Christmas Mantel gone...what to do now?

Jan 1, 2012

Christmas Mantel gone...what to do now?

I don't know about you guys, but after I take down all my Christmas decorations, I always feel like everything looks really bare. And I usually don't know what to do with my mantel! There aren't any big holidays or seasons coming up...spring is too far away...so what to do?! Don't forget to check out our New Years Eve below!

This year, I went with a simple, minimal mantel that coordinated nicely with our room decor. Here are a few sneak peaks! Excuse the Iphone pics...my camera has bit the big one ;(

I used my favorite white ceramic vase, and arranged navy leaf sprigs along with cream, white and branches.

I added this soft grey greenery house but used it as a candle holder! And as Jeremy calls it...my "two turtle doves" ;)

I thought it would be a good refresher to pull out an old mantel post I did a few months ago on Stylize. Hope these mantel ideas are "refreshing!"

1. Add a different shaped mirror centered above the mantel to add a different element to a symmetrical room. Add your own “finds” in vases on the mantel – kids pick you a pretty flower? add that to a vase!

2. Frame out an area above your mantel and paint the area inside a complementary color to the room! Make this area special by adding same size frames spaced throughout. I love how this picture shows a tall vase with small branches reaching to create height. It makes the pictures seem to be in the background, but they add so much!

3. This mantel comes to us from Sweet Something Designs: She flanks both sides with tall vases that hold a mix of branches and green/white accents. I LOVE the symmetry of this pieces. The collage of candles and sculptures below area even symmetrical!

I just liked this image

4. Paint! Paint your mantel and the space above the mantel to create a focal point of the room. Base the color of the paint on something from the room, like this space, the grey/blue hue comes from the stone surround of the fireplace

5. Want to be BRAVE?? Well this is an inexpensive alternative to an actual piece above the mantel…find a decal that you love and fits your space. They offer these at Target, and lots of online stores!

6. Layering – In this room, the fireplace really contrasts with the rest of the room as it is color-filled and unique. These black and white photos framed in a simple white frame and layered on top of each other is a great contrast.

7. This sculptural symmetry is great! As BHG puts it in these next two photos: Start with a large object in the center (here, driftwood), then place pairs of objects on either side. They don’t have to be identical, just related. For example, two different terra-cotta pots still look like they belong together. Symmetry doesn’t have to mean stiff — the organic shapes of branches and seedpods keep this arrangement casual.

7. An asymmetrical arrangement harmonizes objects of different shapes and sizes. Balance a tall, large object with several smaller ones, but not too small — mantels swallow up dinky accessories. Nestle the assemblage tightly together to increase its visual weight, and overlap shapes to create layers. A similar color palette gives unrelated objects a theme. Shop your house or discount stores for items in the same color family. You can’t miss with pitchers, plates, books, and pottery.

8. A homemade mantel. Go outside and grab a few leaves and branches to sit in a vase, a few pine cones and an old barn door to make a backdrop for this fall mantlescape.

9. Stair step thicker objects and place a surprising thin, tall piece at the end. This harmonizes the setting as a whole, but leaves the asymmetrical look in place.

10. Minimalistic – There is always something elegant and striking about a simplistic design. Don’t be afraid to “not clutter”. If you’re anything like me, I tend to keep adding and adding until i run out of space This is a good lesson to learn!

11. A great modern fireplace approach! Granted…most of our homes don’t look like this, but who’s to say they can’t?! Again, we have layering of different sizes and shapes of pictures frames, bringing the largest to the front and smaller to the back. But the fireplace design as a whole….a concealed firebox that doesn’t continue to the floor, without a hearth and a simple wood block as a mantel. Great.

12. Different panes – think of the decor on different “panes” as if you were walking straight, you would come first to the first pane, then run into the 2nd and so forth. A great idea for a deep mantel. On the back pane we have a simple repetition of framed images which is simplistic enough to set as the “back level”. On the front pane use different mediums and materials in the items you choose. Make sure they differ from whatever is on the “back pane” and the shapes are completely different. Bring the harmony of them all together with similar colors…

13. Here is a second image to echo what the last image did. Several levels throughout. To add something different, use oversized vases to less than overpower the large framed art or mirror behind. This could be really neat using a tiled mirror, to get the reflections of the flowers.