Even if you live in a city where it never snows, you can create your own winter wonderland. Use miniature houses, figurines, lights and “snow” with bags of fake snow from the crafts store or even
Epsom salts. For a different take on the usual tabletop display, Kreider suggests displaying your winter scene on a shelf or inside a cabinet.
You can find everything you need at your local crafts store, including:
- Artificial snow
- Miniature houses
- People and animal figurines
You can also include palm trees if you’re looking to create a winter scene in Florida or Southern California. Then use battery-powered lights to bring the scene to life. Budget tip: Check out thrift stores for unique mini houses and figurines first.
You can create a simple and elegant post-holiday winter display on your mantel using vases holding greenery. Costanzo suggests:
- Pine
- Cedar
- Juniper
- Ilex berries
- Boxwood
- Ivy
- Eucalyptus cinerea
- Magnolia leaves
Or, add warmth with rustic tones, hues and texture by adding a few key accessories to a brick fireplace. It will cozy it up with minimal effort and without breaking the bank, she says.
“Add a textured basket in an earthy tone with a lush and cozy throw and add firewood to a basket to help create a winter ambiance that evokes the feeling of being in a lodge,” says Costanzo. “Using a handful of pine cones is also an easy way to bring nature indoors and add winter charm.”
More mantel decor tips: Add candles grouped in clusters to add a sophisticated touch. Stack a couple of books horizontally to add charm and character.
You don’t have to stay inside for winter just because the temperature drops. A
toasty outdoor space could be the answer to beating the winter blues and socially distancing with friends.
So, be ready with all the cozy comforts to make hanging out on your patio or deck one of your favorite winter pastimes when weather permits. Even in colder areas, people can still spend time outside on their patios, says Tara L. Paige, founder of The Patio Chic, a website devoted to outdoor living spaces.
Paige recommends heating up outdoor spaces with
patio heaters similar to heaters found on restaurant patios that allow customers to dine outside on chilly nights. “You’d be surprised at how large of an area these patio heaters can warm up,” says Paige. “One patio heater can warm up an outdoor space very nicely.”
