Every season I decorate our mantel in a new one. It’s one of my favorite things to do… but I don’t have an actual mantel! I’m kinda playing around with the idea of building a mantel surround for an electric fireplace, because I just love the coziness one brings into the home! But since I don’t have one, we can talk about how to create a mantel area in your home when you don’t have one! I’ve teamed up with some amazing ladies today hosted by my sweet friend Krista from The Happy Housie, so be sure and scroll through the whole post so you have a chance to see all the other beautiful mantels! But for now here is my Christmas Mantel Decor.
Whenever I’m decorating this spot as our mantel I always treat the top of the media console just like I would a mantel. Since there’s a TV hung on the wall I always tend to add a little height on the outside ends to fill that space.
I won’t lie, I think we hung our TV a little too high. It wasn’t really enough to go through the trouble of moving it, so my biggest challenge is always filling that space between the bottom of the TV and the console table. I always struggle to not make it feel overcrowded and still fill that space. I was really going for a non crowded look this year so I decided to go with these nesting houses I bought from the new Hearth and Hand Line from Target.
As you can tell from the picture they aren’t very large houses… I needed to add a little height. My go to for adding height and dimension are my old books. Then I incorporated some bottle brush trees to make it feel more Christmas-y. The whites ones are my favorite!! I actually purchased mine at Hobby Lobby, but last time I was there they were already sold out so I linked to some that are almost identical just above.
There needed to be just a little pop of red on the “mantel” part of the media console, so I tied a little piece of red ribbon around some of the books. Sometimes it’s amazing what a little something like that can do for the overall look!
For the bottom portion of the “mantel”, since there is no actual fireplace, I use metal baskets to fill the space. It’s also where I hide some of our throw pillows. Because let’s face it…. I have a throw pillow problem and I have to hide them in plain sight!
So I place my pretty seasonally appropriate pillows in the front, and some out of season neutral type pillows in the back. And I usually tuck some throw blankets in there… because I have a throw blanket problem too!
And I always add a little something on the floor next to the media console, just cause I think it looks good ;) Sometimes I have absolutely no reason for why I do things!
To add a little Christmas touch to the whole look I added a pack of battery powered Christmas lights and fresh garland to the top of the books.
Christmas Mantel Decor Ideas
I hope you enjoyed this little walk through of our Christmas Mantel Decor. Be sure and check out all the others below! Have a beautiful day friends!
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Some of the items below are not my exact items, but as close as I could find for you!
The Happy Housie / A Pretty Life / Place of My Taste / Two Twenty One / Newly Woodwards / Cherished Bliss
Lovely Etc. / Town and Country Living / All Things With Purpose / House by Hoff / My Fabuless Life / Lehman Lane
Green With Decor / The House of Wood / Fynes Designs / Bigger Than The Three of Us / Casa Watkins Living/ Blue I Style
Heather Russell says
Where did you get that sign above your tv?
Ashley says
Thanks Heather! I actually build the sign. You can find the tutorial here: https://cherishedbliss.com/diy-large-wooden-sign-cricut-explore/ ; )
Ashley! I love it! You always create the most beautiful displays with simple items – and put them together beautifully. Thanks for joining in on this hop!
I love your Christmas display, it’s just perfect! Everything looks cozy and festive!
This is gorgeous. I love the books with the little houses. I’m pretty much looking around my room for a spot to put little houses and books right now, because I love this look. I’m also super inspired by how you made your television fade away. The sign above is such a great touch – I may have to try that in our living room.
Love the little houses and books!
Instead of moving your tv why don’t you raise the console? Put it on some cute legs or build a platform below it!
I love the wooden houses under your TV and I think your space looks beautiful Ashley! It definitely proves that you don’t need a mantel to decorate for Christmas. Awesome Job!
I love the wooden houses under your TV and you did a fabulous job decorating your console Ashley! Definitely proves that you don’t need a mantel to decorate for Christmas :)
It’s gorgeous!! I love those little houses and all of the books. It looks like such a cozy spot to curl up for the holidays!
I’m a non-mantle decorator too. Yours turned out just beautifully.
Think maybe there might be several non-mantel decorators around who find other ways to put some happy holiday in their homes after all. You did wonderful job of it. Love all the little houses with books to balance your display. Where did you get the great garland on the baskets? It amazes me how there are so many interpretations of Christmas decorating, so much talent and creativity. Your media table serves a good point to base some of your decorations
We have a shutter shelf on one wall which serves as our mantel, love decorating it at Christmas time and every other holiday and season.
You did a great job, enjoyed seeing your ideas and decorations. Each interpretation to me is inspiring.
Have wonderful weekend
I love your mantel! Where did you get those candlesticks?
Thanks so much! I found them at Hobby Lobby : )
Where is your media console from? It’s exactly what I’m looking for!
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