By: Kristine Nelson | Updated: October 1, 2024
Embrace the Natural Look
1. Embrace the Natural Look
For a refined rustic look, bring natural fibers and greenery to your fireplace mantel. Think wild botanicals and warm neutral touches—centerpieces of lush garlands and wreaths, burnished metallics and heirloom-quality handicrafts that impart a worldly feel to the space.
The Natural Wonder Look
Glass Etched Floral Tabletop Christmas Tree
Antique Brass and Glass Cargo Lantern
Glass Etched Floral Tabletop Christmas Tree
Carved Resin Reindeer Decor Set Of 2
Brass Squirrel Taper Candle Holder
Gold Metal 3 Taper Candelabra
Gold Metal Star And Bell Garland
Pinecone and Faux Eucalyptus Gold Ring Wreath
Faux Green Pine Stem
Gold Pinecone and Faux Eucalyptus Garland
Gold Wood Bead Garland
Antique Gold Metal Bell With Velvet Ribbon Hanging Decor
Ivory Boucle Christmas Stocking
2. Classic Christmas Market
If you love classic holiday decorating, you can easily bring the look of a traditional Christmas market to your mantel display. Scatter red and green taper candles across the shelf, with a simple garland intertwined. Hang handknit stockings in red and green and add a couple of your favorite nutcracker figurines or light-up holiday houses.
Traditional Christmas Market Decor
White Faux Wheat Ear Greenery Garland
Red Faux Berries Garland
Dark Mango Wood Conical Taper Candle Holder
Dark Mango Wood Sculptural Taper Candle Holder
Faux Frosted Mistletoe with Berries Stem
White Faux Berries and Greenery Wreath
Red Metal Bells And Jute Hanging Decor
Red Mossy Mushroom Trio Decor
Antiqued Gold Metal Bell And Burgundy Velvet Garland
Bird Clip Ornaments 5 Pack
Large Traditional Nutcracker
Red And Green Knit Mushroom Christmas Stocking
Red And Green Knit Snowman And Tree Christmas Stocking
Black Metal and Wood Gnome Tealight Candle Holder
Holiday Rope Taper Candle 2 Pack
3. Build a Christmas Village
How about displaying a sweet little town on your mantel this holiday season? Arrange a collection of light-up houses in your favorite styles: midcentury modern, European chalet, Scandi-natural wood—so many possibilities! Frame with a lush garland or faux snow and dot with little trees or candles for a festive ambiance.
4. Maximalist Mantel
Don't be afraid to take your Christmas decor to the max! Your collection of nutcrackers, bottlebrush trees and village houses can all be arranged together to make a joyous scene in your living room. Play around with decor placement and frame the mantel with garlands and a wreath for added greenery.
Christmas Village Decor
Holiday Punch Natural Botanicals Wreath
German Style Nutcrackers Set Of 2
Laser Cut Wood Honey Market Stall LED Light Up Decor
Laser Cut Wood Christmas Chalet Scene LED Light Up Decor
Laser Cut Wood Canal House LED Light Up Decor
Laser Cut Wood Canal House LED Light Up Decor
Green Downswept Bottlebrush Tree Décor
Green Downswept Bottlebrush Tree Décor
White Retro Bottlebrush Tabletop Tree Decor
White Retro Bottlebrush Tabletop Tree Decor
Natural Laser Cut Wood Panel Winter Cottage Tabletop Decor
Laser Cut Wood German House LED Light Up Decor Set Of 3
Laser Cut Wood Canal House LED Light Up Decor
Laser Cut Wood Arch Woodland Scene LED Light Up Decor
Laser Cut Wood Deer Tree LED Light Up Decor
Faux Green Pine Garland
Glittered Glass Ball Ornaments 6 Pack
5. Bright Mod Christmas Mantel
If you're looking for a change from classic holiday hues, why not decorate the mantel with ALL the colors? Choose bottlebrush trees in rainbow stripes and combine with multicolor wood trees, midcentury Christmas village houses and brightly colored woodland critters.
Colorful Holiday Decor
Laser Cut Wood Candy House LED Light Up Decor
Rainbow Ombre Bottlebrush Tree Decor
Rainbow Ombre Bottlebrush Tree Decor
Laser Cut Wood Mid Century A Frame House LED Light Up Decor
White Retro Bottlebrush Tabletop Tree Decor
Flocked Bottlebrush Tabletop Tree Decor 3 Pack
Boucle And Wood Tabletop Tree Decor
Boucle And Wood Tabletop Tree Decor
Rainbow Disco Balls Garland
Multicolor Wood Tabletop Tree Decor 5 Pack
Flocked Nutcracker Ornaments Set Of 3
Laser Cut Wood Large Mid Century House LED Light Up Decor
Mid Century Houses LED Light Up Countdown Calendar
Rainbow Mirrored Disco Ball Ornaments
6. Snowy Mountaintop Mantel
Give your mantel a "winter in the Alps" vibe by keeping your decor white, neutral and metallic. Choose a wooden chalet or cabin as your centerpiece and decorate around it, with green and white light-up trees, wooden animals and metallic touches throughout.
