In every home with a fireplace the mantle becomes prime real estate for decorating as it is the automatic focal point of the room and is easy to change throughout the year. Your fireplace mantle décor can be as complex or as simple as you like and can do wonders for sprucing up your living areas.
NOTE: When decorating your fireplace mantle be sure to be aware of items that hang down from the mantle and be sure that any hanging items are not easily combustible as you do not want your fireplace decor to cause a fire!
The “Three Plus One” Decorating Trick
“Select three objects of about the same height and place them on one side of a mantle. You can add variety on the placement of the three objects any which way you want. On the opposite side of the mantle, add one big object, usually two to three times bigger than the three objects. This means that when you combine the three objects, the larger object should be about the same size. Plants, flowers, clocks and sculptures are great for this purpose.” –Sophia Myers, How to Decorate a Mantle
Design your Mantle Décor according to the Season
There are 4 seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter) in the year and 7 major holidays (New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas) that can give you inspiration for changing your mantle design. For Spring, use fresh flowers and fun vases paired with a mirror and some candles for light, while for Fall, switch it up with a couple of small pumpkins and brass or copper accents. For Christmas, hang a wreath above the fireplace, place some pine boughs on the mantle and hang stockings (keep in mind the placement of the stockings vs. the flame you’re your fireplace). Pinterest is a great resource for finding fun and easy ways to decorate your fireplace mantle, as are fireplace galleries.
Create a Strong Visual Focal Point
Choose one larger item that you love or that reflects you or your family and place smaller accent items, such as candles or lights, around it. Be sure your focal item fits your general room décor or it will look out of place.
In the end you are only limited by your imagination. Your fireplace already adds elegance to your room while your mantle decoration will add the charm and sophistication and will truly make the fireplace yours.
