Fireplaces are an extraordinary way to make your house feel like home, but we shouldn’t leave them bare and just focus on throwing in wood every now and then. We can maximize the use of the fireplace by decorating the mantel that frames it with garlands and other lovely accessories.
What says “no place like home” as much as a homely and welcoming fireplace decoration during the holidays? Nothing, if we’re being completely honest here.
Outdoor decorations are intriguing but indoor decorations are what make a home endearing to its owners and even guests so we’ve decided to lay emphasis on that here.
Let’s hold your hand and walk you through the best way to hang a garland on a mantel, and while we do so we’re going to drop in an essential trick that protects your walls and the mantel while ensuring that you get the very best out of the decorative process.
What Are Garlands Anyways?
A garland refers to a decorative item that is made by interweaving flowers, leaves, or any other ornaments creatively into a circle or any other shape that allows it to be hung around the home for decorative purposes.
Some persons even wear it around their necks for celebratory purposes such as the Indians during the Holly celebrations.
Mantle or Mantels Explained
A mantle or mantel is a type of decorative construction that is made to frame a fireplace in a home. The mantle is also made to cover the chimney partially, still in an attempt to decorate the home.
In some cases, the designs could even extend to the wall and as far up as the ceiling. It is usually a place in the home to line up with trophies, awards, framed documents, or family pictures.
How To Hang Your Garland On A Mantle
If you’ve been looking for a way to hang your garlands on a mantel yourself, then we’ve got you covered. All you need is a few items and you’re good to go, we also made sure that we brought you a premium tip on how to hang your garlands without nails and still get a stress-free and effective decoration layout.
What you will need ;
- One or more garlands (depending on the decoration pattern you choose)
- Ornaments
- Command hooks
- Floral wire and cutter.
Steps to follow;
Step 1: Clean the mantel and fix the command hooks
Using a dry or damp cloth (no added cleaning products), clean your mantel by wiping it down to remove dust or dirt in preparation for the decorations that will soon be attached to it. Command hooks are a great alternative for nails that would create dents in your mantel and cause you to opt for repairs after a few uses.
Before fixing the command hooks, clean the surface of your mantel with rubbing alcohol for an effective grip. Follow the instructions in the command hooks pack to fix them to the horizontal part of the mantel and wait for as long as the directions imply for the hooks to stick on before placing anything on it.
Step 2: Join your garlands together with floral wire
The sizes of mantels vary in different homes, so we can not predict a specific number of garlands that you would need for your home. You would need to use one garland to measure the length of your mantel to know how many you need to cover the entire expanse of the mantel.
After getting the measurement you can now join the number of garlands you would require using floral wire. Overlap the garlands to make them look fuller and to allow the leaves to droop beautifully when they are attached to the mantel.
Step 3: Attach the garlands to your mantel
After you have taken an accurate measurement and joined the garlands together such that they fit the mantel just right, you can now proceed to attach them to the mantel using the command hooks you have placed earlier.
Tuck your garland branches carefully yet securely under the hooks of the command hooks and drape them as you please, if you want them drooping or straight you can do so while attaching them to the hooks by spreading or straightening them out with your fingers.
Step 4: Add your ornaments
To further beautify the garland you have just attached to your mantel, you can place different ornaments as well.
You can put lights across the garlands, you can hand decorative socks, you can add floral designs to make it pop, you can add bells to give it a Christmassy look, and you can also place candles behind the garlands on a stand to make it stunning at night by lighting them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do garlands represent?
Garlands symbolize several things in different cultures and for different occasions based on if they are floral or leaf garlands. They are used to decorate chapels, they are a symbol of love used for weddings, they signify purity and peace as well, and they can be used in events aimed at honoring people for their distinguished service.
How do I decorate my mantel?
Asides from using garlands, there are other ways you can decorate your mantel to make it appear unique and homely. You can use a mirror and some elegant flower vases, candlesticks, antique paintings or clocks, and other decorative accessories.
How do you hang a mantel without damaging walls?
The best way to hang a mantel without damaging your walls is with command hooks, they are hooks made with adhesives instead of pointy edges that need to be drilled into the mantel or your walls. They are nondamaging and they come in different sizes so that they can carry heavy or lightweight decorations without falling off.
Summary
A decorated mantel is a truly wonderful sight to behold, especially during the holidays. But fixing mantels doesn’t come easily to everyone, it’s a tricky process but once you master it after one try, it comes easily to you each time you need to repeat it.
We have found you an easy way to fix your garlands and decorate them to your taste in just four easy steps, and while taking into consideration the need for a process that does not cause dents to your mantel or your walls.
Your holiday and regular indoor decorations have definitely been boosted up a notch with this innovative way of hanging garlands to mantels, and we love that we brought it to you.