We believe the fireplace should be the focal point of the room, so adding Christmas decorations to make it a festive feature is a must! Especially because the chimney is Santas access point, so it needs to look nice for when he comes to deliver the presents.

As the festive season is fast approaching, we have put together some top decorating tips to make your fireplace look amazing.

Think Safety

Firstly we must bring up the point of safety, the fact remains if you loop flammable tinsel or wreaths anywhere close to naked flames, then you’re asking for trouble. It’s important to bear in mind that decorations can slip and dangle, so make sure you use a fire guard and securely affix your decorations at a safe distance. This should also prevent any small children from being able to tug decorations and potentially get hit by falling objects.

A Traditional Christmas

The traditional style of Christms decorating will never go out of style. Christmas Wreaths, pine cones, red bows and stockings always look festive and charming. This look works brilliantly with fairy lights to create a magical Christmassy room.

If you decide to make your own garland there are lots of ways you can do this. You can simply tie handfuls of holly, pine and other greenery together with twine or, combine it with fake bits and pin it into a rope using florist’s wire. If the holly doesn’t have berries, tie in some fake ones for colour. Another option is to use an oasis and cover it in your chosen materials. Adding orange slices and cinnamon sticks will release a nice scent. Alternatively, why not string up some pine cones, perhaps spraying them silver or gold for a slightly different, yet still natural look.

Get Sentimental

A popular and pretty way to decorate your fireplace is to ‘say it’ using pictures, posters, props and other items to spell out Christmas sentiments.

This ranges from stringing lettered baubles on ribbons to make a garland or buying or making huge cardboard letters to spell out words like ‘Noel’ or ‘joy’. You can also find Christmas bunting with slogans that will look great when pinned to the mantelpiece. A different way to incorporate words in your decorating is to print letters and place them in empty picture frames so that they spell out a greeting. It’s also possible to find pre-lit signs that could sit nicely on the fireplace.

Let There Be Light

Lights and lighting are an important part of any successful Christmas decoration scheme. Creating that magical glow by which to watch ‘The Snowman’ on Christmas Eve is vital. So how about turning your fireplace into a light feature like none other?

A simple string of fairy lights strewn carelessly along the mantelpiece can be effective enough, but to increase the impact, place the lights in front of some mirrors for double the illuminations. Better still, use a combination of fairy lights and candles. For a frosty effect, keep the lights white and the accompanying baubles silver, blue or lilac. Or do something completely different by embracing neon colours – perhaps using pink lights and turquoise candles for a more dramatic, yet fun effect.

Be Unique

The most important thing to remember is there is no right or wrong way of doing things when it comes to decorating for Christmas. As long as you’re happy with the end result and the decorations do not pose a risk to you or your family – then go for it! Have fun, ask others to join you and make an afternoon of it. Feel free to send us pictures of your festive Christmas Fireplace decorations, we would love to see what you have come up with.