You asked, we answered!

Last week we asked our Facebook followers if there were any design questions they would like to see us answer in our blog post this week. One of our fans asked to learn how to decorate her mantle. So, here it goes!

The way I see it, your mantel is like a blank canvas. Depending on your style and your room design, the possibilities are endless! 

To be honest, sometimes the best way to learn is to scour décor magazines, Pinterest, and the like for inspiration. Try different things and see what works. I like to leave just enough room for flexibility on my mantel, so that I can change the design for the seasons. 

Here are some key principles I always like to follow when designing or re-designing a mantel.

• Take everything off your current mantel
• Find one large piece that you love and make that your centerpiece. It could be a piece of artwork or a beautiful mirror. In the case of your mantel, I think bigger is better. Do not hesitate to fill the wall space from mantel to ceiling.
• Next, begin to add items of visual interest and weight. You want the eye to move around. This might mean adding candles of varying height, or something else, such as vases that are different sizes
• Layer in some additional pieces, such as photos, flowers, or candles.
• And finally, add some POP!! You know me...I love to add a surprise pop of color in my design work. The mantel is a great place to do just that!

Many mantels are not very big, or deep. This can add another challenge. In this case I'd recommend hanging your focal piece vs. leaning it. You may also want to hang some sconces to add interest and movement, without trying to squeeze it into place.
 

I loved this article from +Better Homes and Gardens because it shows mantels done in just about every style you can imagine! Take a look and see what fantastic ideas they've created. Click here to see the Better Homes & Gardens article.

Thank you for your question, and I hope that I was able to offer you some ideas and inspiration!

Good luck decorating your mantel!

Best,
Renee

P.S. Let me know if there are any other design dilemmas you'd like me to cover in my blog!