Themed mantel enlivens décor
If I took an informal poll of shoppers in my home-interior stores, asking them to name their favorite spot in the house to decorate, I bet most would say their fireplace mantel. We love to experiment with different looks on our mantels, don’t we? Sometimes we want it screaming with drama, loaded with accents that make it sparkle and pop. Other times, we crave a simple, serene look.
I have the most fun with my mantel during the holiday season, when this thin plank of painted wood becomes a tiny stage on which I herald the season. If you’re stuck in a rut with your holiday mantel décor, try one of my favorite themes.
Woodland wonderland
The rough, rustic look of winter in the woods has to be my all-time favorite theme for the holidays because it allows me to bring the beauty of nature inside my home.
To create an earthy, fresh woodland display, find a fallen branch that fits well on your mantel, with twigs that hang over the front and twigs that reach up the wall. Now, wind tufts of loose, natural-looking faux greenery, like long-needled pine garland, through the branches to give it color and texture.
Next, add the embellishments. If you want a frosty look, hang clusters of faux icicles from the twigs that reach over the front of your mantel. Bring out the sparkle of the icicles by using silver pieces on your mantel, like a formal candelabra or a chalice.
If you’d like a more rustic look, dot your branch with groups of pine cones, thread honeysuckle vine through the garland and hang a few simple wooden ornaments from the twigs.
Silver and gold
Sometimes, during the holidays, nothing will do in your decorating but the rich luster of silver and gold. To make a memorable mantel that’s full of fire and ice, first create a textured backdrop using a garland of pine boughs with long, soft needles. With the greens in place, you’re ready to add the Midas touch. Find three glass hurricanes of differing sizes and place them on one side of the mantel. I’m partial to hurricanes that sport silver bases because they add more bling. Now, fill them with a mixture of your favorite gold and silver tree bulbs or other baubles. On the opposite side of the mantel, create the same effect using tall, thin apothecary jars.
Finish out your display by dotting your garland with groups of gold and silver balls that match those in your hurricanes and apothecary jars. Be sure to hang a few balls from the garland so they swing lazily over the edge of your mantel.
A touch of color
If you’ve just got to have color on your holiday mantel, create a base of pine-bough garland that has pine cones attached. Then add faux holly garland or picks dotted with plump, red berries. For a country touch, add plaid ribbons and folk-art ornaments. I’ve even used tiny black birdcages and empty birds’ nests to give the still life more whimsy.
If you’re feeling blue this holiday season, build a mantel display around blue and white pottery. Find two identical vases that sport a botanical or Asian pattern, then fill them with a topsy-turvy display of wintergreens. Prop one vase atop a small stack of old books so it’s taller than its partner on the opposite side of the mantel. Fill in the center with a silver five-armed candelabra, a blue-and-white transferware plate propped up in an easel and a favorite figurine, like a bronze quail or an iron stag.
Mary Carol Garrity owns three home furnishings stores in Atchison, Kan., and wrote several books on home decorating. Write to Mary Carol at nellhills@mail.lvnworth.com. Her column is syndicated by Scripps Howard News Service.
