One of the many benefits of having a fireplace in your home is the mantel. The mantel is a blank canvas to display your décor, especially as we enter the holiday season when the fireplace is used more and becomes a festive focal point in your home. Do you know how you will decorate your mantel this holiday season? Here are a few tips and tricks to help you get started!
Use Warm Textures
Cozy up your mantel with warm textures. Using natural décor items like branches, leaves, and pinecones help bring the outside in while adding unique textures. Cover glass vases with parts of old sweaters or scarves as another way to add warmth and texture to your mantel while also up-cycling something you would have otherwise thrown away.
Think Outside the Box
Just because other people are putting green and red on their mantels this time of year doesn’t mean you have to. Go against the grain by putting your own personal touch on your holiday décor. If cool tones are your favorite, use them to decorate your mantel. Not ready to say goodbye to fall? Keep your pumpkins up year-round. Having a mantel that is different than anyone else’s will help make your fireplace a conversation starter.
Use the Space Above Your Mantel
Are you out of room on your mantel but still have decorations you want to display? Use the space above to expertly display items you love. Adding a mirror, framed photo, or sign will help create upward movement of the eye and gives the benefit of clear up some space on your mantel for smaller knick-knacks. You can also change out the hanging pictures seasonally and keep attention on your mantel year-round.
Holiday Specific Décor
If you want to add holiday cheer, use holiday-specific décor. For Thanksgiving, scattering gourds and fall leaves on your mantel will help bring in a feeling of warmth, while pilgrim figurines, stuffed turkeys, and a “thankful” wall hanging will highlight what the Thanksgiving holiday is all about. During December consider fake snow-covered trees, candles, and snowflakes. These non-Christmas specific winter decorations can be left up long after December 25th.
Stockings hung by the chimney with care, an Elf on the Shelf, or a Santa figurine are wonderful accents to include for Christmas. A manger scene will help call back to the origin of Christmas as well. If your family celebrates Hanukkah, having white and blue décor will match the holiday’s coloring. If you have an extra menorah or dreidels, make them the centerpiece of your holiday display.
If you want a fireplace to add some extra warmth to your holidays, contact Brekke Fireplace Shoppe. We offer free in-home estimates!