After-Christmas Winter Mantel and Living Room
This is the story of the living room that refused to be lonely after Christmas.
You know after the twinkly Christmas lights and red ribbons and jolly little stockings come down? There’s the feeling. The emptiness. And not just emptiness but also that gloom that always seems to creep in smack dab after January 1st.
Everything outside is just gray. And the sun only shines for a tiny smidgen of the day. And I start thinking the idea of moving to Florida sounds pretty brilliant.
This year, that gloom was NOT going to be in our living room.
Today, I teamed up with my blogger friend Taryn from Design, Dining, and Diapers to share a bit of our winter mantels and living rooms. If you’re visiting from Kelly Elko’s home, welcome!
I learned my no-decorating lesson last year. January 2016, I was sleepy and moody and a total couch potato because I hardly decorated a lick once we hauled our Christmas tree away.
This year, I was on a mission. Save the winter decor! Robert took some convincing. I’d rescue a strandย of flocked garland out of our storage bins and he’d say, “Babe. That’s Christmas stuff.” If there’s a fine line between just decorating for winter and hanging your icicleย lights on your front porch until May, I might have crossed it.
(Who makes these rules that constitutes the definitive difference between Christmas and winter decor anyway?)
But whatever. This living room is HAPPY!
And what matters more is our family seems happier already in comparison to last year’s doom and gloom with the no-decor-in-sight. It’s just further proof to me that our surroundings matter so much more than we realize.
Maybe January is the unsung hero of the year. December gets a lot of attention, but January? Meh.
On the surface, yeah. Maybe it’s about dietingย and shoveling driveways and organizing crammed closets and scrubbing floors that seriously you know haven’t seen a mop since last winter.
But there’s something about it that’s kind of magical.
It’s that time of year when hope overflows. This is the year I’m going to take care of myself. This is the year that I’m going to find balance. This is the year that I’m going to do something big. Really big.
I think that’s pretty poetic, don’t you? Because if we treated every month like January, maybe we could do even more great things. HUGE things. The ones that only dreams are made of.
Maybe seizing all of those big goals starts with a little decor at home where you can find your refuge and be inspired toย go out and conquer the world.
And truly. It doesn’t have to take spending a truckย full of money to make it that way.
Sometimes a cheap thrift store mirror can become brand new with a little bit of paint…
Sometimes old dome clocks from yard sales can become fancy French cloches…
That Christmas decor marked down to 80% off on the end-of-season clearance aisle can still have a lot more life. ..
And if you can’tย afford furniture in the retail stores, sometimes a $50 Craigslist coffee table and a secondhandย bookcase with a fresh coat of paint is all you need…
In the end, maybe you’ll learn a skill or two- how to sew, how to build, how to put your own personal stamp in your home that no amount of money could ever buy. Because you and your family are reflected in every brush stroke and every seam.
In the midst of my rescuing garland and greenery from our storage bins, that rescue mission seemed to continue in the rest of our house. I repurposed so many items we already had and it reminded me of my and Robert’s earlier days when we had hardly anything at all and were just scraping by.
Sometimes I think it’s when we have to tighten our purse stringsย that we realize what we already do have. When we have no other choice but to reuse and remake, maybe that’s where the absolute best ideas and most beautifulย creativity can happen.
A pair of thrifted shelf brackets can suddenly become a pretty set of bookends.
And an old wooden shelf can transform into a vintage styleย crate. It just takes a little hard work, a little determination, and a little time to find beauty in the ordinary.
Whatever your January looks like, I hope it’s full of optimism. And that you can see so much of the potential around you and in yourself. 2017 is going to be a GREAT year. I know it.
Since y’all sometimes ask, here are some of the sources I used in our living room alongsideย the thrifted stuff. Most of the items I already owned or I bought on a major sale along with a coupon.
ย Sources:ย (Affiliate links are provided below.)
