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Mantel Mania: 50 Festive Mantel Decorating Ideas For A Magical Christmas!

A Festive fireplace with a beautifully decorated Christmas mantel is one of the best ways to usher in some holiday spirit. Few things look as Christmasy as a gorgeously adorned fireplace mantel with a glittering Christmas tree right next to it. Of course, the beautiful fireplace is also the grand entranceway for good old Santa too, and hence it pays (quite literally) to decorate it with extra care!

From the subtle and the minimalist to the extravagant and the traditional, there are plenty of ways in which you can adorn the fireplace mantel.

If you live in a house that does not boast a vivacious fireplace and a classic chimney, then simply add a faux fireplace mantel and get started with the decorating! If there is one time of the year when you are allowed to go overboard, it is Christmas. So bring out the dazzling ornaments and choose rich color schemes to light up the mantel in style…

Gorgeous decorations above the fireplace mantel
Bright natural reds and contrasting textures create a stunning visual
DIY wooden Christmas tree replicas and handmade snowflakes adorn the fireplace
Beautiful blend of colors and textures

by crafts ‘n coffee

Exquisite and minimalist Christmas hearth idea in white and gold

by Z Gallerie

Let the mantel decorations reflect your home’s color scheme

by Tobi Fairley Interior Design

Leave a little note for Santa on the mantel!

by The Look Interiors

Multicolored decorations create a vivacious look

by Regina Gust Designs

Advent calenders are a great idea for decorating the mantel well before Christmas

by Creations by Kara

A touch of pink creates a chic and trendy look

Cool, Crisp and Contemporary

There are different ways, styles and themes in which one can decorate the fireplace mantel for the festive season. With most modern homes sporting distinct themes that are both understated and contemporary, a similar look in wintery white is a great choice for those who love to keep things simple. The chic and trendy decorating style for Christmas moves away from the more familiar hues of red and green. Smart turquoise, stoic grey, snowy white and glittering gold are all a part of this hot new Christmas decorating trend. Apart from using simple white as the perfect backdrop, the ornaments are kept to a minimum and seem like a natural extension of your living space.

Pairing peacock wreaths and turquoise ornaments creates an inimitable Christmas mantel!

by Z Gallerie

Sleek and stylish holiday mantel in white with hints of blue

by AM Dolce Vita

Smartly decorated Christmas mantel in green and white
A closer look at the merry decorations!

This does not mean that your fireplace mantel needs to be bereft of all color. In fact, a touch of fresh green coupled with a hint of gold looks both alluring and elegant. Remember that the style of your holiday season mantel must complement the decorating theme that you have chosen for the remainder of the house. Brilliant sculptures and lovely paintings can also be integrated seamlessly into this classy, fashionable look.

Whimsical painted trees and vintage wooden boxes make up the Christmas decorations

by Martha Layton Smith

Sophisticated and cool wintery look with grey and gold
Minimalist Christmas decor idea for fireplace mantel
Using natural stones to create a semi-minimalist look in white

by Cheri

Silver is another great choice for those looking beyond red and green
Elegant white and green minimalist look

by Michelle

A Classic, Colorful Celebration

Christmas is one time of the year when you can indulge in decorating your house with ornaments that might otherwise seem out of place! It is the charm and allure of the festival that makes the dazzle of red, green, yellow and white look perfectly normal and completely in tune with the rest of the house. So if you’re tempted to go bonkers with decorations and usher in a more traditional and colorful look, feel free to do so. Decorating the mantel with the classic colors can also be done in a restrained fashion with a few stockings and some shiny baubles. You can even decorate the mantel with a collection of family photographs to make it more unique and special.

Red, Gold and Lime Christmas mantel decor idea
Gold blends beautifully with red and green

by Positively Splendid

Mardi Gras beads and ornaments engulf the fireplace mantel

by Savvy Seasons

Imposing wreath above the mantel steals the show

by Serendipity Refined

If you have tried unconventional colors and more modern themes in the last few years, then now is a good time to go back to the basics. With gold being one of the hot interior colors of this winter, you can just decorate the rest of the room with throw pillows in gold and some shiny golden blown glass decorations to enhance the ambiance indoors. Add an angel or two with golden wings and you’re all set to celebrate a bright, gleaming Christmas!

