Decorating & Design
November 23, 2020
6 Designers Show Off Their Holiday Mantels!
We asked a few of our favorite designers from across Canada how they decorate their hearths for the merry season. Spoiler alert: fresh (or faux) greenery, subtle sparkle and nostalgic touches are the key ingredients. Get inspired to steal their holiday style!
Brian Gluckstein — Toronto
“I wanted to keep the look simple but festive and integrate the colors in the room, so I used snowy whites, soft gold and green. I love reindeer as a symbol of the holiday season, and I collect nutcrackers, so I always have to incorporate them into my holiday decorating. This year, I went with classic all-white. I love softening a mantel with a garland — this one is faux because we like to leave it up for quite some time.”
Deb Nelson — Halifax
“The holidays can be hectic and I often don’t have a lot of time to decorate, so I add natural elements to what I already have. I fill antique baskets with excess boughs cut from the balsam fir trees in my backyard. I love the scent of a Christmas tree in the house, and the boughs add even more fragrance. And while greenery gives a burst of color, tall branches will add height to your mantel.”
Erin Feasby — Toronto
“We have these jewel-toned monogrammed stockings in plaid, tartan and houndstooth patterns, and I wanted to pull out their claret and plum palette. So, I tucked gold and wine-colored eucalyptus leaves into a faux garland, and mixed in black iron candlesticks, my silver trophy and real amaryllis. I love lighting the fire and seeing our initials all lined up in a row.”
Rosie Daykin — Vancouver
“Our Christmas tree doesn’t get a makeover because of the memories attached to all the decorations we hang, so the mantel is a great opportunity to try something new. I asked my friend Jessica Clark of Quince Fine Florals to create a large-scale arrangement. I foraged greenery from the yard and neighborhood, and Jessica brought along some lovely winter hellebores. It’s all real, and it smells divine! With very little money and effort, the scale of the piece completely transforms the space. This is an achievable project for everyone. Wire some florist oasis onto a metal tray that’s hidden beneath where the branches will be, and start arranging, beginning with the largest boughs and working outward.”
Garrow Kedigian — New York City
“My decorations tend to get more elaborate with each passing year. It started with just a bough of evergreen, then I added faux berry branches — real ones become a decorator’s nightmare when the berries end up on the carpet — and this year, the pinecones along the top. My mantel offers a wonderful vista in my open-concept apartment, and I like that it’s a nice deep, dark finish — colorful holiday decorations really pop!”
Sophie Burke — Vancouver
“I wanted the mantel to feel really warm and natural, and I liked the idea of just using greenery, instead of mixing in any color. I often use fir or cedar branches to decorate but decided to switch it up with eucalyptus this year. I made the garland myself by laying the eucalyptus pieces out in the shape I wanted, and wiring them together. I’m not a big fan of faux greenery. You miss the scent from the real thing! I love the look of large baskets filled with firewood and how all the candles add a soft glow to the room.”
House & Home November 2020