I’m not sure if there is anything more cozy than a fire going, a comfy armchair and a great warm throw. This classic Christmas mantel was layered with just a few pieces and would be easy for anyone to recreate. 

 

holidaymantleideasDIY

First step: place something, like these birch vase surrounds, in the background of your mantel to give some height to the display. You can leave them empty or fill them with greens or simple flowers that will last for at least a week (lilies are a great option). If you don’t have a few substantial vases like this on use a Christmas piece of artwork like this reindeer piece found here…
holidaymantleDIY
Second step: Add a garland or greens in front of your vases. I used a faux garland from Joann Fabrics. You can always layer in real greens to make the greenery look more substantial if you have a roomier mantel or if you used a piece of artwork that doesn’t take up much space.
fauxgreengarland
Third step: Add some mood lighting. Five candles interspersed in the greens will bring some great ambiance when lit and will break up all the greenery. These candles, surprisingly, are just from the Dollar Tree. Making a great looking mantel doesn’t have to break the bank. I also layered some big-bulbed white lights into the greenery to increase the ambiance.
decorateholidaymantle
Fourth Step: Fill in the blank areas. If you have a Christmas bin bring up a bunch of options from it for filling in the blanks on your mantel. Use a trial and error method to decide what you like best. I put mini trees from Restoration Hardware on each end of the mantle and added pine cones and a few large ornaments into the greenery.
christmasmantleDIY
How do you put together your Christmas mantel? Do you center everything around your stockings or do you hang them on Christmas Eve? Tell us in the comments below or on our Facebook page.