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Category: Design/decorating

Mantel Decorating Ideas

Posted on by Amber

“And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.”

Having a mantel in your home offers the opportunity to create a stunning Christmas scene. We’ve compiled some ideas to help you make a “Pinterest worthy” mantel for the holidays.

1. Make the Wreath the Star

Wreaths aren’t just for the front door. A wreath can act as a focal point, an anchor for a room. Placing a wreath above a mantel is the perfect festive touch. No matter what you put actually on the mantel, the look will feel complete.

2. Make a Village

Use the top of your mantel as host to your Christmas village. If you don’t want to place your whole village on the mantel, consider adding one or two houses on the ends for a whimsical feel.

3. Don’t Forget the Floor

Utilize the space around your mantel to enhance your Christmas look. Including lanterns and boxwood trees, which look like mini Christmas trees, will extend the magic.

There are also of course traditional holiday plants, like poinsettias, that when placed around the mantel will create a timeless holiday look.

4. Incorporate Flowers

If the shelf of your mantel is wide enough, consider incorporating flowers into your decor. Add a festive fresh arrangement of flowers to brighten the room or a silk arrangement that will last the entire holiday season.

5. Color Coordinate

Firstly, if your mantel is in a room with a Christmas tree make sure the mantel decor is color coordinated with the tree. For example, if you have a classic red and green Christmas tree, give your mantel a classical look too. But if your tree is pink, blue or any other unusual color combination, make sure your mantel compliments those colors.

Consider making all of the decorations on and around your mantel one color.  For instance, if you appreciate the “snow day” feeling, make all of your decorations white. If you’re adding flowers to the mantel’s decor, 

6. Hang Ornaments

Stockings are the traditional option to hang from the mantel, but what about including some ornaments? If you have greenery draped over the mantel adding ornaments to it creates a fun look.

Decorating your front porch for fall

Posted on by Amber

The leaves are changing colors and falling from the trees, the air is slowly starting to cool and every coffee shop is advertising their pumpkin spice drinks – Autumn has arrived.

One of the most exciting parts about the changing of seasons is getting to change your home decor. Welcome fall, and your guest this season, by giving your front porch an autumnal makeover.

Connells Maple Lee has everything you need to achieve your dream fall curb appeal.

Watch our video below to see what we put on our porch:

If you want to recreate this look, we’ve compiled a list of products we used:

We also used hay bales and locally grown pumpkins alongside our products to complete our porch.

We’d love to see how you incorporate Connells into your autumn decor! Share you fall setup by tagging us on Instagram @cmlflowers or Connells Maple Lee Flowers and Gifts on Facebook and using #ConnellsMapleLee

For holiday decorating, DIY and do what you like

Posted on by Neal

At the top of this year’s Christmas list, let’s take some of the hectic out of holiday decorating.

’Tis the season to be jolly, but it also can be a time of great stress. While Hallmark movies and Pinterest boards can be great sources of inspiration, don’t underestimate your own style and creativity when it comes to design and budget.

You can do it yourself and do it your way.

That’s the message from company designers Kim Orris and Steven Shughart, who shared their secrets for less restive, more festive holiday home decorating.

Span the holidays

Santa rides in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. You might put your Christmas tree up before taking the first bite of Thanksgiving turkey. The two holidays flow into one another like gravy across a scoop of mashed potatoes.

In that spirit, you can use a pine wreath as a Thanksgiving centerpiece before hanging it on your front door during Christmas. Wreaths also can be hung inside on a door or wall.

Borrow from nature

To enhance a centerpiece, consider taking a walk. It’s not only good for mind and body, but you can find branches, leaves, pine cones, acorns to bring the outside inside.

“You can go on a walk and clip a branch and put it in a vase,” Steven said. “You see that in almost any magazine anymore.”

“And along with our gift items, it looks gorgeous,” Kim said.

Embrace what’s free

What’s more, what you find outside costs nothing.

“Sometimes the free stuff is what really makes a house feel lived in, like it’s collected,” Steven said.

You also can save money by using items you already have, such as filling a vase or bowl with Christmas balls.

Improvise

“You don’t have to have the oval centerpiece with the two candles,” Steven said.

“Or you can have that and add to it with the branches or the balls or the greenery just spread around,” Kim said. Or run a small set of battery-powered lights down the table.

If you’re having a holiday party, consider buying a handful of flowers and spreading the heads on the table.

“It doesn’t have to be designed,” Kim said.

Ultimately, there is no single way to deck the halls. You should find comfort and joy in doing what pleases your eye.

“If you like it, it works,” Steven said.