Holiday Decorating: 5 Design Tips for your Mantel

Photo by Christina Wedge

​Happy Holidays everyone!
If you're like me, decorating my fireplace mantel  is as important as decorating my trees for the holiday season.  
If you need a little holiday motivation, you've come to the right place!

​1. Layer it on!
This is where I break my own design rule of "Less is More". Heavens no!
"More is More" when it comes decorating the mantel for the holidays!

Photo by Christina Wedge

For this mantel I used an artificial evergreen garland as the anchor, but filled it with magnolia and evergreen branches found on my property. The artificial swag has wired branches which are great for anchoring the live greenery. I just looped a faux branch around a live branch!
The large pine cones came from a wonderful pine tree in my front yard.
The wreath above the mantel was also an artificial wreath filled with real greenery. I did the same technique of tying faux branches around real ones.
​The deerhead was made from driftwood!

Photo by Christina Wedge

​The mantel below I also used an artificial garland as the anchor under the real greenery. My nandina bushes were full of berries so I emphasized the red by putting red poinsettias at the base.
Wooden angel wings adorned the mirror.
​I placed 2 modern tall wingbacks to mix up the traditional red and greenwith the modern.

2. Move Your Decorations to Different Rooms Every Year 
If you have a couple of fireplaces in your home try swapping the decor each year.
I used my blue green decorations on my traditional fireplace and then switched it to my contemporary family room. ​Because on the color scheme in my home next year I'll put this color scheme in my sitting room off the foyer.

Photo by Marisa Pellegrini

When I decorate holiday showhouses, I have to purchase all the holiday decor you see on the blog post.
Below Santa, this beautiful artificial swag, and topiaries graced the USGA Museum before they found their permanent home in my home in Atlanta.
​ I moved them from one home to another with a completely diferent look!

3. If you can, never repeat your holiday decor on your mantel. Change it up every year to give your fireplace a new look.   
The fireplace below is at the USGA Golf Museum in Far Hills, New Jersey. For 3 years a group of designers, including myself decorated the museum.
This is the Bobby Jones Room and my friend, Gwen Nagorsky decorated the mantel with a golf motif. 
I decorated the same fireplace with a restrained golf theme. I think I like Gwen's decor better then mine.
​What do you think?

​This is how I decorated the same room, with my "Less is More", which I feel isn't as wonderful as how Gwen decorated the mantel the following year. But it is an simple elegant fireplace.

4. Always personalize your fireplace mantel decor and make it authentically you.
Christmas decorating is a personal style when you can decorate over the top, glammed up, and completely make it your own style.
In the photo below, this was my home in New Jersey and the Christmas stockings were made by me  for my family. Personal touch and homemade items are wonderful Christmas decor.

5. If all else fails, hire a professional decorator with her own team to do it for you.
Sometimes life is too hectic between a career and family commitments; you may need the extra hands to get your home decorated in time for entertaining during the holiday season. It's okay, we understand...

​Thanks for stopping by!
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