Ask the Experts: Fireplace Decor

It’s that time of year again!  Cooler fall temperatures are slowly urging us to close windows, cover up with a blanket or throw, and maybe even throw a few logs on the fire.

The chilly weather  inspired us to ask three home decor enthusiasts and bloggers for a few tips on getting our fireplaces and hearths ready for fireplace season and the holidays with the best fireplace decor. Meet Brenda Bergman (diythomedecorblogs.com),Gina Tepper (youtube.com/giftdecorating), and Beth Bryan (unskinnybop.com). Here’s what they had to say about getting your fireplace “holiday ready”:

Brenda Bergman diyhomedecorblogs.com

Brick-Anew: What is your best advice for people interested in sprucing up their homes with a seasonal decor or theme?

Brenda: The best advice I can give people decorating for the holidays is pick your colors! Seriously look through lots of pictures and see what really speaks to you. Once you start with one color it’s really hard to switch it up without spending lots of money buying all new decorations and it really doesn’t look as nice if you start mixing different color themes. For example, if you’re decorating for Christmas there’s not just red and green. There’s bright red and almost neon green if you are into a more whimsical design. There’s dark red and dark green if you want a classier look. There’s country red and green, all white, all blue, all silver….I think I’ve even been seeing purple decorations for Christmas. So pick your colors and stick to them, that’s how you’ll be able to make a cohesive look.

Brick-Anew: What decorating tips can you share to help our audience create great-looking fireplaces and hearths for the upcoming holiday season?

Brenda: When you are decorating your fireplace for the holidays, remember scale. It’s hard to get a mantel with impact with a bunch of small little knick knacks. Pick your focal point first. That one large piece to give some height and width and pull in all your smaller decorations. I also like to make sure that everything is not the same height, it gives more visual interest.

Tip: Don’t overload your mantel with small decorative items

Brick-Anew: Do you have any ideas for achieving a memorable fireplace decor, hearth, or mantel that won’t break the bank?

Brenda: To create a memorable fireplace for the holidays….DIY it!! I think you should always have at least one handmade piece on your mantel. I mean, the holidays are about nostalgia right? What better way to create that than to make your own decorations. My current favorite for decorating the fireplace is making my own signs. It’s super cheap to buy a board and paint/stain it to match your décor and then paint your quote or picture on it. I’ve been using a Silhouette/Cricut to make stencils of the letters and pictures for my signs. I’ve made two signs so far but I plan to make one for all the holidays. I’ve also been on the lookout for a really cool old window, because I love the look of an old window with a wreath hanging over it.

Gina Tepper, ginatepper.com and youtube.com/giftdecorating

Brick-Anew: What is your best advice for people interested in sprucing up their
homes with a seasonal decor or theme?

Gina: I love beautiful, autumn inspired Thanksgiving decorations and accents. They are so easy to create with just a few inexpensive items and natural elements. I like to use amber and gold metallic tones mixed with the texture of things from nature.

Here are some of my ideas for creating an autumn inspired theme for your home:

Decorate Your Entry Way

Decorate your foyer with elements of the season. With a few things from natural such as seasonal corn, decorative grass and acorns, you can add a warm autumn touch to your entry way. Here I transformed an ordinary metal container into a festive Harvest display.

You can also create a fun and festive Halloween theme using painted resin pumpkins, raffia and lights.

Table Top Decorations

I am a big fan of low centerpieces for a Thanksgiving table. It makes it so much easier to have a conversation with someone across the table when you are not trying to look around twigs and flowers.

Red Maple Centerpiece

Reproduce the gorgeous look of a red maple tree for a table centerpiece. Use red maple leaves on branches purchased from the store, fill a glass vase with rocks, bark and natural elements and arrange leaves and added branches to get this look.

Brick-Anew: What decorating tips can you share to help our audience create
great-looking fireplaces and hearths for the upcoming holiday season?

Gina: I love the look of a decorated fireplace during the Holidays. It adds a warm and cozy charm to any room. To make your mantle become the focal point of the room you can follow these simple tips:

Choose a Color Theme

If you are decorating for autumn, pick colors that reflect the tones of the season like red, amber and bronze. For the winter holidays, choose metallic gold, silver, and vibrant colors.

Add Natural Elements

Use things from nature to create a seasonal look for your mantel. Using mini pumpkins, seasonal corn, branches and leaves and recreate the look of Fall on your mantel. For the winter holidays, gather pinecones, greenery and garland to bring your winter display to life.

Decorate with Lights and Candles

Battery operated and LED candles also add a nice touch. Place battery operated candles on the top of the mantel. Wrap ribbon around the candles and arrange natural elements around them. You also can place LED pillar candles inside the fireplace instead of logs to create a beautiful glow.

Layer Accents

Arrange different seasonal decorations in different heights and on the mantel to make it more interesting. Add seasonal flowers and accents to fill in the gaps between the garland and decorations.

Add a Wreath

Place a beautiful wreath over your fireplace to draw attention to your beautifully decorated fireplace.

Brick-Anew: Do you have any ideas for achieving a memorable fireplace, hearth or
mantel that won’t break the bank?

Gina: You can create a beautiful, seasonal mantel without spending a lot of money by using natural elements found outside and things you may already have around your house. Add bows and seasonal accents to your vases, candles and picture frames to transform them into holiday décor. You can also buy seasonal items at the dollar store to incorporate into your holiday theme. Wrap empty boxes into beautiful presents, accented with family pictures or seasonal décor to add to your mantle or around your fireplace.

Beth Bryan, unskinnybop.com

Brick-Anew: What is your best advice for people interested in sprucing up their homes with a seasonal decor or theme?

Beth: Don’t go overboard.  Keeping the theme simple and weaving it into your existing decor is more beautiful and effective than covering every surface in seasonal related items.

Brick-Anew: What decorating tips can you share to help our audience create great-looking fireplaces and hearths for the upcoming holiday season?

Beth: Use groupings of three items on either side of the fireplace with a statement piece that is taller in the center.  This gives both height and fullness to your mantel without getting too cluttered.

Brick-Anew: Do you have any ideas for achieving a memorable fireplace, hearth or mantel that won’t break the bank?

Beth: Instead of buying new seasonal themed items each year, shop around your house for items that can be rearranged in a new way, or head outside and gather inspiration from nature to save money. When you do purchase new items, think of ways to incorporate it into your decor for each season. That way you get more mileage instead of stashing it in the attic for most months out of the year.

To find more of Beth’s fireplace mantel decorating ideas, go to http://unskinnyboppy.com/projects-mantels/.

We hope you enjoy our experts’ tips and ideas! We invite you to comment and share your ideas and tips in our comment section.