by Kristine Tucker

Created on: October 26, 2009   Last Updated: February 22, 2010

Sometimes a big turkey dinner, the Macy's Day Parade, and a festive football game just aren't the same without some seasonal Thanksgiving home decorations.  Designing a mantel for Thanksgiving can be a spirited way to add warmth to this special holiday.

Seasonal changes bring a new vibe to any living space, and designing a new mantle can be an exhilarating project.  Modern interior design gives you a way to decorate a mantle with simple and elegant style. With the use of some simple techniques including lighting, color, and decor, you can create a warm and welcoming Thanksgiving living room mantel design.

#1  Mirrors Add Drama to a Thanksgiving Mantel

To get the most positive end results, picture the mantle in your mind before you begin to decorate the area. Home decor starts with a simple idea in your imagination and ends with a fully realized interior design project. To draw attention to this focal point of the room, place a large mirror in the center of the mantle. The mirror can be made of wood, tile, or metal and can be designed with any shape in mind. Typically, round or rectangular mirrors look the most modern and provide the best backdrop for decorating a mantle.

#2  Candles Bring Warmth to the Hearth

For an elegant and dramatic design, decorate the mantle's ledge with candles that vary in height and circumference. Rather than using lots of small candles, try accessorizing with three or five medium or large candles. It is best to apply home decorating principles using odd numbers of items. During the holidays, these candles can be lit for extra warmth and Thanksgiving cheer. In addition to the candles themselves, candle stands can provide a beautiful way to had autumn design to a mantle. Sparkly candleholders or translucent stands provide an extra amount of glitter and shine to your mantle. These types of candle holders reflect light beautifully thus creating a special holiday environment.

#3  Berry Vines and Light Strands Create a Festive Dynamic

For an overall Thanksgiving dcor style that is sure to please, accessorize the mantle using berry vines or leaf vines that are accommodating to the season and holiday. This trend of adding green or berry colored vines to the mantle helps the area to incorporate into the other pieces of the room. In addition, light strands can be added to the vine to give an extra dynamics appeal to the living space. To keep a natural feel about the room, you can choose berry vines that are not too leafy or flowery and denote a more subtle effect. Decorating a mantle for the Thanksgiving holiday can bring focus and attention to the most important room of the house.

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