The Mantel Detail Everyone Asks About

Let's be honest, the mantel is the star of the show at Christmas. It's where the stockings hang and the candles glow, and it's usually the spot your friends wander over to, cocoa in hand, and ask, "Okay, where did you get that?"
Here's the secret: a mantel people remember isn't about spending a fortune or filling every square inch. We style a lot of mantels here at Aspen Kitchens, and we keep coming back to the same four little rules. Start with one statement piece, group things in threes, play with height, and always bring in a touch of nature. That's really it.

Start With One Statement Piece

Every great mantel needs an anchor. That one piece your eye goes to first, the one that sets the whole mood. Without it, even really pretty decor can end up looking a little scattered.
This season, ours is the Snowy Day Quiet Place Print. At 36" x 28", it's big enough to hold its own over the fireplace, and that snowy barn with its tiny wreath just feels so peaceful. The distressed finish gives it a soft, timeworn look, so it's right at home on a rustic stone fireplace or a painted white mantel.
A few things to keep in mind when you pick yours:
• Go big. Aim for something about two thirds the width of your mantel. Too small and it gets lost.
• Put it up first. Hang it or lean it in place before anything else, then build around it.
• Let it pick your colors. Pull the rest of your colors right from it. With the barn print, that's soft greys, evergreen, and creamy white.

Style in Odd Numbers (Threes Work Best)

This is the little designer trick that makes a mantel look effortless. Things grouped in threes just feel relaxed and natural, while pairs can come off a bit stiff and matchy.
A few easy ways to try it:
• Three glowing trees. Our Red Ribbed Mercury Glass LED Trees and Gold Mercury Glass Tree Finials each come in small, medium, and large, so a trio is built right in.
• Three candles. The Frosted Pinecone Glow Votives also come in three sizes. Cluster them together instead of spacing them out.
• Three pinecones. Our Shimmering Gold Pinecone looks stunning on its own, but grouped in a trio at one end of the mantel, it becomes the detail everyone notices.
Got a long mantel? Just repeat it. A group of three on each side of your statement piece makes the whole thing look planned, even if you pulled it together in ten minutes

Play With Height and Balance

If everything on your mantel is the same height, it's going to look flat. Mixing up the heights is what makes your eye wander across the whole thing.
• Think of a gentle wave. Put your tallest pieces closest to your statement piece, then step down as you move toward the ends.
• Let your trees do the work. Our Red Ribbed Mercury Glass LED Trees come in three heights (8.5", 10", and 12"), so all three together make an instant little skyline. The Gold Mercury Glass Tree Finials (8", 10", and 12") work the same way. Line them up tall to short, or nudge the smallest one slightly forward.
• Give low pieces a boost. Set a pinecone or a small votive on a stack of old books or a wood slice to lift it up a bit.
• Balance, don't mirror. Your two sides don't have to match. A tall group of red trees on one end can be balanced by a wider, lower cluster of candles and pinecones on the other. If it feels even, it is.
Here's a fun little trick: walk to the other side of the room and squint. If one side looks heavier, shuffle a piece or two until it feels settled.

Always Add a Natural Element

This is the one rule we never skip. A little nature softens all that glass, metal, and sparkle, and it's what makes a mantel feel warm and lived in instead of staged.
And here's the good part: it doesn't have to be the real thing. Your natural element can come straight from outdoors, or it can simply mimic nature. Our Shimmering Gold Pinecone and the pinecone pattern on the Frosted Pinecone Glow Votives totally count, and they won't drop a single needle on your floor.
A few of our favorites, real or not:
• Greenery. A fresh or faux garland of pine, cedar, or eucalyptus draped along the front ties every group together.
• Pinecones. Mix a few real ones from the yard with a shimmering gold one. That combo of rustic and sparkly is so pretty.
• Berries and branches. A few sprigs of red berries add just the right pop of color.
• Wood. A simple wood slice under your votives brings in texture and that cozy cabin feel.
• Dried oranges and cinnamon sticks. They look lovely, and bonus, your whole house will smell like Christmas.
If your mantel ever feels a little cold or a little too perfect, nature (real or pretend) is almost always the missing piece.

So that's it! Start with one piece you love, group in threes, play with height, and finish with a little nature. Do that, and you'll have the mantel everyone asks about.
We'd love to see how you style yours this year. Shop the whole collection online at Aspen Kitchens, and remember, shipping is free on orders of $125 or more within the continental U.S.