7. A Very Disco Christmas
Silver mirror decor and spangles make for a standout holiday aesthetic, and it's remarkably easy to achieve! Collect silver trees, shiny hanging decor and plenty of tinsel and gilded ornaments. Add mirrors and a disco ball and make it a real winter—and boogie—wonderland!
Disco Decor
Disco Snowflake Ornaments Set Of 2
Disco Peace Sign Hanging Decor
Disco Snowflake Hanging Decor
Disco Mushroom Ornaments 6 Pack
Disco Tabletop Christmas Tree Decor 4 Pack
Disco Tabletop Christmas Tree
Disco Tabletop Christmas Tree
Disco Tabletop Christmas Tree
Rainbow Disco Ball Tree Pick
Rainbow Disco Ball Tree Topper
Rainbow Disco Balls Garland
Silver Disco Ball Tree Pick
Disco Star Tree Topper
Silver Disco Balls Garland
Gold Disco Mushrooms Garland
8. Go Scandi-Style
Give your mantel the hygge touch with Scandinavian-style figurines, trees and shapes with an abundance of greenery. Add rustic wooden touches, candles and plenty of soft textures to make your mantel extra festive, yet cozy.
9. Rustic Cabin Christmas
For a woodsy cabin vibe, decorate your mantel with rustic-style finds and plenty of texture. Red metal lanterns, a lush wreath and thick knit stockings add camplike flair to the scene. Get creative and decorate with your favorite outdoorsy items, like snowshoes, old skis or wooden oars.
Rustic Christmas Decor
Christmas Tree Taper Candle
Snowy Tree Unscented Figural Candle
Black Metal And Glass Modern Candle Lantern
Vine, Greenery and Pinecone Christmas Tree Decor
Apothecary Balsam Forest Scented Candle
Red And Green Sherpa Cuff Christmas Stocking
Natural Fiber And Faux Fur Squirrel With Scarf Decor
Winter Woodland Orange Spice Botanical Inclusion Scented Pillar Candle
Cinnamon Stick Inclusion Scented Pillar Candle
Artificial Tabletop Tree in Burlap Base Decor
Flocked Bottlebrush Tabletop Christmas Tree Decor 3 Pack
Natural Straw Star Hanging Decor
Laser Cut Wood Folk Cottages LED Light Up Decor Set Of 3
Woodland Santa LED Light Up Nutcracker
Red Metal Bells And Jute Hanging Decor
Ivory Multicolor Woven Stripe Christmas Stocking
10. Candy-Colored Retro Mantel
For a playful, midcentury-vintage style look, take a cue from the 1950s and decorate with pastel bottlebrush trees, candy colored glass ornaments and sweet pink and turquoise deer figures. Add a mod mini house and pile on plenty of fabric garlands and retro lights!
Whimsical Christmas Decor
Rainbow Ombre Bottlebrush Tree Decor
Rainbow Ombre Bottlebrush Tree Decor
Laser Cut Wood Candy House LED Light Up Decor
Laser Cut Wood Candy House LED Light Up Decor
Flocked Bottlebrush Tabletop Tree Decor 3 Pack
Mini White Retro Bottlebrush Tabletop Tree Decor 3 Pack
Felted Wool Star and Pom Pom Garland
Laser Cut Wood Cat And Dog Happy Holidays Wall Decor
White Polar Bear With Scarf Decor
Disco Tabletop Christmas Tree
Faux Pine and Gold Fern Garland With Metallic Ornaments
Multicolor Glass Retro Teardrop 10 Bulb String Lights
Felt Rainbow and Pom Pom Garland
Modern Holiday Tree Unscented Taper Candle
Multicolor Felt Garland
11. Gilded Grove Mantel
For a gorgeous midwinter forest tale vibe, drape green boughs or garlands a bit haphazardly above the hearth. Decorate with antiqued mixed metallics and add burnished gold and silver candleholders, mirrors and forest fauna for a warm glow. Not strictly a Christmas look, you'll want to keep this winter display up through the beginning of the new year!
Metallic Mantel Decor
Brass Mushroom Tealight Candle Holder
Antique Brass and Glass Cargo Lantern
Metallic Mushroom Shaped Scented Candle
Nordic Pine Botanical Inclusion Scented Pillar Candle
Winter Faux Balsam Fir And Pinecone Candle Ring
Mercury Glass Taper Candle Holder
Gold Metal Santa Chime Set
Silver And Gold Mercury Taper Candles 2 Pack
Gold Mercury Glass Votive Candle Holder Set of 5
Ombre Taper Candles 2 Pack
Gold Metal Branch 4 Taper Candle Holder
Antique Brass Taper Candle Holder
Champagne Gold Bottlebrush Christmas Tree Decor 3 Pack
Gold Metal Bell Cluster Hanging Decor
Gold Metal Dove Hanging Decor
Antiqued Gold Metal Bell And Burgundy Velvet Hanging Decor
12. Give Your Mantel a Golden Glow
If your taste runs more to subtle glamour, keep the decor simple and minimal. Think gold taper candleholders mixed with a couple glass hurricanes and a few other gilded touches. Add a small floral arrangement or pine cones and you have a look that you can play with throughout the entire year.