- Cedar garland
- Snowy wreath
- Wooden candle holders
- Black lanterns (large and small)
- Card catalog coffee table (similar)
- Woven tray
- Paperwhite flowers
- Fillable glass lamp
- Midnight blueย velvet pillows
- Gray velvet pillows
- Faux fur blanket
- Faux fur pillows
- Ivory cable knit pillow (similar)
- Blue chenille blanket
- Jute rug
- Ceiling fan
Next stop on the winter mantel and living room tour is Jennifer at Town and Country Living! Hop over and say hi. ๐
So I have to ask… since we’re talking hopes and goals and everything. Are you working on a resolution this year? Or maybe already accomplished one? Robert and I just started another round of Whole30 and it’s kickin’ my tail! Olivia has no idea how jealous I am of her PB&J and Cheerios every day.
This is all so gorgeous! I love every detail!
Thanks, Sarah!
Lovely photos, ideas and message Lauren. Very uplifting and so true. Thank you for so many ideas and inspiration.
Thank you, Joanne!
This is gorgeous Lauren! Every detail is perfect, that pinecone garland is so pretty. And can I just tell you how much I love your photos?! #goals
Thanks girl! My husband surprised me with a new camera for Christmas (a Canon 6D) and it has made a WORLD of difference!
Beautiful Lauren! I love the approach – January is the unsung hero! You’re right… all that energy to finally start things anew. Being a teacher, I always feel like I get that fresh start twice a year; January and September. Your living room looks amazing; and that camera & photography?! Wow. You can moonlight your blog with a second career shooting magazine interiors with it!
Wow! Thank you, Krista! I got a new camera at Christmas and I’m already amazed what a difference it makes. I always loved that about being a teacher too. It’s a tough job, but I wouldn’t have traded any of it… well, except maybe the itty bitty salary. ๐ Hope you’re enjoying your fresh start with your new students!
Wow, Lauren, your philosophy and resulting living room decor is brilliant, lovely. I’m so impressed. Thank you for letting us enjoy it as much as your family must. Cheers, Ardith
I am right there with you Lauren! I have said for years now that my Christmas tree becomes my winter tree after the holidays? I am floral designer, originally from MI and now living in Cincinnati and absolutely believe in keeping those greens up…that’s what makes it winter! If you can’t get away with the soft glow of the twinkle lights at this time of the year, when can you?! Now if I could just get it to snow more here? Be blessed in the coming year with your BEAUTIFUL blog!!! I always look forward to your realistic and encouraging posts!
I totally agree! I think the dead of winter is when we need that twinkle light glow more than ever. I’ve been lighting candles which helps a lot too and makes our house smell and feel all cozy. Thank you so much for your sweet compliments, Stacey!
Lauren, I like your post-C decor. You have inspired me once again! The wall sconces used as book ends is a favorite idea. Staying inside has its advantages, we can decorate, doodle, read, write, etc. and make pots of warm soup! That’s what I am up to today.
Thank you, Barbara! Same here. We’re waiting (hopefully) for snow, so it’s definitely snuggle weather around here.
Absolutely gorgeous Lauren!!! So Wintery and cozy. Is wintery even a word?!! Ha
If it wasn’t, it is now, right? ๐ Thanks, Stephanie!
Sooo pretty! It makes me want to clean house! I love the warm and cozy feeling that I get while viewing your pictures. Thanks for sharing. God bless.
Thank you, Betty!
You are a blessing on a very cold Friday morning before I head out to a second hand chic shop to do some thrifting. Thank you for your winter inspiration!
You are so sweet, Kelley! Thank you. Stay warm out there. ๐ For thrifting, it’s totally worth braving the cold.
Lauren, this post resonated with me so much. I love your reflections on carrying the hope of January all throughout the year. You have created a beautiful, warm and cozy sanctuary for your family, but a home is so much more than just the pretty things and you captured that too with your thoughtful writing! Thanks for sharing your heart and home.
