Frosty Winter Mantel Decor with Blues and Greens
What decorations can you leave up after christmas? These after christmas winter decorating ideas use blues and greens to create a frosty winter mantel scene, the perfect january decorating idea.
After Christmas decorating can be a challenge. It’s habit to want to put all of the decorations into bins for hibernation. But today’s post may show you that leaving some things out can be handy, especially if you combine them with fresh accessories. See what inspired my Frosty Winter Mantel Decor with Blues and Greens and how it can launch your after Christmas decor.
To help with your winter decorating ideas, I’m joining a great group of friends today for a fun Welcome Winter Blog Hop, organized by Cecilia at My Thrift Store Addiction. Cecilia is a vintage lover like me and has rounded up a talented bunch of creative bloggers, each with their own style. If you’re visiting from Shiplap and Shells, welcome! I’m sure you enjoyed Kim’s cozy cottage tour; she styles everythings so beautifully:)
I’ll have the links to their posts at the end. I can’t wait to see them all myself!
Frosty Winter Mantel Decor with Blues and Greens
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Start Your Winter Mantel Decor with Wall Art
For me, decorating themes usually begin with a launching point. I explained my process in “How to Easily Make a Decorating Theme Using Photo Prints”, if you need some idea provoking.
This year’s winter mantel and living room decor started with a couple of vintage thrifted paint-by-numbers of mountains. I bought them thinking I was giving them to one of my sons for Christmas…but I decided to keep them for myself (!)
I had also picked up a couple Minnesota prints at a vintage shop, done by a local artist. I loved the birch trees and blues and greens.
The whole decorating theme started with these pieces of wall art!
Winter Decorations After Christmas
You don’t have to put all your Christmas decorations away the minute the holidays are over. Many of your decor pieces can be used in a different way, next to fresh accessories to create a whole new look.
I became an expert at this when I owned a vintage store. Right after Christmas we would separate the red and green. The red items could join whites and pinks for Valentines and the green items could join blues, whites and browns. Only the true Christmas pieces got packed away.
Get more tips in “6 Clever Ways to Transition Your Decor After Christmas”
The mini trees that were in our bedroom (“Vintage Lover’s Christmas Bedroom Tour”) became bare with only white lights for a cozy mantel glow.
The “DIY Repurposed Candlesticks with Sheet Metal Shades” got divided up by color. Blues and aquas stayed in the living room, reds and pinks went to the dining room (for Vday decor), and greens and whites headed to our bedroom.
Starting to get the idea of dividing and conquering? Just use your Christmas decorations in a different way, with a fresh theme!
Add Similarly Colored Accessories to your Winter Mantel Decor
Once I knew I was using the blue candlesticks and evergreen trees, I shopped my house for accessories in my themed blues and greens. I grabbed an old pop crate and my green coolers from out on the porch. My blue skis and aqua mittens had been in the back entry, surrounded by Christmas cards.
The black framed paint-by-numbers inspired me to fill my black toolbox 1/2 for a centerpiece {see more toolbox decor & organizing ideas in “Great Ways to Use Old Toolboxes, all through the house”} When you use the wall art as inspiration, it guides the rest of your decorating.
A birch log I had laying around got stood up with some rocks in a galvanized bucket. An old scarf with similar colors was simply knotted around.
Add Seasonal Texture Accents to Winter Decor
Last, but definitely not least, finish off your decorating with plenty of seasonal textures. I gave a bunch of ideas in “Winter Decorating Ideas to Enjoy Your Home All Season”.
Here are some of the textures I used here:
- paper-old books
- yarn
- pinecones
- evergreens
- galvanized metal
- fake snow
- cotton stems
- candles & fairy lights
Here in the north, we’ll be looking at the white stuff outside our windows till at least March. Good reason to not only welcome winter, but embrace it!
It’s so nice to have pretty, cozy surroundings, especially when the evenings are dark…and the world is crazy.
I hope you’re inspired to decorate your home for winter! It is easier if you keep some of your Christmas decorations out, and start with the mantel. Divide up your accessories by color and layer on the winter textures.
For more winter ideas, visit my friend Amber at Follow the Yellow Brick Home next. Amber may be one of the few bloggers I know that has more vintage than me;) And she styles it all beautifully.
If you enjoyed Frosty Winter Mantel Decor with Blues and Greens, be sure to become an Insider to keep the ideas flowing!
Please Pin, Share, and Enjoy the Rest of the Inspiration!
