Wondering how to decorate your mantel to last you through the season and after Christmas too? Make your winter mantel decor extra cozy with these easy decorating tips. Layers + textures + greens…the perfect combination!  Keep reading for some ideas and inspiration to make your winter mantel extra special this year!

We are going to go through the step-by-step process I use to get a thick, lush look on my mantel with an extra cozy glow for the long winter evenings.

Maybe you want to get started a little early on your Christmas decor but aren’t ready to hang the stockings quite yet?  Or, how do you feel when all the Christmas decor comes down?  Do you fall into the “I miss it so much and don’t want to take it down” group or are you in the “thank goodness the clutter is gone” camp?

Either way, having a decorated mantel that can take you through the Christmas season and into winter too is always a good thing!  At the same time, you can hang the stockings for Christmas and remove them afterward.  Then, enjoy the magical winter look for longer than only the days of Christmas.

No matter what, it’s always fun to start the season or year with fresh style in your home!  It’s even better when you can create a beautiful base for your decor that can stay put as the holidays come and go throughout the season!  That is what we are going to work on today!

What can I put on my mantle after Christmas?

Winter greenery is always the key for keeping the cozy and full feeling around our home.  Adding layers of greenery creates a base that you can use before, during, and after the Christmas holiday.  It will give you a beautiful look that allows for simple adjustments as you move through the winter.

After taking down all the Christmas decor and giving a good deep cleaning, I like to pick a focal point in each room to decorate.  That really helps me define the cozy winter look I want for the rest of the room.

Often, the mantel and gallery wall behind our family room sofa is my inspiration wall for our entire living space. Since our home is pretty open, I love for the living rooms, kitchen, and dining areas to all flow together.

Often, a fireplace or mantel is a special feature in a room.  As a result, how you decorate it can set the tone for your entire home!

Just because Christmas is over doesn’t mean your winter mantel decor cannot still help you create a cozy space to enjoy the long winter evenings!

How do you decorate a mantle in the winter?

In the steps below, I’m sharing the simple process I went through to create this layered, textured look for my winter mantel decor.

It took me about 30 minutes to collect everything and get it like I want it, but I love how it creates a cozy, yet elegant look, with lots of vintage vibes!  Also, I was able to create a look that could last me from Thanksgiving all the way through the winter with just little, quick adjustments.  That kind of easy decorating is always helpful during a busy season!

How to Make Beautiful Winter Mantel Decor

• Large, vintage frame
• Vintage clock face frame
• Vintage mirror (you can get a new one with a similar look HERE)
• Two thrifted brass sconces (similar found HERE)
• Neutral, vintage books (this set is STUNNING!) You can also deconstruct books like I did on this post!
• Vintage brass candlesticks (beautiful options HERE)
• Faux pine garland (this is my very favorite!)
• For a long pine garland that look so realistic, here is what I invested in this year myself!
• These long pine stems are perfect, too, add some fill in touches.
• Faux eucalyptus garland
• 4 vintage clocks (you can find similar ones HERE and HERE...this collection is all you’d need!)
• Flameless taper candles (I love THESE!!!)

Process to Create Layers for Winter Mantel Decor

Step One:

The first step for any space I want to restyle is to clear it completely. Think of it as a blank canvas to create your art!  Plus, it always feels good to give everything a good dusting, scrubbing, and cleaning between seasons!

Once the space is completely clear (and cleaned!), I start with my largest items and begin by placing those on the mantel.

For this styling, I started with the frames, mirror, and clock face.

Layered with candles, mirrors are a great way to reflect the light and double the magic!  I use these battery-operated taper candles all throughout our home during the fall and winter.  The remote plus a timer makes them so convenient.  At the same time, they look so realistic with the wax finish and flickering flame.  They can really help your room feel even more cozy during the winter months.

Step Two for Mantel Decor: Edit!

As I started adding the next layer, using the vintage clock face frame, I realized it wasn’t all going to fit.  I removed the second frame and love how now it all fills the space but isn’t too cluttered.

Tip: a lot of home decor styling doesn’t work on the first…or second…or third try.  Allow time and space to play around with your decor.  I often set something, leave it for a bit, and then come back to edit.  It is worth spending the time it takes to make sure you love the views in your own home!

I added the vintage clock frame to tie the mirror and gold frame together.  Using these three pieces as the focal point and decor triangle for my winter mantel decor defined the rest of the mantel space!

Step Three for Winter Mantle Decor: Add complementary accessories

With this chippy, vintage backdrop in place, I could start adding the accessories that soften all the edges and make my winter mantel decor feel complete.

I laid vintage books on their side to create a base for this beautiful architectural salvage piece from East End Salvage.  I was thrilled to purchase this from them right before Christmas, with my winter mantel decor specifically in mind!

Tip: Look for ways to add varied dimensions to your styled vignettes.  Vintage books are an easy thing to vary the heights while also adding extra texture and character!  I also always watch for great architectural salvage pieces when we are antique shopping or look around flea markets!

Tip: Layer candles in front of mirrors to reflect the light and create an even more cozy glow!  You get double duty from your candles!  I like to use flameless candles on a timer or remote for safety and ease!

Step Four for Winter Mantle Decor: Add winter greenery

To help all of these pieces feel connected and fluid, I layered two faux garlands.  My Norfolk pine garland has been a favorite for several years.  It looks incredibly realistic.  In fact, people will walk up and touch it in my home to see if it is real or not!  You can get the extra long garland HERE and the 60″ garland HERE.  The 24″ stems make great filler or add three in a tall vase for a quick centerpiece too.  You can find those HERE.  Also, this jasmine or rosemary would have a beautiful look for winter!

My favorite faux garland that I use year round is this real touch eucalyptus.  It looks so realistic and is super easy to work with.  I use it for every season and mix it with lots of different seasonal greenery pieces!

To get a layered look, I put the eucalyptus down first.  Next, I lay the norfolk pine garland down on top of it.  Then, I carefully pull some of the eucalytpus stems through to be more visible.  I think this gives a more natural look than twisting the two garlands together.

Mixed with the pine, it adds a really lush and full look.  I also love a variety in the green color and texture of the leaves too.  They are each so pretty and paired together, I love them even more!

For Thanksgiving, I used this same combination for my table centerpiece.  it really is a great mixture to take you from Thanksgiving through the entire winter season.

Step Five: Add small touches to fill the gaps

The icing on the cake are these little vintage clocks!  I love how they add an extra dimension with unique shape and character and maybe even a little touch of the unexpected!

I love for decor to tell a story and these little clocks help create that feeling with my winter mantel decor.  Maybe they even give a nod to a little slower pace, more time at home, and the long, cozy evenings?  That sounds lovely to me right now, for sure!

You could add any kind of collection, such as vintage ironstone, mortar and pestles, or brass figures, to name a few of my own collections.  

For a more simple look,  you could mix in some neutral florals.  At the same time, a few family pictures in simple brass frames could be easily showcased.

Texture + Greenery + Candles (glow) = Cozy Winter Recipe

For holiday touches, try adding the following:

Thanksgiving: Add dried gourds or velvet pumpkins

Christmas: Add chunky knit stockings and tuck some shiny ornaments into the garlands

New Year’s: Add some vintage clocks (You can also watch for clocks and clock faces at thrift stores!)

Winter: Add some vintage brass deer

Non-holiday: You can always add extra candlesticks to create the look of a collection.  I also use vintage books year-round, no matter the season.  They also help provide a variety of height which can be especially helpful for mantel decorating.

It’s a recipe for a cozy styling that you can enjoy all season long, from Thanksgiving all the way until the end of the long winter season!

Have fun decorating and stay cozy this season!

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