Woodland Christmas Mantel Inspiration

Christmas mantel decor

This year I decided to go with a woodland theme for our fireplace mantle in our main living space. I also decided to keep it simple! Let’s take a closer look at how I accomplished that. I will also be sharing more Christmas decorating inspiration for you later in this post!

focal point and inspiration

The first design element I decided on was the art work to display on our Frame TV which is the focal point of the mantel. I searched on Etsy and found some beautiful woodland themed artwork including a lovely snowy scene with a single deer standing near a stream. 

This piece is the inspiration I needed to set my own woodland mantel theme! I also gave the diy wooden frame for this tv a makeover! You will see that in the YouTube video later in this post!

small Christmas trees

First, I set up the small Christmas trees on either side of the fireplace. I have several sets from King of Christmas that incude 3′ trees, garlands and wreaths. They are prelit which makes decorating so easy!

The trees are stacked on various pieces that have wood tones like thrifted baskets, a handmade wood box and step stool. The stool is currently painted white so I am pretending it has been snowed on!

Pro Tip: Fold the branches on the faux trees so that they come to the front. This creates a flat back so that the tree can be tucked further back on the mantel while still adding dimension.

The trees are simply decorated with velvet ribbons in shades of blue. I think green velvet ribbons or creamy white velvet would be pretty as well! Mine are just tied at the top but without a bow. You could tie a bow instead and that would be beautiful!

Some of the small Christmas trees came with burlap wrapped around the trunk. If your trees do not have burlap, simply wrap them with a piece of burlap! You can purchase burlap at most fabric or craft stores like Michaels.

I also used a scrap of burlap to wrap around a small pine tree I found on sale at Hobby Lobby. The black plastic container it came with didn’t go with my theme this year!

Buy a little extra burlap and make yourself a burlap wreath to add to the woodland look!

woodland themed garland

The faux pre-lit pine garland I am usng this year compliments the focal point of our fireplace mantel. I chose to avoid flocked garland for the mantel because it can be messy and I wanted to keep it simple.

The garland hangs off of one side of the mantel to creater some balance. I have two trees on one side of the mantel and only one on the other side. The garlands greenery hanging down helps to create a pleasing appearance to the asymetrcal look of the mantel.

Fresh garland woud be lovely too! In the past, I have added fresh sprigs of cypress to faux garlands. This is a great way to use natural elements along with faux elements.

For an additional touch, I added dried hydrangea blooms to the garland. The blues and greens of the dried hydrangea add the right amount of color. The colors will also go with the rest of my Christmas decor. I picked the hydrangeas this summer and hung them in my she shed to dry.

Hanging under the solid wood mantel is a handmade rustic bell garland. Recently I upcycled a bright blue bell garland I found at the thrift store. I shared how I did this in a YouTube video. Tap the button below to watch how I repurposed the shiny bells into beautiful vintage bells. 

faux wreath

The collection sets from King of Christmas come with a 24″ pre-lit wreath. These wreaths look so real and they are easy to hang since they have the option of using batteries! No cords to deal with!!

It was easy to hang the wreath from a small cup hook I attached to the sliding barn door on our fireplace wall. A piece of brown craft wire secured to the wire frame of the wreath is strong enough to hold this wreath!

To go with my simple theme of decorating the mantel, I tied a velvet ribbon bow with long tails.  The bow is secured with a small piece of wire that will be easy to remove when the Christmas season is done.

handmade snowmen

I realize snowmen might not be a natural element but I do feel they carry on the woodland theme! Where else would you build a snowman other than outdoors!

My collection of handmade sweater snowmen is growing. I’m not displaying them all here on the fireplace mantel but I am adding my faves!

Some are stacked on handmade wooden candle holders and some are stacked on vintage books. I even have a couple of snowman snowballs hanging in a copper ladle!

All of the snowmen are surrounded by natural elements like a real stone fireplace, pine trees wrapped in burlap and a stack of wood logs for burning in the fireplace.

I only hope they don’t get too close to the fire and melt away!

woodland themed Christmas decor

Let’s look at some of the additional decor elements I have used for this fireplace mantel. I hope you find inspiration here for your decorating!

thrifted heavy iron deer figures

These deer figure started out to be candle holders. I found them out thrift shopping and saw the bent dish that would have held the candle. The pair only cost $10 so they were a deal! 

