Please enjoy this archived content from a Christmas past.

Each Christmas season, our floral department selects a theme for décor throughout Biltmore House. This year, the team has interpreted the theme of “Hearth and Home”—inspired by stories of Vanderbilt family hospitality—throughout the house, emphasizing fireplaces and mantels in the grand spaces of America’s largest home. Here’s a glimpse at how this year’s theme has come to life…

In the Breakfast Room, originally intended for less formal dining, the mantel is draped with lights, garland, and multiple strands of beads for a casual, almost bohemian-style feel.

Surrounding the low-lying fireplace in Mrs. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom is more richly colored garland, adding a touch of subtle seasonal elegance in the most feminine room in Biltmore House.

The mantel in the Music Room features a dash of classic Christmas crimson with simple strands of crystal beading. The traditional yet chic elements add genuine warmth to the special mantel, which displays carvings of the initials and life dates of Albrecht Dürer, one of George Vanderbilt’s favorite artists.

In the Oak Sitting Room, the theme of “Hearth and Home” has been taken to new heights. Lush strands of festive garland line the full mantel as well as sections between the room’s oak paneling and cornice frieze, adding emphasis to the high ceiling and its intricate plaster carvings.

View all of these Biltmore House fireplaces and more with a Candlelight Christmas Evenings visit.

Feature image: The Library fireplace and mantel