DIY Valentine’s Day mantel decorations

Valentine’s Day decorations are a dime a dozen at every home and discount store this time of year. But take a look at your current stock — heart-shaped ornaments can double as Valentine’s Day decorations when leaned against the wall on a fireplace mantel or hung from the side of a picture frame.

You can also make your own heart decorations to match your unique style and home decor. Most craft stores carry unfinished, solid wood hearts, which are perfect for mantel arrangements. Wooden hearts can be decoupaged, painted, sanded and detailed in many ways. Coordinate a handful of wooden hearts in various sizes with different colors to fill in any bare spots on your mantel.

Make a tissue-paper heart decoration >>

Candles create mood with soft lighting and are perfect for filling in gaps in your Valentine’s Day mantel arrangement. Create height and depth with candle pillars or fill in an elaborate decor with simple tea lights.

Garland comes in a variety of different styles and has many different uses. You can string a simple and festive felt heart garland across a mirror, frame or the front of your mantel or lay a natural-looking garland, like this faux fern and magnolia garland from Pottery Barn, across the top of your mantel.

Letters are a fun and extremely easy way to decorate your Valentine’s Day mantel. Wall art, like this piece from Pottery Barn, can be used with your mantel decor for the holiday, then around the house later — above a picture wall or as a focal point in a family room. You can also purchase freestanding letters or make your own wall art with wooden letters from a craft store to spell out the words that mean the most to you.

Frames are an easy way to fill a large mantel space, create depth and height, and tie in the theme for your Valentine’s Day decor. You can collect frames from around your home, change the mats to match the colors of the holiday or leave them as is. Fill your frames with pictures from your wedding, of your children’s birthdays or any other occasions that represent a time when love was in the air.

Decorate your mantel >>

Wreaths are great for bringing height to your mantel decor. Valentine’s Day wreaths can be heart-shaped and covered in roses or have absolutely nothing to do with the Valentine’s Day theme. A simple dried wreath or branch wreath can be beautifully matched with your mantel arrangement or made festive with the addition of a red satin ribbon and bow. Wreaths can be placed on top of the mantel, hung slightly above the mantel – by a nail or strung from a piece of ribbon — and make a beautiful focal point.