Leanne Ford’s Holiday Mantel Decorating Trick Doesn’t Involve Any Stuff at All

Our fireplace mantels have our undivided attention. Come December 1, we’ll load as many bottlebrush trees, bits of garland, and pillar candles on top of the 5-or-so-inch-thick shelf as we can until we reach peak holiday spirit. But what if your mantel is so skinny it can barely hold a branch? If you asked Leanne Ford this question, she’d tell you to draw on the wall, of course! 

The interior designer recently posted a glimpse of a client’s living room where sketches adorn the empty space above the mantel—not potted plants or taper candles. The sweet illustration isn’t a DIY but rather the work of Bay Area–based watercolor painter, illustrator, and printmaker Carolyn Kelly. Also in true Ford fashion, the designer salvaged the stone for the fireplace from a wall in her own house. 

Using charcoal, Kelly chose to depict fitting details like jugs and a bowl of fruit for the homeowner, Michaela Blaney, the owner of micro-grocery store and restaurant Mic’s. On her own Instagram feed, the artist noted that she was particularly inspired by still life paintings and imagining objects stripped down to the fewest lines possible. To ensure the creation lasts, they sprayed canvas sealer on the wall to seal it. “The best part is, when you’re ready to redecorate it’s a paintbrush away,” Ford tells Domino.

While Blaney’s display is the work of a professional, that doesn’t mean you couldn’t try something similar on your own after a trip to the art store. When you’re decorating in 2D, anything is possible.