Marvelous Mantles
Unique looks for your holiday home
A cozy hearth is often seen as the heart of the home, especially in winter, and it’s a space that often gets special treatment when the holidays arrive. Whether its rustic elegance, ravishing red or a contemporary mantle dressed in an icy blue, we’ll show you the trending looks to create your own festive display.
The More Swag, the Better
Garlands tend to be the go-to base layer for any mantle décor. When it comes to adding a garland, Jim Gainan of Gainan’s Midtown Flowers says, the more, the merrier, especially when you mix it up with different foliage.
“Take three garlands with different types of greenery that are of equal length, and you just twist them together,” Jim says. The result is an easy way to mix greenery and add depth before you even attach an ornament or berry.
Montana Elegance
Since the hit TV show “Yellowstone” hit the scene, there’s been a buzz about Montana. This mantle tries to capture a bit of that Montana elegance. Jim laughs as he says, “With the popularity of Yellowstone, how could we not do a Yellowstone-themed mantle?”
“This mantle has five different types of greenery along with the faux antlers,” Jim says. Rice lights add a soft glow. “The soft light really carries your eye through it, and the little white berries echo snow.”
With its rustic wire edge ribbon woven throughout, large brass bells dangling from the display and faux tree branches that come completely covered with faux lichen, the result is an earthy yet high-end look.
Above the mantle, you’ll find a matching wreath in a new trending shape. Don’t say goodbye completely to a round version, but this oval is making a splash in holiday design.
To carry this look to other portions of the home’s entry, there is a trio of wooden trees decked out with reindeer. Another spot features a fresh floral vase accented by faux greenery. When the white roses fade, simply add a few new fresh cuts to change up the look as the season moves on. And who wouldn’t notice the large hurricane vase sitting on the hearth?
“This shows what an inexpensive strand of rice lights mixed with 12 balls can do in this beautiful hurricane,” Jim says.
Ravishing in Red
There’s little doubt that red is the signature color of Christmas. When added in just the right way, it’s a head turner.
“This is monochromatic red. This is going big,” Jim says. “Adding green in different shapes and textures allows you to add subtle color but yet let the red really stand out as the glitzy part.”
Glitter-dusted poinsettias, large, gilded leaves and splashes of metallic berries add to the holiday sparkle. Since many of us have some of these elements at home, Jim says why not take note of what you already have, adding maybe a few new elements to create the same more budget-savvy look.
“This can be done, and we can show you how to do it,” Jim says. “We have all the pieces.” Take an inventory of what you have with pictures, he says, and then, “Come in and we can show you how to best put it together.”
In this space, Jim’s design team created a trio of focal points to play off the mantle.
“What we like to do is have an overall look but then add in these moments, visual moments,” Jim says. For instance, a hand-crafted Santa sits nearby on a side table. Glitzy poinsettia leaf trees repeat the look down on the fireplace hearth.
Winter in Blue
“Non-traditional colors are becoming very chic for the holidays,” Jim says. “People are decorating with colors that they love for their main living area and of course keeping some of their cherished ornaments instead on a tree in their living room.”
Here, that color is an icy, almost Tiffany, blue.
“It reminds you of the frosty outdoors,” Jim says. “It definitely gives you a sense of winter.”
Since this mantle is more streamlined and less heavy, Jim chose to hang ornaments off the edge with simple fishing line. It makes it seem as though the glass baubles are floating in mid-air.
“It’s a very simple way to add drama to the garland. Light will catch those glass baubles,” Jim says. “It’s meant to be stunning during the day and at night.”
Antique looking finials that give a nod to the décor you might have seen in grandma’s house are making a comeback. This mantle might be modern, but the antique flair adds both light and charm.
“They give this décor height and the lights inside are battery-operated,” Jim says.
Jim adds that because the mantle isn’t very deep, one trick is to use a handful of command hooks lying on their sides to, in a way, catch the garland base to prevent it from dropping off the front or side.
In this space, again, you’ll find those pops of coordinating colors — from the larger-than-life icy blue-lit ornaments on the coffee table to the trio of glass trees off to the side. Even the glittery ribbon on the mantle matches the color on the home’s walls. The result is a cohesive look that not only demands attention, but blends into the home’s existing design.
“We’re pulling in Christmas with everyday items,” Jim says. “The Tiffany blue trees, a really simple modern silk arrangement and then the really modern reindeer to pull in the elements from this modern home.”
Bring It All Together
No matter what design style you prefer, the basic rules for an interesting mantle and surrounding space is simple — layer greenery, add a little light, use the colors you love and don’t be afraid to group items around the room that play off the color and theme of your mantle. Doing so will help you deliver a festive flair in a style that’s all your own.
