Natural Christmas Mantel Decoration With a Black Twig Star
Create a natural, minimalist Christmas mantel with an evergreen branch chain and a homemade black twig star. Rustic Scandinavian style, no fireplace required.
Some mantels whisper. This one, I think, hums.
It is my most natural Christmas mantel decoration to date, all woods and greens and one big black star doing the talking. And before you start to wonder, that is not a fireplace. Not even close. It is a radiator cover, and I have a trick for making that work and pretend like it is a fireplace mantel. Stick around, there is more on that below.
The Black Twig Star
 Let’s start with the star, because honestly, the star is the whole mantel.
I made it exactly the same way I made my small twig star ornaments, just bigger. Much bigger. Then I sprayed it black. For some extra drama. Adding the fairy lights to the star made it all even more dramatic.
I figured the drama this Christmas could better come from my star than from our family get-together 😀.
That black star is the anchor of the whole color story: black and white, green and brown from nature’s decorations, and a small bit of silver and gold for sparkle.
I would not have guessed it beforehand, but the combination works. Serious, but still a little bit fun.
The Evergreen Chain (Not a Garland)
Now, about that thing below my ‘mantel’. I keep wanting to call it a garland, but it is not one. Not really.
It is a simple black chain with a few evergreen branches and small ornaments hanging from it. That is all. No luscious, traditional Christmas garland here, and that is entirely on purpose. If you love big, generous greenery swags, this mantel will probably not be your favorite. But if you like things rustic, natural and a little bit minimalist, you are in the right place.
The idea started with a really funky looking pine branch I found. No idea what kind it is, but the branches are beautifully curved and the needles are small and dense. It is a funny looking branch and I wanted it in a prime spot. So it went on the chain, with a couple of small ornaments for company.
How to Decorate a Mantel When You Don’t Have a Fireplace
Here is my confession, and maybe the most useful thing in this whole post. My “mantel” is a radiator cover.
Normally I try to hide that fact. I never decorate below the shelf. But this year I decided to be bold and embrace the whole cover, so the evergreen chain ‘garland’ hangs right down the front, while the star does all the ‘decorating a mantel’ illusion work. Turns out a radiator cover can absolutely carry a Christmas mantel decoration if you keep things simple and give one piece a bit of presence.
With this wide shot of my living room, you can really see this years Christmas theme come to live. There is the rustic twig candle holder on the table and the twig ornaments in the window (tree is not up yet). And at the front you can see it is only the first Advent. My Advent centerpiece is still going strong.
The little seedlings on the mantel came from the woods. I cleaned the dirt from the roots and put them in water. They last a nice long time that way, and after the holidays they will go back where they came from.
Do you decorate something that is not technically a mantel? A bookshelf, a sideboard, a windowsill? It works. Truly.
Quick Questions About a Natural Christmas Mantel
How do you decorate a mantel without a garland?
You keep it structural. And draw the eye up to above the mantel shelf with one strong focal point with presence (a star, a wreath, a branch), and a few natural elements in containers flanking it. That will be enough. Or you do what I did and add a minimalist chain, rope or handmade garland for some extra decor. Less greenery, more intention.
How do you make a natural Christmas mantel look cohesive?
Pick a tight color story and stick to it. Mine is black and white, green and brown, with silver and gold only for sparkle. When everything on the mantel belongs to one palette, even very different pieces feel like one arrangement.
What is the French-Scandinavian Country style?
French-Scandinavian country is a design style that loves simple, natural materials, muted colors, and a lot of restraint. It combines modern/industrial design with classical, vintage and sometimes a bit shabby chic decor. Twigs, evergreen, candlelight, one or two handmade pieces instead of many bought ones. This mantel is my take on it.
And that is the whole mantel. Not bad for a radiator cover, if I say so myself.
If this made you want have your own star-studded mantel and to go gather twigs, do not leave without visiting my Twig Christmas post for the tutorial about how to make star ornaments, or visit my very white Christmas mantel with DIY houses for a completely completely different take on a star as a mantel focal point.
Pin your favorite image now so you can find it when the Christmas boxes come out.
LOVE. Love love love your rustic, casual quaint style! That lit star is most awesome! I want one. 🙂 Your mantel is perfectly lovely!
Thank you! Shall I come over this Christmas and make you one! Now that would be fun. Wish we could just meet up for an afternoon of junking and crafting together. Do you think there will come a day that our blog pays for a private jet 🙂
Hi Marianne, saw your post on the Fox Hollow Linky party. The mantel is lovely! I am pinning this! Thanks for sharing and will look forward to seeing more of your holiday wizardry!
So glad you found me, and thanks for pinning.
What a beautiful mantel. I truly love those stars!
