Winter White Mantel + Living Room

I just love my winter mantel + living room this year so I thought I would share it before I took it all down and decorated for spring

I had it pretty much decorated at the beginning of January but needed to paint the shiplap backdrop and spray paint the lanterns and with staying busy with the laundry room in January and rainy/cold weather for weeks that didn’t get done until much later.  But now let’s take a look around!

I don’t know about you but when the Christmas tree and decor comes down, I am craving simple and uncluttered decor.  So that’s what I did in my living room – just simple, uncluttered, cozy decor.

First this little corner arrangement is new and I just love it!

The same week that we got our new couches (full review and more info coming on those soon), I found this Ikea slipcovered Ektorp chair on facebook marketplace very near to me and I snatched it up quick!  I have been looking for an Ektorp chair or 2 for years on Craigslist/facebook so I was ecstatic when I found this.  When the Christmas tree came down instead of moving the tv back in this corner, I moved this chair from our room into this space and loved it!  Then I shopped the house and grabbed a metal stool also from our room (originally found at Lowe’s), a thrift store lamp I painted, a square tobacco basket I had just picked up on clearance at Hobby Lobby, a $1 yard sale find cotton wreath to complete the space and I just love this little corner!  We really could use some more seating in the living room and this is such a cozy little spot.

I had really been wanting to create a framed shiplap backdrop and the back of the large sign I made for Christmas was perfect for it!  I would totally plank our entire wall above the fireplace but it is massive like 20 foot high!  So a shiplap backdrop is perfect for now.  I’ll share an entire tutorial on how to create your own framed shiplap piece next week.

I just did a simple mantel with 2 white lanterns, a flocked wreath (Walmart clearance last year), and 3 little white ceramic houses. Target dollar spot has had these for 2 years now and I think I picked up 2 last year on clearance and 1 this year.  I love that they can be used for Christmas and winter.

I just love the white, stained wood, and green of the wreath together – those colors are so perfect for winter!

If you remember my tips for shopping after-Christmas clearance and saving all year post you know I am a HUGE fan and find some amazing things for super cheap!  And the thing I love best is that everything I buy doesn’t have to be used just for Christmas – I specifically look for things that can be used for Christmas and all through winter as well or even other times of the year too. So let’s find all the after-Christmas clearance deals in my living room…

First, these white house lanterns were actually gold and from the Threshold line at Target.  I had my heart set on finding them after Christmas and finally did at the 2nd Target I went to on the day clearance went to 90% off!  So for $1.99 and $2.49 they came home with me.  I don’t do a lot of gold in my house but a coat of white spray paint made them perfect!

Then I had to laugh when I looked around because almost every pillow on my couch for winter came from Target after Christmas clearance either last year or this year.  The 2 on the left were last year and $1.99 and $2.49 – 90% off. The snowflake one on the right was found this year for $2.49.

The sweater pillow is from the Hearth and Hand line found at 70% off and yes I cut the green tassels off – hey you gotta do what you gotta do to make things fit your decor.  I love this pillow without the tassels.  The deer one was this year 90% off clearance for 1.99, and the snowflake plaid one is a placemat pillow (tutorial here).

The snowflake pillow on this side is 90% off from this year too – $2.49.

And one of the brown and cream throws on my ladder was a 90% off find too.  So basically almost my entire living room is Target clearance   I encourage you to go read this tips for shopping after-Christmas clearance post to get inspired for next year.  And a little tip Target does the same clearance after other major holidays too – I just shopped the 90% off Valentine clearance and can’t wait for Easter 90% off!

So anyways back to the living room…

We sure have enjoyed this cozy room during the cold/gloomy days of winter.

Another tip, I kept out my simple pop-up timer from the Christmas tree and picked up a second one from the store and have both lamps set on timers to come on at 5 pm.  I HATE that it gets dark so early in the winter – I am a light and sunshine craving girl.  But having cozy lamplight helps some.  I have so enjoyed having these lamps automatically come on each day!  And the candles in the lanterns on the fireplace and lanterns on the coffee table are all on timers so they come on automatically each night too.

I did light the candles in the fireplace for this picture but other than that this is what our living room looks like as daylight is ending or on those gloomy winter days.

I hope you enjoyed this winter tour of my living room and it gives you some ideas for things to look for throughout the year or on after-Christmas clearance to transition your home from Christmas to winter.

I also shared my simple winter front porch here if you want ideas for outside.

I’m counting down the days till spring now though – just 10 more days until time change and I. cannot. wait!  My favorite time of year is when the days are longer into the evening.

How about you?  Did you decorate for winter this year?  Itching for spring?