The lure of hearth and home makes the fireplace a natural focal point and an accommodating canvas to showcase your Christmas style.
And for the rushed decorator, the fireplace is a quick fix -- setting the mood for entertaining and for family gatherings. Best of all, only a few tools are required beyond a simple hammer, some well-placed nails and a bit of tape.
We asked two in-house store decorators to deck out the same fireplace mantel for Christmas, and by the end of the afternoon there were two wildly different results.
Sean Everett is the assistant manager at The Papery in Ottawa and one of the buyers who creates in-store and window displays, while Sacha Estabrooks is the manager and creative director at Ottawa's Bank St. Framing, also stretching her imagination in the shop and creating whimsical window displays. They both say the favourite part of their jobs is helping customers find accent pieces for their homes.
Although the two transformed a plain fireplace into two very different affairs, they offered similar advice in pulling together the project.
The fireplace is a commanding focal point in a room, especially when it's well-proportioned and positioned, says Everett. "However, some can be awkwardly placed."
An important first step is to study the space and then decide on a style that complements the fireplace and room.
Next, clear the mantel and around the fireplace, giving everything a good clean. Once you have a white canvas, take a second look at what you have.
Then go through your holiday collection and find a large anchor piece you love, says Estabrooks. Christmas makes this easy with family collections passed down from generation to generation.
But don't be trapped in a time warp, repeating the same scheme year after year. We don't have to use everything all the time, says Everett, who laments we sometimes get stuck in a safety zone. There's a tendency to decorate areas of the home, including the fireplace mantel, the same way every year.
To break out of the safety zone, put a few key pieces back in the packing boxes. "It's OK to give some things a rest," he says.
This helps bolster confidence levels to try something new. That doesn't necessarily mean having to hit the shops and spend money. There is value, says Everett, to reuse familiar pieces in different locations in the house. Why not give a hefty glass vase a new job -- instead of flowers, fill it with silver balls.
Inspiration also comes from a large central object, including the gold fawn Estabrooks chose for her fireplace setting, or even from a small functional item, including the tube of fireplace matches that caught Everett's eye.
It's also key to identify a colour palette when bringing the elements together.
Christmas has its specific trappings and the fireplace probably draws more than its share with Christmas stockings and garlands of evergreen.
Garlands bring a touch of nature indoors, says Everett. They also add a softening effect to the fireplace's angular or boxy lines and the rough, cold feel of brick, marble or dark wood.
Most important, have fun and play with your imagination, they say.
Think of the fireplace as a layer cake and build your tiers with balance, right up to the glittery icing, says Estabrooks.
-- Postmedia News