Metallic Mantel Decor
Brass and Glass Hurricane Pillar Candle Holder
Metallic Glass Crosshatched Scented Candle
Silver Mercury Glass Ornament Scented Candle
Glittered Bottlebrush Tree Decor 3 Pack
Glittered Bottlebrush Tree Decor 3 Pack
Gold Glitter Faux Seeded Eucalyptus Spray
Gold Glitter Faux Floral Bloom Spray Set of 3
Metallic Gold Faux Weeping Eucalyptus Stem
Faux Berries and Greenery Wreath With Metallic Ornaments
Round Gold Leaf Wall Mirror
Talia Gold Taper Candle Holder
Gold Wood Bead Garland
Silver Mercury Glass Floral Mushroom Decor
Jute Peace Sign With Bells Hanging Decor
Large Gold Metal Bells Hanging Decor
13. Show Off Your Nutcrackers
If you have a nutcracker collection, group it on the mantel for a bold, eye-catching display. While arranging your nutcrackers artfully in a group you'll find that any clashing colors and varying heights no longer matter—the overall look is cohesive and fun. This technique works for snowmen, Santas, angels and any other holiday decor theme you collect!
Nutcrackers
Beekeeper Santa Nutcracker
Woodland Santa LED Light Up Nutcracker
German Style Nutcrackers Set Of 2
Baker Santa Nutcracker Countdown Calendar
Large Traditional Nutcracker
Large Traditional Nutcracker
Ukrainian Saint Nicholas Nutcracker And Angel Ornament Set
Sugarplum Nutcrackers Set Of 2
Wood Nutcracker Suite Nutcrackers Set Of 3
Yoga Santa Tree Pose Nutcracker
Gold Lucky Cat Nutcracker
German Style Santa Nutcracker
Red And Blue Traditional Nutcracker
14. Northern Lights Mantel
For a beautiful "winter up north" vibe, start with white and neutral decorative figures and candles. Then, wrap delicate greenery throughout and across your mantel. Finish the Icelandic look off with tiny string lights and thick knit stockings in cream or white.
White Christmas Decor
Macrame Tabletop Christmas Tree Set Of 2
White Polar Bear With Scarf Decor
Ivory Boucle Christmas Stocking
White Faux Fur Woolly Deer Decor
Sana Round Metal Wall Mirror
White Faux Wheat Ear Greenery Garland
White Faux Berries and Greenery Garland
Faux White Berries and Greenery Garland
White Faux Berries and Greenery Wreath
Cotton Slub Napkins With Fringe Set Of 4
White Ceramic Conical Tree Hurricane Candle Holder
Snowy Tree Unscented Figural Candle
Christmas Tree Taper Candle
Boucle And Wood Tabletop Tree Decor
Bottlebrush Tree LED Light Up Décor
Frosted Faux Mistletoe with White Berries Wreath
15. Gilded Woods Mantel
If you love a neutral theme with a bit of pizazz, try using some unexpected pieces in your decorating. Arrange faux or dried gingko leaves in a burst on the mantel with realistic-looking trees, woodland fauna and candles, keeping everything in colors found in nature and burnished golds. A true winter wonderland in the woods!
16. Folkloric Forest Mantel
Classic Christmas meets woodsy wonder in this traditional-with-a-twist holiday mantel. Pair cute forest critters, stylish mushroom decor and verdant wreaths and garlands with burnished gold accents (think delicate candle holders and vintage-inspired bells) for a sophisticated, forest-chic look.
17. Mini Tree Mantel
There’s something adorable about miniatures, and this Christmas mantel is all about embracing the petite! Create your own festive fireplace scene with an assortment of tiny Christmas trees in classic reds and greens paired with forest-inspired garlands and decor items for a lush look your family will love.
18. Kitschmas Mantel
Add some whimsical holiday cheer to your Christmas mantel with this playful, vintage-inspired look. Opt for wreaths and decorative details featuring old-school icons and pretty pastels for nostalgic-chic style, paired with pops of pink for a look brimming with nouveau retro charm.
19. All Is Calm Mantel
Take a breather from the hectic holiday season with this comforting Christmas mantel. Featuring mini trees and charming reindeer paired with delicate candles, this look showcases minimalist decor in classic green accented with woodsy brown and elegant silver and gold. The result is a sophisticated style that doesn’t skimp on cheer.
Kristine Nelson – Home & Entertaining Expert
When not planning and directing location photography for World Market, Home and Entertaining Stylist Kristine is our resident DIY queen! Whether it’s with sewing, home renovation or paper crafts, her superpower is turning imagination into reality. Kristine is obsessed with architecture and modern design, and loves estate sales, flea markets, hiking, biking, skiing and snowboarding.
