I was whirling away in the guest bedroom when it happened…
Fluffing pillows & putting up a Christmas tree and sprinkling bits of Christmas here and there.
When that big blank wall next to the bed seemed to just stare at me begging for something to give it a little bit of charm.
And I closed my eyes and wished a rustic mantel with chippy paint would appear.
One that I could drape fresh greens and little glitter covered bells on.
That I could hang a couple of stockings
and a little bit merry on.
And that would be weathered and worn to perfection.
After a craigslist and vintage store search with no possibilities
I wondered…
Did such a mantel exist?
It did.
It was just a pile of wood and didn’t know that it was a mantel yet.
Friday favorites is all about favorite things and giving them a shout.
And this rustic cottage mantel sprinkled with Christmas cheer is this weeks feature.
Mantels come in all shapes, sizes and details- and I have fallen in love with many a covered in dainty carvings and details mantel.
As well as some of the most simple rustic ones that have a charm and character all their own.
And when it came to adding a fireplace to this wall- I searched for a perfect vintage one that I could grab for this styling but didn’t find any-
and so… a vision of a DIY chippy worn mantel came to mind.
Seriously a simple and easy job to make-it was just a few old 4×6’s and 4×8’s
that were painted awhile ago and weathered and worn bare in spots by the elements to perfection.
Remember that ‘pile of possibilities’ that we made the farmhouse table with?
There were a lot of painted boards just waiting to be used for something good in that pile.
And this is one of the projects.
I will be honest… at first I wasn’t in love with how it turned out.
It is very simple and basic- just chunky boards without details.
And I wanted it to have a little more ‘something’…
But… after playing with it for a bit- I loved the rustic cottage element it added to the room.
I will share the simple step by step DIY for making a rustic mantel like this one after the crazy of the holiday season-
and the rest of the guest bedroom & tree are coming your way next week.
A busy weekend ahead with a last minute makeover on the agenda.
And that gorgeous white tree that arrived last week is almost ready for a debut.
Stay tuned for a busy couple of Christmas post weeks coming your way
including entertaining,
more decor and room reveals
another gift guide
and much more…
On a side note- can you believe that Christmas is just over 2 weeks away?
How did that happen already?
Tis the season.
Happy Friday favorites everyone.
You are such a gifted photographer. You really create a parallel universe where fairies and magic could be real.
Courtney, your home must be enchanting in every room. I wish I could see all this magic in person. You have wonderful ideas. Nothing stops you! Thanks for sharing all the joy.
That is so clever! I bet your house is like a fairy wonderland! I wonder what your two little puppies think of all the little hiding places here and there. And I want to tell you that our house will have a Christmas tree after all, I ordered one from Balsam Hill — thank you. I can't wait to see it in it's new home. Have a great weekend.
So pretty!
Merry Christmas!
Such beautiful decor!
May I ask where you found the white embossed wrapping paper?