Kelly Wearstler's festive fireplace is a homage to the beauty of the natural world – we love the winter woodland look

The American interior designer is renowned for her glamorous, contemporary aesthetic, but for her festive fireplace, she has chosen to embrace a more rustic style

Kelly Wearstler's festive fireplace. Kelly Wearstler
(Image credit: Kelly Wearstler / Harry Crowder)

Featuring frosted foliage, pine cones, hyacinth flowers and a cozy candle, Kelly Wearstler's festive fireplace design celebrates the natural beauty of a winter forest. 

A Christmas fireplace trully does provide the perfect place to get creative with a whole host of creative Christmas decor ideas, and Kelly Wearstler teaches us that a grand display of rustic Christmas decor can still look wonderfully chic.

Kelly Wearstler
Kelly Wearstler

Kelly Wearstler is a world-renowned interior designer, and is one of the pre-eminent names in American contemporary interior design. From launching her eponymous studio Kelly Wearstler as a solo designer in 1995, Kelly has built a business which, today, employs a team of 50 designers and architects, housed in a studio in West Hollywood, Los Angeles.

Kelly says of the design, 'Living in California, we don’t experience that crisp, cool air during this time. So, I love infusing my home with greenery that captures that essence and brings the holiday spirit indoors.'

A magnificent display of frosted Christmas foliage adorns the sleek, black marble fireplace, creating an elegant contrast. The greenery is spread across the Christmas mantel and inside the fireplace and is arranged in an organic, abstract fashion. 

Along with classic pine cone decorations, Kelly also adds an unexpected addition of hyacinth flowers to the display, establishing a beautiful blend of natural accents from across the seasons.

The Maison Margiela Replica Winter Stroll Candle sits at the center of the design, creating a more immersive experience by filling the room with inviting scent notes of eucalyptus, pine needles and juniper wood; evoking the peaceful feeling of walking through a winter forest at dusk.

From Christmas garlands to Christmas wreaths, many traditional Christmas decorations take inspiration from the beauty of the natural world, and we love how Kelly's artistic foliage arrangement feels both classic and contemporary simultaneously. 

Festive living room with fireplace dressed in foliage

(Image credit: Future | SARAH KAYE REPRESENTATION LTD | Photography by Polly Wreford, styling by Sally Denning)

This year, we've seen a rise of stand-out festive 'mantelscapes' like Kelly's take center stage for modern Christmas decor, and we think these natural focal points make for the perfect alternative to a Christmas tree – ideal if you're looking for more non-traditional Christmas decor ideas.

Whether you style your fireplace with cuttings of foliage and flowers from your yard or garden or opt for artificial greenery and natural accents that you can re-use year after year, channeling a natural, rustic theme for your festive decor will always make a home feel special for the holiday season, and can create a wonderfully grounding and relaxed atmosphere.

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If you're looking to embrace a nature-inspired style like Kelly Wearstler for your festive decor, many Scandinavian Christmas decor ideas are centered around the beauty of the natural world and favor a more rustic and simple approach to Christmas decoration.

Zara Stacey
Managing Editor

Zara is the Managing Editor at Homes & Gardens. She joined the brand in February 2022 as an Interiors Content Editor, specializing in writing content on interior color trends, decorating ideas and design inspiration. After studying English Literature at University, she worked as an Ecommerce Website Editor, Content Writer and Buying Intern at multiple independent businesses within the luxury retail and lifestyle sectors. She enjoys nothing more than discovering new trends, brands and products, whether that be in fashion, interior design or lifestyle.