Thank you, Lisa! You are soooo sweet. xo
I love everything in your living room ! Everything is perfect: colors, old books, miror โฅ, the winter mantel …
I forgot my grey sky (here in france) with pictures like that โฅ
You are definitely one of my favorite blogger !
Thank you so much, Celine! You are too sweet!
That is all stinkin’ cuuute! I haven’t taken the plunge with taking down the tree yet. Probably this weekend. It makes me sad that all the sparkle will be gone but if I can do even half the job you’ve done with your living room, I’ll be happy. Thanks for being so positive!!!
Thank you, Amy! I had a hard time parting with the sparkle too. Why can’t we just have pretty twinkle lights all year long?
Your gorgeous mantel makes me like January … almost! Oh who am I kidding, take me to Florida!
Haha! Right? I need sunshine and palm trees right. this. second. ๐
Where’d you get the “Silver White Winters that melt into Spring” print?
If you made it, can you please make it a free printable? I love it. In fact, I love it so much that if you made it and send me a scanned copy, I’d be happy to photoshop it into different colors for you. Aqua, light blue, multiple colors on the word Spring, etc. I’m busy this weekend but could have it for you by the middle of next week.
You are so sweet to offer to do that, Katy! I’ll be sharing it on Monday, but I can email it to you. ๐ Feel free to change the colors for yourself if you’d like.
I would love the “Silver White Winters” printable, too! Love, love your rooms and all your creative ideas! Thank you so much and Happy New Year ๐
Emailing you now, Julie! ๐ I’ll be sharing it tomorrow here on the blog.
Me, too! We’re in the middle of a blizzard right now! Snowbound in Boston brought me to your site. Just lovely!
I love the greenery still on the mantel especially the pine cone garland. So wintery and cute. Resolutions this year get my blog together. This has been my resolution for the past two years. Also getting my husband organized. He is more slowly getting it together since our little one is due any time now. Thanks for sharing such an inspiring post!
Thanks, Hope! I believe in you! Make that blog happen. ๐ If you come up with a solution to get your husband organized, pass it along. I’ve got nothin’ over here. And I’m just as disorganized. Haha! Congrats on your almost-here little bundle!
I kept so much of my Christmas/winter greenery out after Christmas this year and even two small Christmas trees! I just undecorated them, wrapped their bases in some burlap, put one on my entry table and the other in a distressed white wine barrel half and stuck it in my entryway as well. Is it tacky I turn the lights on on that one at night? It gives such a soft glow to my entryway that I wasn’t ready to part with! I’m in love with your quote in the little blue/green frame on your end table! Was that a DIY or did you find that somewhere? If it was a DIY, could I twist your arm into sharing?? ?
I’m right there with you, Jana! I don’t judge you one bit for keeping those lights on. ๐ All of your decor sounds beautiful! I’ll actually be sharing that printable download on Monday, but maaaaaybe I can email you the file real quick. Wink wink.
I love the idea of the thrifted shelf brackets! Everything looks so cozy. I’ve been crushing on those green and black wrought iron wall panes next to the windows. Where did you find those?
Thanks, Amber! I couldn’t believe they were only $2 at the thrift store. They were already painted white and everything. The green and black wall panes are from Kirkland’s. I don’t think they carry those specific ones anymore, but they do have similar ones.
Love your winter living room. We certainly do need something to get us through
the gloomy winter months! Especially here in Ontario, Canada with the very cold temperatures.
Cheers to the new year.
Oh I’m sure y’all definitely need some perk more than we do down here. Thanks, Dianne! Happy New Year to you too! ๐
It’s all beautiful, Lauren! I love the thrifted mirror on your mantel. What a great find! The pine cone garland is the perfect winter touch. FYI – my hubby’s name is Robert, too.
Thank you, Jennifer! I LOVE your winter-meets-spring take on yours. Beautiful! Those Roberts make pretty great hubbies, don’t they? ๐