Simple Tips to Decorate A Mantle

I love a fully decorated mantle complete with beautiful garland, focal points, fun colors, and favorite finds. It’s a place where you can showcase your favorite decor items. And, being right in the center of the home, you can enjoy it everyday. Over the years, there aren’t many items that I haven’t used to decorate my mantle. From Band hats to antique trophies to tools and fresh florals…there really is no limit. Here are some simple tips I use to decorate a mantle.

14 Days of Christmas

My friends and I are in full decorating swing as the holidays quickly approach. Welcome to my portion of the 14 Days of Christmas Loverly Blog Hop hosted by the loverly Juliette from A Loverly Life. At the end of this post you will find links to 13 other Christmas posts. Each day we will highlight one blogger and their project. Can you ever have too much Christmas? I think not! But for now, back to mantles!

Garland

You have to love garland! Fabric garland, beaded garland, felt banners, burlap pennants, beaded garland, and at Christmas time beautiful garland made of fresh or faux greens. Garland comes in so many varieties these days. Whether you like a thin garland or a plush garland, there are many choices. From pine to spruce to evergreen and now the popular flocked variety, you are sure to find a garland that you will love.

This year, I am excited to have received a Queen Flocked 4 piece garland set from King of Christmas. It’s lighted!

I’m quite impressed with the quality of the product. The 2 trees, wreath, and garland are all solid and quite sturdy. Remember when you decorated your first mantle? If you are like me, you went through so many different types of greenery and garlands. Most are quite flimsy if they are reasonably priced. And let’s not even talk about how they shed and disintegrate over the years. In years past we’ve had more garland remnants on the floor than pine needles from live trees. So research your brands if you are looking for a quality garland. It is well worth the investment to spend a little more on garland that will last for years. Give King of Christmas a look!

Choose a Design

Decide what look you are trying to achieve. Do you like certain type of garland? Colors? Composition? Flocked? Pinterest is a great source for inspiration. Are you showcasing a season? Or a collection? What colors are complimentary? Once you decide on a look, it’s time to install!

Prep for Your Garland

The first thing I did was install some tea cup hooks on the underside of our mantle. I spaced them about 18 inches apart to ensure they would properly support heavier garlands like the one I am using this year to decorate a mantle.

In the past, I have used eye hooks. These are good if you garland has ties on the ends.

Just loop the ties through the eye hook and secure in place. I find that the tea cup hooks work just as well. I simply rotate them in place so that the tie remains secured. Tea cup hooks are my preferred hangers for my mantle.

Installing Your Garland

My best tip is this: always start in the middle. Find the center of your garland and secure it to the center tea cup hook on your mantle. Then just work your way out to each side securing the garland to each successive tea cup hook. This ensures that both sides are of equal length. It’s not fun to put your garland up, spend time fluffing amd decorating it only to step back and see that it is longer on one side. I’ve done this one too many times! So start in the center and your garland will be even every time.

Just place your garland onto the tea cup hooks. It’s that easy.

I usually fluff my garland and trees immediately upon removing them from their storage boxes. I like to fluff while I am still super excited because fluffing does get a little tiresome after your 5th full size tree or so..

Inevitably, you will need to re-fluff once you get your garland onto the tea cup hooks. This is the final fluff and I take care to make sure my garland is looking perfect.

Focal Point

Your mantle should have a focal point, something that centers the area. My mantle displays a large oil painting. It is quite bulky and heavy so I prefer not to remove it. For the holidays I will simply hang a wreath from the top. This prevents me from relocating it and gives the mantle a new look. I used a wreath hanger. In the past, I’ve also used some tape to secure a ribbon on the back of the frame.

Add Some Height

My painting serves a double purpose with being a focal point and adding height. Make sure your display items vary in height and aren’t all the same height. Books, small stools, candlesticks. Pictire frames, and table risers are wonderful for adding height to your mantle display. Here is a quick tutorial on creating table risers. You can customize them to any space. Here are some examples:

Don’t Forget the Hearth

The hearth is the little area in front of the mantle. This area serves to really put the finishing touches on your mantle. You can use larger items to flank the fire box. Add your favorite collections or a gathering of simple items. This is where you can add more personality. You can even add functional items like fire tools and baskets of blankets. Fabrics are a great way to add texture and color.

I started with my trees on the hearth.

But I haven’t gotten all of my Christmas decor out of the attic yet so I moved the trees up onto the mantle for now. I’m sure I will eventually move them back down to the hearth to accent my crocks and holiday sleighs.

The truly fun part in the quest to decorate a mantle is the adding of the decorative details. Here you can be as elaborate or as simple as you desire. I usually try to cram all of my beauties onto my skinny little mantle. But sometimes, simple is just better. Like adding this collection of bottle brush trees. The colors mesh and present a soothing vibe.

The trick to knowing how much to add to a mantle really lies with your personal preferences. After all, it is YOUR mantle in YOUR home and it should be YOUR source of joy. Once I have my items on the mantle, I step away and take a break. When I return, I try to assess the mantle with fresh eyes. Is it pleasing to the eye? Are my focal points appealing? Is there too much stuff (always a pause for me)? Is the mantle too busy? It’s okay to take things away. Just display them somewhere else!

Step Back

Another great tip is to take a photo of your mantle. You will be amazed at how different reality looks in a photo. You will see things that weren’t obvious when you were too close to the process. Like the cords in the photo below. I was focusing on the garland and completely missed the dangling cords…an easy fix that I just needed to go back and alter.

Don’t be intimidated by your desire to decorate the perfect mantle. I’ve been trying to master this art for years. It is easy to get frustrated when your mantle doesn’t look like that of your favorite blogger. But remember, she also started timidly with her first mantle. And unless you are being photographed by Better Homes and Gardens or Southern Living, it’s not a big deal. Make gradual changes. Add more. Take some away. You will get there.

It probably takes me a week to get my mantle just right. Tweaks and adjustments make things perfect…just like in life! Follow along with me along on Facebook and Instagram to see how this mantle is finalized for the holidays!

Here are some mantles from years past:

Here is my first every Holiday Home Tour. Just a Normal Holiday Home tour.

And if you don’t have a mantle, you can use the same tips to decorate a sideboard, buffet or dresser top like these:

Welcome to the 14 Days of Christmas!

As promised, here are the other fabulous 13 Christmas projects from my creative friends! Be sure to visit each and leave some feedback if you like. We love to hear from you! Click on the links below the photo to visit each friend.

A Loverly Life – 15 Minute Baked Brie Recipe

Chas’ Crazy Creations – Red Solo Cup Lights

Design of Your Life – DIY Christmas Arch Tutorial

Happily Ever After Etc. – Christmas Oven Mitts with Sublimation

Simple Tips to Decorate a Mantle – That’s ME! You’re HERE!

Fifth Sparrow – How to Paint a Christmas Star

Living Large in a Small House – Christmas Lists Holiday Organizing Made Simple

Perfecting Places – Simple DIY Ornaments for a Kitchen Christmas Tree

Our Tiny Nest – DIY Simmer Pot Gift

Sweet Valley Acres – Winter Tree Decorating

From Farmhouse to Florida – Poinsettia Decorating Ideas

Adorn the Table – Four Christmas Place Setting Ideas

Pure Happy Home – Simple Dried Orange Slice Ornaments

This Dear Casa – Pampas Grass Christmas Tree