It’s almost that time of year when you start planning your decorating ideas for the holidays. The mantel seems to be everyone’s focal point. After all, it is where Santa comes down the chimney, so it better look nice!
We’ve come up with a few ideas for your mantels. Knowing full well how busy most of you are, our mantels require very little prep time. The key is to make them look like they took forever to create.
Our first mantel is one we think the kids (young and old) will love!
1 – Grain Sack Bear * 2 – Fabric Ornaments * 3 – Naughty or Nice Stocking
4 – St. Nicholas Print * 5 – Gift Box Stocking Holder * 6 – Blue Spruce Potted Tree
7 – Holiday Bear Ornaments * 8 – Angel Pine Garland
Twas the Night Before Christmas…
1 – Lara Mirror * 2 – Partridge Stocking Holders * 3 – Limited Edition Designer Stockings
4 – Potted Amaryllis * 5 – Mercury Glass Votives * 6 – Mercury Glass Candlesticks
7 – Angel Pine Garland * 8 – Burlap Bird Ornaments
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
1 – Large Italian Garden * 2 – Della Robbia Topiary * 3 – Della Robbia Garland
4 – Partridge Stocking Holders * 5 – Couture Personalized Stockings * 6 – Bespoke Stockings
Gail Bevill
I appreciate the pictures, and as you suggested, I take your ideas and substitute what I already have for some or all of the items. Since I teach until a few days before the big family party, I have very little time and having a picture that I like can jump start my decorating and my theme. Thank you.
Debbie
I love these ideas and am now just have to figure out which one I would like to pick. I’ve never decorated a mantel before and really want to make it look special -without these ideas I’d be lost. Thank you for taking the time to put this together! I wish I had an ounce of your talent!
Carmen
I love the mantel ideas and photos. It is always so wonderful to see how well you use your products and the design style is amazing.
Thanks for always surprising me.
Pat Lyons
I love your mantel ideas, but I have a 42 inch flat tv above my mantel—can you give me some ideas?
jwood
Dear Pat: A flat screen can pose a problem when decorating for the Holidays. Try placing a Christmas Topiary on either side of the flat screen. Place garland along the mantel and add lots of pillar candles, pine cones and ornaments. Just remember to keep the center of the mantel decorations low and add height to the ends. Hope this helps!
The Style Studio Team
Lee Fernandez
I love the della robia look. I have 2 della robia plates from my mom on the wall in my kitchen and I already have one of the Italian garden murals over my stove. I would love to add the della robia swags to the brick arch in front, but…the prices are out of sight. In this economy I don’t see how you can maintain them. I’ll have to create this myself or wait for the after Xmas sales. LeeF
dorinda baker-george
Anyone with any imagination at all could come up with these ideas – this is all a “sales pitch” for your products.
jwood
Dorinda: We do appreciate your comments. When we are designing mantels for the Holidays, we do try to keep them fairly simple. During this hectic season, most people have little time to decorate, so we try to give them the basics and make it as uncomplicated as possible. We do use our products, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t take the idea and use what you already have. We would love to see other peoples ideas for decorating their mantels. It doesn’t have to be Ballard items, just show us your ideas!
Donna
I love that you list/show all the items needed for each mantel – VERY helpful!
jwood
Donna: We love that you are enjoying our mantels and how truly simple they really are. Please send us a picture of your holiday mantel, we would love to post it on Style Studio!
Ann
Great ideas…I found my style!
Michelle, Home Staging Pro
Brilliant idea to show your products in use in a tableau. I particularly like “partridge in a pear tree”. Its very elegant.
B Thrower
May I use these with credit to Ballards and send to my clients?
jwood
Yes, we love it when people “spread the word” about us!
Randi
I am not very good at decorating and I always see things I like but don’t know how to put them together. This is perfect. It shows me exactly what to do. Maybe this year I can pull off a pretty mantle!!! I would love to see more ideas.
Cindy Lee
I hope you continue these themes with other decorating ideas throughout the house! They are gorgeous!
Christina Mortel
These are wonderful! I am also going to use your Santa Christmas dessert plates on my new mantle this year along with angel pine garland. Hope Santa stops here!
Tracey McBride
Lovely! I always admire the design sensibilities of Ballard.
You have been an inspiration to me for years!
Warmly,
Tracey McBride
sherry whiting
always get great ideas from Ballard! Will be using some of these for sure this season.
Patty
The mantle photos are beautiful…….but how do you attach the garland to the mantle with making holes into the wood ???? I always have the problem that the weight of the garland pulls it down if I just set it around the objects on the mantle. Any help with this problem would be greatly appreciated.
jwood
Patty: Have you tried the 3M mounting hooks? You have to let them set for awhile, but they work without making any holes in your wood. You can get them at any home improvement store. Hope this helps!
Linda Burton
Absloutely beautiful! So do-able! How refreshing to know that I can pull this off!
Mary O'Grady
What clever, beautiful ideas for the Christmas season. Love them.
Deanna Brems
Gorgeous! You always have such great decorating ideas. I always have trouble finding ideas for mantels and this really helped. Thanks
Barbara
These mantle tableaus are beautiful and so inspiring. I will DEFINITELY step-up my mantle game this year. Since I only have one mantle I will also create a tableau on a hall tabletop. These ideas are so cohesive and thematic and easy to do. There is a lot of bang for the amount of effort required. I already have most of the required items … I just have to gather them together. BEAUTIFUL!!!