How to Create a Cozy and Welcoming Christmas Mantel

Every winter and Christmas season, I look forward to the tradition of decorating the mantel. We spend many of our winter hours admiring the glow of the fire. Dressing up the mantel with warm cozy pine and eucalyptus garlands and elegant heirloom pieces is one of my favorite ways to create a nostalgic and traditional look. Join me as I share tips for decorating a welcoming and cozy Christmas mantel that will last through the holidays.

  

Cozy Christmas Mantel Plans

Designing a cohesive color scheme is the first step in planning out mantel decor for any season. Whenever it’s time to start generating ideas, it’s fun to scour Pinterest, magazines, and social media for encouragement. Taking inspiration from talented decorators is a great way to curate a color palette and list of materials for creating a similar or new look.

I chose the deep greens of the pine garlands and eucalyptus stems as a starting point for this mantel look. I wanted a warm and traditional heirloom feel to layer on top of the greenery. Vintage gold is a great contrasting color with deep greens. It also adds color and brightens the look.

Choosing Elements to Style

In designing this traditional and cozy mantel, I knew I wanted layers of pine and eucalyptus greenery. Greenery brings a dark, moody feel to a space while simultaneously adding life. Consequently, there was also a strong need to bring in elements that would add color and light to the mantel while maintaining the cozy mood. My antique gold mirror felt like a perfect option as a focal point and centerpiece. To see how I transformed my mirror to the perfect shade of subtle European heirloom gold, click here to find my easy two-step hack.

Also included in the plan were vintage gold velvet ribbon, vintage primitive gold bells, and gold berry stems to extend the color and brighten the style throughout the mantel. In the same way, twinkle lights added to the garland brings in a warm glow in the darker hours. Finally, I chose my favorite wooden candle pillars and white candles to coordinate with some white and gold bottle brush trees I had leftover from the previous year.

Cozy Christmas Mantel Decorating

One of the best secrets to getting greenery to look full in any styling is to layer multiple garlands on top of each other. This mantel styling has two 6 foot real-feel cedar garlands, three 4 foot cedar garlands, and between 15 and 20 eucalyptus sprigs.

Building a Cozy Mantel

Building the cozy mantel is easy, but it does require a few hidden supplies. Command hooks and wire ties are a great way to help the garland flow over the mantel without allowing the forces of gravity to pull it down. Command hooks are one of my favorite solutions for many decorating problems. They hold well and remove easily when my decorating winds shift. Twist ties help to keep the garlands together in places where I need the layers to appear abounding.

Layers of Cozy Greenery and Warm Lights

Next, I used command hooks to secure the garland to the ledge. The hook part faced away from the wall, and the greenery attached nicely to it while hanging over the front edge. The mantel used six command hooks across the top of the ledge. 

Afterward, I began to add in my twinkle lights since I wanted the cords hidden under the next layer of garland. Rice lights are my new favorite twinkle light. They give off magical light and have a lower profile. Twistie ties and command hooks work well to secure greenery and lights together or add extra support. Once the lights are attached, the final three greenery pieces layer on top.  The lights pull through the top layer of faux cedar, keeping the cords out of sight. Finally, eucalyptus stems are inserted evenly throughout for variation.

Warm and Cozy Golden Touches

With the layers of twinkling greenery in place and the antique mirror centered on the wall as a focal point, it’s time to add some golden-warm and cozy touches. Undoubtedly, my favorite gold touches come in vintage forms. A vintage gold velvet ribbon weaves gently through the greenery with gold berries tucked into the ends and middle. Vintage gold bells add a layer of interest placed asymmetrically at one end of the fireplace and will counterbalance the fireside chair on the other side.

Final Touches

The best part of any decorating job is adding those final touches. In this case, a few primitive wood candle pillars bring cohesiveness with another nod to a traditional warmth. White is the perfect color to brighten any space as it reflects light so well. Adding white candles and white bottle brush trees not only lightened the area but also added some much-needed contrast. A subtle gold bottle brush tree and a silver vintage-style tree gave the spot some variety. Let us not forget the stockings. What better way to add the personal touch of Christmas than to add this visual representation of each family member?

Welcoming Mantel Decor and the Cozy of Christmas

The look of a nostalgic elegance speaks right to my heart during the holidays. The Christmas season is so deeply rooted in the sentiment of traditions. Our homes are the backdrops for these memories. Warm and cozy Christmas decor elicits strong feelings. Whether we’re using heirloom pieces passed down through the years or new-found treasures, it all becomes classic ones it finds its way into our traditions. 

I wish you all the best in making spaces in your home that bring out warm and cozy feelings for you and your family. I hope these tips for cozy Christmas mantel decorating inspired you to create some welcoming spaces in your home this year.  As always, I appreciate your questions and comments.

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