decor Archives - The Curated House

Holiday Style | Secrets to Styling a Sophisticated Mantel

One of my favourite elements of holiday decorating has always been dressing my mantel. The lush yet simple layers of greenery add a warm holiday spirit to our home and their fragrance is intoxicating all throughout the season.

There is of course no one right way to style a mantel for the holidays, but for me it always comes down to cedar, magnolia and stockings. Some years I will add in clusters of fruit like clementines and pomegranates, and other years {like this one} I keep it simple with more of a quiet elegance, letting the greenery take centre stage. I thought I’d share my super simple process with you, including my secret to hanging stockings without putting holes in your mantel!

The key to this part is leaning art. If you’re able to lean a piece of art or a large mirror on your mantel you have everything you need to hang stockings without making any holes in your beautiful surround. Here’s how:

Using a long piece of ribbon, tie one stocking onto the end of the ribbon. Feed the length of the ribbon behind your artwork or mirror and then attach the second stocking onto the other end. I chose to use an organza ribbon for it’s subtlety and transparency.

Next, layer branches of cedar onto the mantel, allowing it to drape over the ribbon, disguising the mechanics of your styling secrets.

Next, add your branches of magnolia, tucking them into the layers of cedar to hide the ends of the stems. I also chose to pot two mini myrtle topiaries and sit them on either end of the mantel for more symmetry and visual balance.

And honest-to-goodness, that’s it! Time to light a fire and cozy up with the ones you love as you enjoy the Advent season.

Wishing you and yours a season of peace, joy and heaps of love as you enjoy your festive decor. And bring on the fireside snuggles!

xx
s.

SOURCES

Artwork: Anewall
Fireplace screen: Anvil Fireside
Christmas stockings: Anthropologie

How Reconnecting With Family Roots Can Lead To A Beautiful Product | A Gorgeous Giveaway from pamuk & co.

What do you get when you take a Canadian designer with a luxury background {think retail spaces for Gucci, Tiffany, Prada + Dior} and reconnect her with her Turkish roots? You get pamuk & co., a collection of Turkish linens that are as beautiful to use as they are beautifully made.

If like me you love a meaningful {albeit bittersweet} story, lean in. Founder Jasmine’s father emigrated to Canada from Turkey when he was very young, and remarkably didn’t return to Turkey until 2009. On that fateful trip, while visiting his birthplace, he had a heart attack in his sleep. His life came full circle in a way that suddenly connected his daughter Jasmine with her Turkish roots for the very first time.

Jasmine immediately invested in meaningful relationships with her Turkish cousins – relatives she only met after her father’s passing. She quickly absorbed all she could about Turkish culture and language. Armed with Rosetta Stone and a year’s worth of classes, Jasmine became fluent in the language and – even more importantly – steeped in the culture. On one of her visits to Turkey, Jasmine became especially taken with the history and beauty of the peshtemal {what we know here in North America as turkish towels}. Seeking out the best sources for this beautiful product in Turkey, Jasmine met a family who has been weaving these luxurious linens for 5 generations, and thus pamuk & co. was born.

People with meaningful stories usually have generous hearts, and Jasmine is no exception. One of you lucky lovers will win a set of 2 pamuk & co. towels for yourself! How you ask? Easy peasy.

G I V E A W A Y D E T A I L S

1. Follow @thecuratedhouse and @pamuk_and_co on Instagram
2. Like the photo I’ve posted from the pamuk & co. collection
3. Tag two friends in the comments

For a second entry, just share the photo on your Instagram account including all the details on the giveaway. {Don’t forget to tag Jasmine and me in your post so we know about it!}

The winner will be announced on August 11th on Instagram. Best of luck to all you beautiful people!

xx
s.