Leave a message of peace above the mantel!
Decorate the mantel with family photographs
Dr. Seuss-inspired Christmas mantel decorations

by kathyjunk

Combine blue elegantly with the traditional red and green
Christmas stockings pinned to the fireplace mantel
Brilliant red decorating idea for the fireplace mantel
Add a hint of brown and gold to the green decorations

by Dawn Hearn Interior Design

Inspiration Is Everywhere!

The world is moving ahead on a path of sustainable design, and green alternatives are all the rave. Why not incorporate a bit of natural goodness into your Christmas mantel decorations by drawing inspiration from the sights, sounds and resources around you? Natural holiday fireplace mantel decorations look as aesthetically pleasing as the vignettes crafted from traditional Christmas ornaments. Using red berries, natural green leaves and twigs also costs you next to nothing while giving your interior a sense of freshness and joy. You can easily combine a few artificial ornaments with these natural decorations to showcase the right amount of bling!

Natural orange and green Christmas decorations for the mantel
White and green look amazing even with opulent gold

by home stories a to z

Unique woodland mantel for Christmas
Green boxwood and magnolia leaves are coupled with beautiful red berries here

by C.W. Styling

Decorating the fireplace mantel in a rustic, cabin-inspired style is another trend that is gaining momentum this holiday season. If you cannot find time to go on that wonderful family holiday in the woods, why not bring the woods home? This is precisely what a mantel with rustic decoration does. Combine it with some plush textures in the living room and a delightfully decorated Christmas tree and you’re assured of a Christmas that is both memorable and magical…

Real pine cones and greens give an organic appeal
Golden reindeer add a glint of warm yellow to the decorations!
Simple and rustic arrangement adorns the mantel
Traditional decorating idea for a Christmas fireplace
Stylish Christmas mantel with homemade wreaths above it!

by make it fun crafts

Use candles to usher in warm hues as a white Christmas sets in
Festive sleigh above the fireplace

by Mustard Seed Interiors

Embracing the Night Life!

Christmas and Halloween are the two holidays where your decorations attain their true splendor after sunset. While ornaments, figurines and decorations above the fireplace mantel look great during the daytime, lighting is an absolute must once darkness sets in. In fact, some mantels look far more appealing during nighttime thanks to the brilliant strings lights or the smart flickering of LED bulbs that are deftly arranged. As in every other aspect of interior design, it is lighting that makes or breaks your mantel decorations. Combine these twinkling lights cleverly with a few candles and you can create a dreamy, delightful vibe for your Christmas Eve.

Beautifully lit Christmas tree next to the fireplace
Illuminated grapevine trees add a regal touch of gold!

by Lowe’s Home Improvement

Hint of purple enlivens your Christmas decorations
Stunning holiday mantel in sparkling red and green

by Wilderstein Holiday Tour

From snowflakes, Santa and floating angels to sparkling baubles that hang by a thread, Christmas is indeed all about creating a festive and joyous atmosphere. A perfectly decorated fireplace mantel doubles as a lovely backdrop for all of your Christmas celebrations, and along with the Christmas tree, becomes the showstopper of your holiday decor. So, do not hesitate to be bold, creative and expressive this Christmas as you create the perfect holiday mantel!

Snowflakes are a fun addition to the Christmas mantel decorations
Make sure the mantel looks great even at night
Get imaginative with the mantel decorations
Red berries and natural pine cones make fabulous Christmas ornaments

by Sandra Howie

Hard to miss this twinkling delight!
Candles inside the fireplace make for a gorgeous visual
Rustic Christmas mantel decorating idea with smart lighting

by Chic on a Shoe String Decorating

Sherry Nothingam

Sherry is a blogger who loves to live her life to the fullest. She enjoys everything associated with design, décor and stylish modern trends. Born in California, Sherry has grown up on open ranches and in a wild setting, which has defined her taste for design and developed her interest in examining how structures and homes interact with the beauti[...]

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