I love visiting here…..it is a calm respite from a harried and hectic world.
Merry Christmas to you my wonderful friend!
blessings,
karianne
I am LOVING your natural theme!
we could be pretty great friends, i think! 🙂
I am sure we could!
I love the simplicity..it reminds me of the simplicity of the manger…and yet the HISTORY changing impact it had!! Merry Christmas!
LOVE your star and black & white sparkle!!!!!!!! I am going out and find some twigs….lucky me, I live in the country with lots of trees! Thanks for the idea and the chance to win!!
Good luck with your scavenger hunt! And have fun crafting with twigs.
I love the simplicity and the elegance of your mantle scape.
I love the natural beauty. Beautiful job, Marianne!
Everything look kissed by nature. What a pretty Winter decor display 🙂
I’ve made a few twig stars before, but I love the addition of the lights. Where did you find those teeny-tiny lights?
I love it all! That star is wonderful! Merry and Bright 🙂
Love this….beautiful!
I think it’s kind of funny that I didn’t notice it was not a mantel I was gazing upon until you said RADIATOR!! How my eye was tricked to see what I was expecting. I also giggled because I had a big straw ball that came black and to go with my new bit of whimsy, I globed white paint on it and glitter. I truly like how you painted the star so I looked at your lights too. They are so much better than what is sold here. The shape of the bulb and wire and the twisted wire just looks so nice on the twig framed star. Plus you used chain like from my hardware store for a swag. Hmmm.. Ideas keep me awake at night!! We are doing our advent. Our pillar candle? Just was melting too quickly so we’ll light those on Sundays. Each day I have tea lights in little bubble clear glass holders all on a footed round mirror to light throughout the week. Tonight we read Isaiah 40:9-11. Shouting it from the mountain tops. The good news. We even sing a hymn Come Thou Long Awaited Jesus. And pray. Thank you for getting this part going in our home. It’s a special evening time. Blessings. Oh and does heat come from your radiator?!! Fire?!! Dried greenery?!!
Marianne, I am loving your lit star so much! Such a pretty display…natural always works for me! XO, Aimee
i LOVE the simplicity of the mantle….your ideas are inspiring to me. love to see what you are creating…..
Het fijnste van de Kerst vind ik de versieringen in huis. Jou ster vind ik het einde, had ik nu maar wat takken bewaard in het najaar.
Ik heb jullie give-away ook gepind.
groetjes,
Marianne.
Dank je wel! Ah takken zijn overal the vinden en je hebt er maar 5 nodig. En voor mij is het versieren van het huis ook het leukste van de kerst. Ik ben niet zo van al dat eten. Al vind ik het wel weer heel leuk om dat eten dan samen met mijn familie te doen.
Heavenly loving it!!!
So serene, subtle and calm… The words that Swedes love to hear.
Greetings from a freezing & snowy Stockholm,
/Chie
So glad you like it. It is getting colder here too, but slowly. It is mostly grey and wet here. Have a wonderful Christmas time.
Very nice display! I agree it does look very Nordic! I like the little branches hanging from the garland.
That’s really cute and inventive that you used the radiator for your mantel! Very inspiring!
Well it is not so much inventive as a necessity, I have no real mantel. But my radiator cover has served me well for years now. I am glad you like my ‘mantel’.
you really really captured the Nordic style. I love it! And the little chain garland….charming! 🙂
What’s not to love! Rustic and elegant- the perfect mix. Happy Holidays.
Julie at Simply Savvy @gosimplysavvy
Thank you. Who would have thought that rustic and elegant could go together in one project. I am glad you like it. Happy Holidays to you too.
Simply perfect…love it 🙂
So glad to have you at the Power of Pinterest party. Your mantel is lovely! Very Rustic-Chic 😉 It’s wonderful with all the white and natural elements!!
So pretty!
Would love if you stopped by the Holiday Linky Party – mantels – to link it up! The party is happening NOW!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Beautiful, beautiful! I love all your Xmas decor and your featured post here is lovely. I love all you’ve used to create it, starting from the star with all the little lights. Great vignette. Happy Holidays.
FABBY
Thank you! I am enjoying my light up star daily too. It worked out just as in my vision, gotta love that.
I always enjoy my visits to your beautiful blog. You have a lovely home . Elegantly decorated for the season. xo
Thank you! That is a very nice compliment.
this is SPECTACULAR!! i love it!
I especially love the large star. Pinned to my “Having a Natural Christmas” board.
Hi, I just saw your post on another blog so I clicked over. I love the star! It’s very simple and so pretty! The greenery you have hanging is called Crows Foot – it grows in the shade and it looks like a carpet of green in the woods. A lot of people use it to make Christmas wreaths.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!