Fireplace Mantels

For the autumn months my mantel fireplace was the home of these craft pumpkins in cream, black, and mint and some touches of nature in the form of ornamental grass in a mint vase. I purposely like to stay more neutral when it comes to colors in the fall so I can keep my decor up until after Thanksgiving. If it's too orange and black I find I tend to want to take it down as soon as Halloween is over.

This Christmas season I'm staying true to my personal style and sticking with rustic and natural touches with pinecone garland and bark-covered candles. Wrapped into the berry garland is also a string of lights which has a battery pack so there are no cords hanging off of the mantel! I also placed some of my favorite red and gold Christmas balls in amongst the garland for a festive touch.

I would describe my everyday fireplace mantel as very simple and classic. I chose to hang a mirror above the mantel to make the room seem bigger, and I featured some candle holders that I loved and that make a little bit of a statement. I finished it off with a little greenery to add some visual interest. The blue and white goes with the overall decor of the rest of our apartment.

The holiday mantel fireplace is definitely more dressed up and I think has a cozier feel because of the stockings. I wanted something pretty classic so I chose to go with the traditional Christmas colors of red and green. I wanted our mantel to be very festive and cheery so I kind of added all of the things. There are cinnamon scented acorns, antique-looking lights, holly sprigs, and gold berries in the garland. I think it had the intended effect - it makes me smile every time I look at it!

My style is simple and artsy. I like things simple but unique, calm but cool. My wood fireplace mantel is the place in my home where the decor gets changed out frequently based on the season and holiday.

I want my Christmas mantel to reflect things I remember fondly from my childhood with a modern feel. I think the mercury glass tree feels vintage yet edgy giving my mantel an aged but current style.

I really wish I could have shown you an awesome shot of my autumn-themed mantel (that wasn't in existence) before our Christmas transformation. We technically did have a couple small pumpkins that sat on the mantel that I removed right before my youngest son's birthday party. Actually, I also had to remove the "Minion" balloons to get the following picture. But it gives you an idea of what our mantel might look like on any given day. I'll admit, it looks a little minimalist. And now with a sprinkling of Christmas cheer! (Drumroll please...)

You know those picturesque Christmas cards that feature the stockings hung by the chimney with care? Of course, I have to do that too (Side note: I actually didn't grow up with a fireplace in our home, and my mother always made it feel like a Christmas card). Our fireplace mantel is a collage of new and old. It's playful and colorful for the kids, but holds nostalgia for the adults in the house. Mostly what I love about this decorated area is the sentimental attachment, starting with the fact that my grandpa made this mantel for my grandmother with his own two hands. And I love that this fireplace is a part of all of my childhood Christmas memories and now I get to share that with my children.

The first thing seen when opening the front door to our small cottage is our mantel and fireplace. Since my husband is a sculptor and painter, I like to use our mantel as a place to display his work. His "Taos Mountain" oil painting and "In Good Hands" sculpture join a casual grouping of apples, a pretty scented candle and my beloved handmade birdhouse. This is a simple approach to daily decor, with art taking center stage.

For the holidays I like to have fun with our mantel and make it the centerpiece for Christmas decor. This is when I indulge my love of romantic cottage style. The painting is swapped for a snowy scene from my husband's collection. My favorite French inspired vase holds locally dried flowers and eucalyptus. The cover of French sheet music proclaims the holiday. A stack of vintage books in muted seasonal colors is topped with a nosegay of dried red carnations, tied with raffia, and a petite moss wreath. I always include pine cones in my winter mantelscapes and chose a dainty floral teacup and a tarnished bowl as vessels this year. A sprinkling of additional pinecones, cinnamon sticks, a gorgeous red plate, and antler shed (found on our property) complete the vignette. Oh, and my birdhouse! It never goes away -- whatever the season, it remains part of the decor.

My everyday mantel look consists of neutral colors and minimal accessories. The mantel is styled with a beautiful piece of art and two decorative sconces. Classic, serene, and chic.

For the Christmas season I keep with a neutral color scheme of white, silver, or gold when decorating her mantel for the holidays. The faux garland with pine cones was a splurge as I'm allergic to pollen/trees. I will also change up the ribbon around the garland each season to keep the look fresh and new. The glitter birch trees and gold antler reindeer add a touch of rustic and sparkle to the mantel especially if you stick with a neutral color scheme. For an extra fun decoration, you can prop your stockings with festive stocking holders like these metal snowflakes.

I have always loved the beach and everything that comes with it. The ocean breeze, the sand, the colors, and most of all, the memories we make being at the beach! My everyday style on our mantel is clean, pops of color, and breathable! We get a lot of natural light in our home, and we just love it. It helps make our rooms feel bigger than they really are when you keep it simple and I always say less is more! I love pictures and have them everywhere ... it helps make a house a home (filled with memories). There is limited space on a mantel (usually) and the pieces I chose are bulky so I needed all of the space. Try hanging pictures on the wall to maximize your space, leaving you room for simplicity and more pictures. Vases are always popular especially with a little greenery. I used 8x10 size frames so they wouldn't get lost and creates a focal point for the room (and mantel).

We love Christmas and everything sparkly and traditional. I have loved the bottle brush craze the last couple of years! We have them everywhere ... bathrooms, Adie's room and even right now Hart (our Elf on the shelf) is riding along the side of them since she picked up her own tree for the holidays. I wanted to use our advent calendar on the mantel (keeping it away from little hands) this year, which is shaped like a tree. Perfect! We mixed glittery, white and color which makes it feel so fun yet still really festive! I love the style of traditional but not always the traditional color. ;) I added a couple deer to our mantel, they just always remind me of Christmas time and go perfect with trees and our little ceramic white house. One of my favorite things to decorate with is garlands! They are a must, they just add that little something you need! I used white and charcoal grey glitter paper, cut out stars (thanks Twin) and sewed them to the length I needed. I also cut out triangles from white and grey felt paper and sewed them into a banner not in any particular order either. String them all together and it's so fun!!! The felt ball garland is the perfect splash of color and it's my new favorite!!! We still have stocking to hang but I am thinking I might make it a new tradition to have my little people hang them Christmas Eve for Santa when we set out his cookies! This really is the most magical time of year and we are starting to deck the halls and counting down the days until Santa shows up.

Our fireplace mantel is kept simple throughout the year, with the occasional seasonal touch! As you can see in this nod to autumn, I am all about the mix and not necessarily the match! I love color, textures, patterns, and sentiment...creating interesting conversation pieces and versatility!

Your home's mantel should be a place to showcase your style year round, not just during the holiday season. Find below a few tips from this article that will help you make it your favorite gathering place for years to come:

• A mirror above your mantel can make the whole room feel bigger
• Stick with neutrals that align generally with each season, unless of course you're going all out for Christmas!
• Try hanging pictures above the mantel instead of placing them on it to maximize space
• Use different textures and patterns to keep your mantel visually interesting
• Don't forget to add a few unique pieces that can spark up conversation