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Three ways to decorate
your fireplace mantel
 AFollow
the below tips on how to decorate your mantel for each type of
design.
Traditional
- A large pine mirror centered on the wall
behind the mantel to set the tone
- Symmetrically balanced objects
- A combination of metal, ceramics, books
and wood
- To anchor the left, a tall fruit topiary
in a wooden box
- To anchor the right, tall brass
candlesticks
- For a casual effect in the middle,
ceramic apples next to a horizontally placed book topped with a
ceramic leaf and eyeglasses; silver picture frames with family
photos
- On the floor by the right side of the
"fireplace," a big basket of firewood adorned with pine cones
- A child-size pine chair on the homemade
brick hearth
Country
- A country print in a red frame on the
wall behind the mantel--in this case an oversize nesting
chicken--to set the tone
- A symmetrical treatment with a lot of
wonderful "country" objects
- To balance the left, tall green candles
in rustic wooden candlesticks
- Next to the candlesticks, a houseplant to
provide a round shape and fills the space between the mantle and
the picture above it
- A painted wooden tray, tilted upright, to
balance the round shape of the plant on the right
- In the center, vintage books stacked
horizontally to form a platform for a ceramic bird and a
weathered piece of wrought-iron work
- Shaker clock
- Green watering can
- Symmetry reinforced on the hearth, with a
large basket of colorful flowers placed right in the center; to
the left, an old rusted galvanized watering can.
The Great Outdoors
- Asymmetrical balance
- On the wall behind the mantel, an
arrangement of artificial vegetables wired or hot-glued onto a
flat basket to make a wall hanging
- Off center on the mantel, a tilted big
enamel tray painted with a bowl of lettuce and butterflies
- To its left, tall green candlesticks in
spindle holders, to bridge the space between the mantel and the
wall hanging
- Next in line, horizontal books of poetry
to give height to pewter candlesticks
- For contrast behind the candlesticks, an
upended, well-used circular cutting board
- To enhance the "outdoor" feel, a vintage
child's toy tractor
- Anchoring the right side of the mantel,
off by itself, a one-room-school birdhouse
- Busy-ness of left side balanced by
spaciousness of right
- Centered on the hearth below, an
oversized ceramic kitty on a woven stool
Helpful articles and common questions regarding
fireplace mantels:
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