How to Decorate a Christmas Mantel

Learn how to decorate a Christmas mantel with all of these beautiful Christmas mantel decorating ideas!  Easy tips to help you decorate any mantel or Christmas vignette.

 

Seasonal Simplicity Christmas Series

We’re back for week 3 of the Seasonal Simplicity Christmas Series!  If you’ve missed the past two weeks, be sure to check out the awesome Christmas crafts and DIY projects from week 1, and the cutest handmade Christmas ornaments from last week.  Today, we’re getting into a little more Christmas decor and showing you our Christmas mantels. There are over 25 different Christmas mantels and Christmas vignette ideas to help you dress up your home for Christmas! I hope you love them as much as I do.

 

Christmas Mantel

I still have a ways to go until I’m totally done with our Christmas decorating, but our Christmas mantel is lit and all ready to go! At the end of the summer, I put some faux shiplap up over the alcoves on our mantel, so it was nice to have a bit of a different look this year. {You can see what it looked like a couple of Christmas’ ago HERE}.  Out of all of the areas of our home, I probably change up our mantel decor the least.  I just love a nice big garland and glowing lights!

Christmas Mantel Decorating Tips

There are SO many different ways that you can decorate your mantel, but I’ve put together a few basic tips to help get you started.  It usually takes at least a little tweaking here and there and a few changes before I finally settle on the final version.  The most important thing is to just have fun with it!

 

 

Add a garland.

Garlands come in all shapes and sizes and can add so much depth and texture to your mantel.  Go for big and bushy, fresh and natural, or keep it simple.  While I LOVE the look of fresh greenery, our Christmas decor is up for almost two months, so a fresh garland just wouldn’t work. Luckily, faux garlands have come a long way over the past few years and you can find tons of beautiful styles and designs to suit your specific taste.  You can always change things up a bit too by adding your own flocking.

Layer different elements for added interest.

There are lots of different elements that you could use to add color, sparkle, or visual interest to your garland or mantel.  Use ornaments in your chosen color scheme, multiple garland strands, or themed objects to add some fun!  I used some cozy little wool mittens and my popsicle stick ski ornaments to add a nice pop of red, along with some silver Christmas balls.

Get inspired by nature.

If you can’t use fresh greenery, you can always use other nature inspired elements such as birch branches, pine cones, or little sprigs of fresh greenery or berries.

Add height {and balance}.

You want to add some height to your mantel or vignette keeping each side balanced in terms of both height and weight of the objects that you use.  The easiest way to do this is through symmetry {like I did with the Christmas trees}, but if you’re feeling more creative, you can definitely experiment with different objects on either side of the focal point.

Hang your stockings.

I love Christmas stockings and always have to stop myself from picking up a new set each year! There are so many pretty options!  I’ve had our deer stocking hangers for quite a few years now and still love pulling them out. If you don’t have stocking hangers you can always hide clear command hooks in with your greenery and then hang the stockings from those.  To keep your stockings hanging straight, stuff them with a little bit of tissue paper.

 

Light it up.

For me, the best part about a Christmas mantel is always the lights!  There is just something so peaceful and cozy about sitting in front of the fire with the soft, warm lights twinkling in the background.  If you don’t want to worry about turning your lights on and off every day, try adding a timer to your lights or use battery operated lights where you don’t have to worry about a plug at all.  Battery operated candles can also add a pretty glow.

Sammy definitely knows where the best seat in the house is. Sometimes I just have to cuddle up right there with him!  I hope you enjoy!

More Christmas Mantel Decorating Ideas

Are you ready for more Christmas mantel inspiration?  Here are 25 other beautiful ideas to help you create your perfect Christmas mantel or vignette.  I just love all of the different color schemes and decorating styles!

The Happy Housie // House by Hoff // Rooms FOR Rent // The Turquoise Home

Lolly Jane // Just a Girl and Her Blog / / Taryn Whiteaker Designs / / My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

So Much Better With Age // Finding Silver Pennies // Home Made Lovely // Designthusiasm

tatertots and jello // Clean and Scentsible // All Things With Purpose // Tauni Everett

Craftberry Bush // Hallstrom Home // Rambling Renovators // Deeply Southern Home

Modern Glam // Summer Adams // Happy Happy Nester // Town and Country Living

Willow Street Interiors // Sawdust to Stitches // Life is a Party