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We’re all fired up for these festive vignettes. Short Head Mantle
As the temperatures drop, images of sitting with friends and loved ones are top of mind as we start to hunker down for cozy days indoors. And nothing adds warmth and atmosphere to a living room like a crackling fireplace. A time-honored showpiece, the fireplace is not only a central gathering spot over the holidays, but also an added opportunity for holiday bling and festive decor.
Having decorator’s block? We’re here to help. We’ve tapped some of the top designers and brands for their holiday mantel go-tos and created a list of brag-worthy ideas for you to choose from. Whether you’re into a simple magnolia garland or a bough of sweet-smelling evergreens, or you like to go ham with a plethora of gilded tchotchkes that make your Christmas tree look comparatively humble—we’ve got something for everyone. The stockings are just the beginning. Happy decorating!
Texas-based designer Cathy Kincaid harks back to America’s early days by using a mix of fruits and plaid ribbon, complete with a starred wreath for the mantel in her own dining room.
John Derian is known for his love of Christmas—so of course his eponymous store suffers no dearth of holiday bling. Here, the designer decided to show as many of his favorite holiday finds as possible.
The Blackberry Farm Design team added elements of nature to this more rustic-looking holiday mantel using branches and pine cones. For added pizzazz, they punctuated the foliage with classic pillar candles.
For this chic, pared-down mantel, Hudson Grace chose to stick with one color scheme, matching the holiday decor to the stark white interiors, allowing the greenery to really stand out. “I love decorating with our white nutcrackers for a uniquely modern and oh-so festive touch,” cofounder Monelle Totah tells ELLE DECOR.
Eliza Harris, creative director of Sister Parish Design, recommends making your decor as festive and playful as possible and always incorporating the handmade. Here, she used the firm’s signature Serendipity star–patterned fabric for the stockings on the mantel she decorated for the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection.
Inspired by his church’s annual “Hanging of the Greens” ceremony growing up, Texas-based decorator Doniphan Moore always looks forward to adding greenery to his own home. Bonus: “It makes my home smell wonderful,” he adds.
For her family’s holiday mantel, interior designer Shea McGee opted for country vibes with neutral plaid stockings, wooden candlesticks, and, of course, some greenery. Come January, we’d be slow to take this elegant showpiece down.
Sometimes simplicity is best. Take, for instance, this decorated mantel from Olive & Cocoa. A few tasteful flourishes make for a setup that’s both merry and bright, whether or not a fire is going.
You can’t go wrong with silver and gold during the holidays, and retailer Balsam Hill decided to lean into this theme as it outfitted one of the mantels at the Plaza Hotel with its latest Christmas decor offerings. Who wouldn’t want to cozy up here?
Minnesota-based designer Bria Hammel matched her mantel decor to her Christmas tree using natural motifs like berries, birds, acorns, and pine cones. To top it all off, she added metallic elements like bells to bring in texture.
Des Moines, Iowa–based decorator Amanda Reynal loves decorating for the holidays. Here she layered her mantel with two garlands with art interspersed in between. With some added presents in front and pine cones on the birch logs in the fireplace, this intimate setting is straight from A Christmas Carol.
Tastemaker Aerin Lauder opted for greenery and pine cones for her fireplace mantel decor, keeping it seasonal and festive. Pairing it with her beautifully set table for two gives it extra panache.
For a Christmas mantel idea that offers endless visual intrigue, look to this setup by Monika Hibbs. The gingerbread-like houses and gilded candlesticks that are peppered throughout the greenery create an idyllic holiday scene. An abstract wreath offers the perfect finishing touch, drawing the eye upward.
Tina Yaraghi, founder of the Enchanted Home, coordinated the decor for her mantel and tree, focusing on a blue and white theme with pops of red. Talk about having it all together!
Bunny Williams stuck with a woodland theme for her mantel decor, using mushrooms, painted pine cones, and fruit—which, shown with her bunny artwork, is honing all the Beatrix Potter vibes!
Atlanta-based designer Suzanne Kasler focused on red for her holiday ensemble showcasing bright roses, ribbons, and ornaments against her greenery. She even went the extra mile by hanging a wreath on the mirror and Christmas baubles from the room’s chandelier to make it extra special.
When decorating your mantel for Christmas, style maven Heather Chadduck Hillegas recommends keeping it simple by using something classic like magnolia for your garland.
If you have room on your fireplace mantel, why not create a Christmas wonderland scene complete with trees and ornaments? Atlanta-based interior designer Suzanne Kasler also recommends adding a dusting of snow to make it even more magical.
Event planner extraordinaire Bronson van Wyck chose to use cedar leaves and scarlet paper fans as a nod to the chinoiserie paneling found in this library room. Whether you're curling up with a good book or hosting a holiday fête, we would certainly linger longer here.
Design superstar Kelly Wearstler chose to tell her own personal story with this verdant extravaganza. The Spanish moss used for the wreath and mixed in with the other foliage represents her childhood spent growing up in South Carolina, and the local magnolia and coyote bush symbolize her current California lifestyle.
Parker Bowie Larson is the Style Director for ELLE Decor, covering everything interior design-related ranging from tabletop to furniture to kitchen and bath, and has previously worked for Architectural Digest and Cottage Living.
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