12 Ways Of Christmas Mantle Decorating Ideas

Today is going to be a big surprise from our 31 Days Of Autumn Goodness! Why not throw in a little bit of pre-Christmas inspiration?  Today marks two months before Christmas! I know it’s hard to believe.

Here is the exciting part…today there are 12 bloggers sharing 12 ways of Christmas!  When you get to the bottom of this post be sure to visit all the other “12 ways posts.” I can’t wait to read all of them myself!

Yes, in the middle of October (call me crazy) I got out the Christmas decor and created 12 mantle ideas to get you inspired for this holiday season.

For me simple decorating is always best for any holiday.  After all, we want to get up the decorations and make our homes festive without a lot of time and money. I am not a fan of “commercial” or “magazine” looking Christmas decorating. I like to use my household common items, and personal decor, then embellish all of it with hints of Christmas. This way the decorating fits our home and style and makes everyone feel comfortable and cozy for Christmas. All of the twelve mantle decorating ideas here are simple and were put together quickly and with little money.

My goal here is not for perfection, but to inspire you to decorate your home for the holidays with the things you already own and love. Be sure to scroll down and read my top tips for decorating a mantle.

#1 Mantle: Cheerful Turquoise And Red

For this mantle I started with my vintage blue window frame.  I added a piece of faux tin that I purchased at Home Depot, (sold in the kitchen area).  I added in my coffee filter wreath, and miscellaneous other items.  Sprigs of faux berry sprays, red wooden beads, Christmas balls, and wooden star tree topper were the “Christmas” items added.  I love this simple, fresh color scheme!

#2 Mantle: Winter White Wonder

I love white decor items. I have a collection of plates and pitchers in white, and decided to showcase them for this mantle display.  A Christmas mantle is a perfect place to highlight a favorite collection.  In this case a monochromatic color scheme is soothing and easy on the eye.  Then add in a container of Christmas balls and some lit candles and you have a beautiful mantle in minutes. Take note: when decorating in a monochromatic color scheme, vary the shades of colors to add interest.

#3 Mantle:  Classic Red And White

You can never go wrong with a classic red and white color scheme.  I love how this mantle could take me right into winter.  Here I used my old window and that fantastic “God Is Good” sign to be the focal points, then everything else was layered and brought together by adding berry vines and sprigs.

#4 Mantle: Silver Bells In Blue

This blue and white mantle has no bells to it, but I called it that for fun! It is fresh and elegant. I started with an old shutter placed horizontally to give some interest to the wall. When decorating a mantle, think of items you can use to create a backdrop for dimension.  This theme was created by combining my mercury candles holders, votive candles, and my coffee filter wreath. I embellished everything with some tree ornaments in the colors, and quickly had a beautiful and elegant display.

#5 Mantle: Vintage Kitchen In Red

This whimsical vintage kitchen mantle is proof that any types of items can be used for decorating.  It’s fun to think outside the box, and decorate with the unexpected. I had fun bringing my red and white vintage kitchen items together and making them work for a holiday mantle.  I then used my black bobbins, a garland with lights and some Christmas balls to round out the whole look.

#6 Aqua And Green With Cranberries

This is a fresh take on traditional Christmas colors.  Isn’t it fun? By combining lime green, aqua and cranberry red, you can still have Christmas colors, with a fun and festive feel.  I love to try new color combinations each season, and this is a perfect example of trying something a bit different.  The “Bless Our Nest” sign was the inspiration and starting point for this color scheme, and then I added everything else in from there.

 What if you don’t have a mantle?  Any flat surface you have can become a “mantle”.  Start looking around your house for areas you can decorate as a mantle.  I am going to show you some of the ideas I came up with!

#7 Mantle: Christmas In The Country

 
This is my old farmhouse bench that sits against a wall in my living room. This makes a perfect mantle.  Here again I brought together an eclectic mix of items in my home, to create this primitive and simplistic country feel.  The yarn balls, block letters spelled out in “joy” and a sprig wreath are the only items that really are “Christmas”.  Also take note: I used LED lit candles here, so they are safe for my kids at this low level!

#8 Mantle: Stepping Up To Christmas

This is a super fun and unexpected “mantel”.  I used my old ladder, but you could make this display with an old door and turn it into a stocking holder.  I wrapped the ladder in berry vines and a metal star, and all together this makes a great stocking holder and is ready within minutes!

#9 Mantle:  Seaside Serenity

Here is an idea… I used my piano to show another “out-of-the-box” idea. I had fun giving this non-mantle a seaside feel.  By again using my white collection, and enhancing it with coppery brown balls, lit candles, and starfish, I quickly created an elegant and soothing display.  A gentle hint of Christmas.

#10 Mantle: Warm And Cozy Christmas

Here again is my piano decorated as a “mantle”, and I love this display!  This color scheme will take me from fall to Christmas. It has a warmth and interesting color combination that feels cozy and inviting. I started this display my laying down my wool cozy throw blanket as a backdrop, then I added Christmas berries with fall bittersweet, to make a transitional mantle to last through the entire holiday season.  The lime green, red, and orange are an unexpected and beautiful bounty of colors for the home!

Then look what happens when you add the nativty to it. Now it’s really ready for Christmas!

#11 Mantle: Festive Fruit Jars

So maybe you have a small space and no way to do any kind of mantle we have mentioned.  Well what about a small “mini mantle”?  If you have any kind of a box, crate, tray or just your windowsill, you can create a simple display. For this one I used fruit jars and lit votive candles in them.  I then surrounded the jars with glittery pinecones and shiny festive balls.

#12 Mantle: Classic Candle Collection

Here is a simple but classic way to decorate for the holidays.  Candles in groups are always great and can be used anywhere.  I used my vintage bobbins as candle holders, and my LED candles, and then sprinkled around some cranberry vase filler to make a classic and beautiful “mini mantle” in minutes.

I hope all of these 12 ideas will give you inspiration for decorating your home this season.

 Here are my top 5 tips for decorating a mantle.

• Choose a color scheme of 2-3 colors and keep it simple.  When you try to add too many colors it can look to busy.
•  Start with a large piece or focal point item and then start adding from there.
• Layer items over each other. Mix vintage and new, textures, shapes and finishes.  Don’t be afraid to combine shiny with matte items. This makes it all more interesting.
• Show off your favorite style within all your Christmas decorating. If you like cottage, modern, classic, or country. It doesn’t matter, but make your Christmas decorating fit within the style of your home.
• Have fun, and don’t be afraid to try something new.  As you begin to play with decorating, you will see how easy it really is!

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