Festive Christmas Mantel Ideas by Paula of the Two Ellie Blog

In our Style Challenge series, we challenge some of our favorite bloggers from around the web to surprise us with their ideas for creating a stylish and functional space using Home Depot products as a starting point. For the Holiday Edition of the Style Challenge, we have some gorgeous Christmas mantel ideas from Paula Coldiron of the blog Two Ellie. 

She created festive holiday décor using some of our favorite Christmas products. To our delight, she created a cozy, nature-inspired space that speaks to her decorating style.

I could not have been any more thrilled to be asked to participate in the Holiday Challenge! Christmas is easily one of our favorite holidays. Of course having two small children makes it all the more exciting. I tend go a bit overboard on decorating during this season. My simple tastes quickly take on a more is better attitude. Although I tend to lean towards a more traditional palette I always try to throw in a bit of rustic and whimsical charm.

Once the packages started arriving from The Home Depot, I knew immediately I had the pieces to make our mantel all that more special this year. This also happens to be the area we open gifts with family and friends, so it has to make a statement since the big tree only fits in a corner behind the sofa. Small house, plus open living, makes space planning a little bit more of a challenge.

Anyhoo, here is the mantel in all her glory.

Both Ellie and KJ were absolutely thrilled to help out with the decorating process.

Although I do like traditional design I tend to not like it to be quite perfect. I raised one of the trees onto a Tolix stool I had around. It gave the height it needed to stand out from the leather chair instead of hiding behind it. It also left it a bit asymmetrical which I love, as you can see in the photo below.

The gold glass votives I own and added the flameless votive candles from The Home Depot. They look rather real shining through the gold without the danger of little ones toppling them over.

I have collected Christmas nutcrackers ever since I was a child. These two in the photo below were added to my ever growing collection, and Ellie was ever so intent on picking “the right one.”

The other tree I placed onto a few books simply because it added a little bit more of an unexpected touch that I so enjoy. The ornaments, although a traditional color palette, added the rustic charm I adore. The pine cones, acorns and birds add the nature-inspired elements I use throughout my home.

What very well may be Ellie and KJ’s favorite part would be this little mouse you see below. He talks to you and you can request songs and such. He simply plugs into your current lights. The little mouse has a slight British accent so Ellie speaks to him in her best British drawl. He gets quite the workout around here.

I like to add little touches throughout the house that complement each other. I used the same ornament acorns that I had laying on the mantel in a small bowl on the coffee table. I also added some Martha Stewart gold pine cones to some we found outside in a large clear vase.

I can’t get enough of all the sparkle!

It was so much fun for our whole family to decorate a bit for Christmas using new pieces in order to think outside the box a bit. I know I have probably used somewhat of the same version for decorating this space for many years. This is such a nice change!

See more of Paula’s take on life and style on her blog Two Ellie. Thank you, Paula, for your gorgeous Christmas mantel ideas!

And take a look at the other great Christmas decorating ideas in our Holiday Edition of the Style Challenge series here on the Apron blog. 

In her mystery package, Paula received the following items:

• Martha Stewart Living 4.5 ft. Pre-Lit Sparkling Pine tree
• Martha Stewart Living 32in. Woodland Mixed Pine Artificial Wreath with Lotus Pods
• Martha Stewart Living Winterberry Collection (100-set)
• Melio Creation 18 ft.Gold Ribbon with Gold LED Lights
• Martha Stewart Living 4.5 in. Bird Ornaments (6-set)
• Mr. Christmas Maestro Mouse Lights and Sounds Christmas

Style Challenge is a series of posts from guest contributors who aim to bring you fresh inspiration and ideas for your home and garden using a single Home Depot product as a starting point. Paula received a selection of Christmas decorations  from The Home Depot, but The Home Depot provided no other compensation. The opinions and ideas Paula expressed are her own.