have much color on your mantel.
5. Light
You want some type of light going on around your fireplace and mantel. Naturally, a fire in the fireplace counts as light. But, most fireplaces are the focal point of the room, a pair of thin buffet lamps on the mantel, candles {mine are battery operated LED lights} or a string of Christmas lights help put the focus on the mantel.
6. Natural Elements
I used flowers and pine branches. You could use sticks, pine cones, rocks, pine garland, nuts, berries, shells, bulbs, fruit…natural items bring life to a room.
7. Sparkle.
Mixing in glass, or glitter or shiny pretend snow, silver or gold candlesticks and mirrors can glam up a matte vignette.
8. Fun, Quirky or Unexpected
This is one of my favorite rules to follow. Maybe you have a deer head over your fireplace? Put a scarf around him or add a red nose. Tuck a few old blocks or wooden toys into your garland or some uncomfortable photos of the kids with Santa for some laughs. I’m thinking I might want to add a little more quirky into my mantel.
9. Personalize.
Photos, silhouettes, your mom’s nativity, monogrammed stockings, children’s artwork, letters to Santa, grandpa’s booties from when he was a baby…finding personal items from around your home is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your mantel.
10. Space
Don’t underestimate the power of editing out a few things. Create a space for the eye {eyes if you have two} to rest so they can appreciate the beautiful.
Your mantel is not something to fret over, play around with it, don’t be afraid of making a few nail holes and create a little area that brings beauty and meaning to the room. And don’t forget, it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful!
Are you intrigued? Here are a few other posts from Nesting Place
- How I changed my decor from reds and golds to greens blues and whites while keeping it cozy.
- A Renter’s Fireplace Mantel
- 31 Days to a Less Messy Nest
- Master of Your Domain
The Nester, who writes anonymously, is a home stager, redesigner and design school drop-out. She and her husband and their three boys have moved 14 times in 15 years of marriage and they are currently content to be renting. Nesters favorite place to be is home and you can usually catch her there moving furniture. In her spare time she writes a blog called Nesting Place {which she considers her second home}, occasionally speaks about blogging and imperfect decorating. She is quite uncomfortable talking about herself in the third person.
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I like your blog,and also like the article,and thank you for provide me so much information :))
these tips are super helpful. i love the shutter idea too.
These are all such great ideas! I love to decorate our mantle for Christmas. This year it’s all nativity themed. Thanks for all the great tips!
Allyson
http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com
I love the shutters. I may have to try something like that!