My hubby cut off the bent candle holders with an angle grinder. I added a touch of Rub n Buff and a blue velvet ribbon.  They are perfect, don’t you think? You’ll see the full makeover in the YouTube video I have for you later in this post.

bird home decor

This pair of pheasants was another thrift store find. They were $10 for the pair. For now, they will stay the original creamy white but I have considered giving them a makeover! We’ll see what the future holds!

I collect small bird ornaments for our main Christmas tree so when I saw these while out thrifting, I grabbed them. For now they will live on theses two small Christmas trees on the mantel. I think they pair nicely with the pheasants!

upcycled bell swag

Earlier I mentioned the upcycled bell garland with velvet ribbons that hangs under the solid wood mantel on our fireplace. I also made this gorgeous rustic bell swag from the same thrift store wreath!

There were so many bells on that wreath so I was able to make several Christmas decor pieces including the garland, the swag and even some ornaments to hang on our Christmas tree.

After taking the thrift store wreath apart, I spray painted the bells and then added a touch of Rub n Buff. Then using heavy duty coir rope, I tied the bells together to create this swag. I was able to make several swags so I will also add one to our back door. The bell swag will give a festive jingle each time we come in and out of our home!

I also grouped vintage copper brandy warmers together to create another swag of sorts.

outdoor cooking tools

This idea might seem strange, but here are my thoughts – using cooking tools like cast iron pots, copper brandy warmers and copper soup ladles would have been used around a campfire outside and that’s very woodland in my opinion!

We have a couple of small cast iron dutch ovens that we have used at our indoor and outdoor fireplaces. I’ve cooked small batches of soup in those sweet little pots and it is so much fun! I’ve also used them to reheat soup by the fireplace simply to enjoy the experience!

cozy woodland Christmas vibe

Creating a cozy woodland mood for your home during the holiday season isn’t just about the decor you choose.

It’s also about the feeling you create in your home. Welcome your family and friends to your home through all of the senses with these ideas.

sense of sight

Create a cozy atmosphere and ambiance with soft, warm lighting. Table lamps instead of overhead lighting creates a soft appearance in any room. Twinkling lights are a must for the Christmas season.

thanks for being here!

I hope you are enjoying this project! Let me know if you have any questions. Or leave me a comment to tell me about your project and ideas!

thanks, Cindy 😀

Tap here to comment!

sense of hearing

Use smart technology like Alexa, YouTube or Apple music to play soft instrumental Christmas music. There are so many beautiful Christmas songs that can be turned on low so that you can still have conversations with your loved ones.

sense of smell

Lighting candles brings soft, glowing light to any space but it can also bring lovely scents to our homes. Choose scents that remind you of Christmas like peppermint, pine, barberry and cookie dough!

sense of taste

Speaking of cookie dough, mix up some homemade baked goods like german chocoate chip cookie dough and bake them throughout the season. If you are an empty nester like my hubby and me then simply bake a couple of cookies at a time. That way you enjoy the scent of baked goods throughout the holiday season!

sense of touch

Pull out the soft cozy throws made from faux fir, cable knit and quilted pieces. They are perfect for a cozy evening by the fire. Grab your loved ones and snuggle up this Christmas season! Read The Christmas Story from the book of Luke in the Bible together and create memories!

rustic elements

Let’s dream about some more ideas to create a cozy woodland Christmas theme for our homes. Here are several ideas. I would love to hear your ideas too! Share them with me in the comments section at the end of this post!

• Handmade wooden candle holders would look gorgeous lined up on the mantel! Place battery powered candles on them and set the woodland vibe for your living room.
• Hang a handmade wreath using dried florals like hydrangeas or magnolia branches.
• Make a garland using dried orange slices and heavy twine. Add red berries for a festive touch.
• Add burlap accents to the mantel by using it as a tree skirt for small trees.
• Strips of burlap can be tied onto faux tree branches in place of traditional ribbon.
• Use faux cedar garland for a lush drappy vibe to your mantel.
• Drape fairy lights throughout your garlands, wreaths and trees to create a sparkly effect. Put the lights on a timer so you don’t have to think about turning them on!
• Add bottle brush trees to the mantel. Pick trees that have a natural color so that they blend with the woodland theme.

more woodland decor themed ideas!

If you haven’t had enough inspiration, here are more ideas! Let you creative soul come to life as you read this list. I am sure you will come up with ways to implement these woodland design elements into your Christmas decor!

• knitted sweater stockings create a cozy woodland vibe
• plaid accents on pillows and cozy throws
• wooden signs
• cozy textures and faux fir around trees
• twine and pinecone garland
• antler decor placed on the mantel
• wood slice ornament garland
• diy thick branch candle holders
• decor made from pine cones