common ground : Cozy Winter Mantel and Hearth Room

I spend a lot of time in the hearth room and whatever season it might be I look for it to be a cozy comfy space. But during the winter it becomes more of a priority for a warm inviting refuge.

The fireplace is the focal point, and a few minutes in front of the fire can cuddle you up like a warm hug. We find that we gravitate to the fire to sit and relax or talk.

During January and early winter I tend to gravitate toward neutrals and mix lights and darks with wool blankets and quilts. It's easy to grab a blanket for extra cuddle. Yesterday we had our forest of trees trimmed which required our electricity to be turned off for several hours in the morning. I had coffee on the sofa and really enjoyed my spot to relax.

You can see my coffee table/bench is a great place to put up your feet, and I often leave the white tray pushed to the side so it's easy to settle in.

After Christmas, I took down the gold "leafy" wreath and exchanged the grapevine cones for my evergreen topiaries wrapped in burlap. The reindeer are tucked away, although sometimes I leave them out for January. A sampler print takes center stage and my smaller white metal house lanterns sitting on vintage book stacks flank the sides.

Christmas 2024

I found this print about 35 years ago, and it always amazes me because it looks so realistic. It's a 3-D looking print from an original piece of needlework from 1836.

I left my white faux poinsettias in the basket since they were neutral.

I've shared this amazing iron piece before. It's a very heavy door to an antique wood burning stove. I fell in love with the raised decoration highlighted with the perfect rusty patina.

Needlepoint pillows with a floral design dot the sofa and chairs during the winter months. The post, Cozy Winter Wool Blankets, shares my purchase of the Burberry look-alike Scottish blanket.