Welcome Winter Blog Hop
My Thrift Store Addiction | Midwest Life and Style | Panoply
The Crowned Goat | Calypso in the Country | The Tattered Pew
Shiplap and Shells | Lora B Create and Ponder
Follow the Yellow Brick Home | Open Doors Open Hearts | Bricks n’ Blooms
Sharing at these lovely parties:
Lora I just love how the paintings inspired your whole decorating scheme! It’s always awesome when that happens. I think this is my favorite of your winter posts with all the fun vintage treasures and all the green mixed in with winter blues. You have created some of the most creative winter vignettes with your finds. Truly beautiful!
Thanks for your kind words, Amber! I’m really enjoying having the greens and blues front and center for winter:)
I didn’t know you had a vintage treasure store?! I used to have a small booth called One For You/One For Me (for obvious reasons). When the store changed their motto (went to all clothing), I didn’t even mark it down or try to sell it all. I brought it home because I wanted everything! I would have gone broke if your store were close to me. Or maybe your store would have always been empty. 😉 Love your winter ideas and decor. It’s all so unique and fun. Your ideas were great too. I need to pull my fairy lights back out. But my fave idea was telling us to put the red with the pinks and Valentine stuff and the greens with the blues and wintry stuff. Genius!
Fun to hear about your vintage booth, Cindy! I probably have more cool stuff now that I’m not selling at my store. Back then all the good stuff went there! I only brought home the duds that weren’t moving:( And I probably should do a post on how I divy everything up after Christmas, learned from many years of doing it at the store!
I love how your paint by numbers turned out! So fun! All your little touches make it so cozy!
Thanks, Sarah! I love finding something that inspires a whole vignette:)
What a cozy space!!! It feels so warm and comfortable!! I love the textures and the paintings!! Gorgeous!! Have a great weekend!!
Thanks, Aliya! Sitting by a fire now:)
So many beautiful ideas and vintage pieces, Lora! I love it all so much. You always do such a great job mixing vintage finds into your decor. It’s perfection and definitely a fabulous way to celebrate the season. Big hugs, CoCo
You’re so sweet, Coco; thanks:) Yes, I do love me some vintage; can’t take the dealer out of me!
Lora- your home is so so cozy!! Love all your winter decor!!
Aw, thanks Jennifer:) And thanks for stopping by!
Lora, it is always a treat to see how you style your vintage and repurposed treasures. Your mantel is lovely–pinned and sharing on IG! Happy winter! Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction
This hop was so much fun, Cecilia! Thanks for rounding up an awesome group of talented ladies! So fun to see fellow vintage and decorating lover’s homes in their winter cozy:)
Lora your mantel looks beautiful! I love the blues and greens and all of the winter touches you added around your home. It all looks so pretty! I’m so glad we got to hop together! Enjoy your weekend! xoxo
Thanks Stacy! Yes, it was fun to finally be in the same hop!
Lora, this is all so beautiful and cozy looking. The blues and greens are a perfect winter color palette. My favorite is your mantle with the sweet deer and all of the fun winter details. So happy to be joining you for this tour!
Thanks, Jen:) I do love that vintage deer; he had bells around his neck for Christmas:)
I always love your blog posts Lora, and this is no exception! Those blues and greens are my very favorite colors, no matter what the season. Pinned several of your beautiful pictures.
Blues and greens are my sweet spot, too Kim:) So glad you enjoyed it; thanks for pinning!
Lora your winter decor is just beautiful! I love all of the blues and greens! I found myself oohing and awwwing over all the details. Thanks you for sharing all of your tips too!
You’re so sweet, Kelly. Cool blues and greens are so soothing after the loudness of Christmas decor.
Always inspiring, wish snow would come our way.
You share beautiful vintage touches always. Stay warm and enjoy.
Cindy
It’s actually snowing with beautiful flakes here, today! Thanks, always, Cindy!
Yes, the mantel is a great place to start – and yours looks beautiful, Lora! I love how you played off the colors from the paint by numbers paintings. Those soft blues really speak to me this time of year. And all of your unique vintage pieces give your room such personality! Just gorgeous! Great to hop with you again!
Shelley
Always enjoy hopping with you, too, Shelley! Yes, blues are so soothing this time of year:)
Lora, I love your thought process in how you apply organizing your after Christmas home similarly to how you would do your booths. That was much the same as my sister & I did in turning the booths toward Valentine’s Day. At home, winter greens ruled. But it’s how you worked the blues into your decor that really appeal to me here. Lol, keeping the PBN artwork definitely worked in your favor, especially with the added local MN artist works. I love all of those! Your comment at the end, introducing Amber….I think it’s a tie. 😉 I love both y’all’s flair for styling vintage. You inspire me, and I really look forward to seeing your creative mind at work.You never disappoint, but always inspire!
Thanks for your kind words, Rita:) I did feel a little bad when my younger son commented how much he liked them when he saw them; I had to admit I kept them for myself;) He can still enjoy looking a them!