Chicago homes are often defined by built-ins – bookcases, hutches and sideboards carefully crafted out of wood and tucked into vintage apartments and condo spaces, bungalows and even new construction homes for sale. The conundrum is how to style your mantel and still maintain storage space, especially during the holiday season.

We asked the experts, home stagers and stylists Stephanie Mandrell and Erin Szott of Style & Edit, to guide us through a mantel makeover. Continue reading