A well-decorated mantel can be the difference between a stylish and inviting room and one that’s a bit lacklustre. However, such a large feature of any room can be complicated to style, especially when you want to draw attention to it but not overcrowd and make it too dominating.
In this article, we’re going to talk about the best ways to cleverly style a mantelpiece so that it adds warmth to your room and perfectly matches your decor. Whether you have a fully functioning fire or a closed-up fireplace, we’ll share our top tips for everyday and seasonal styling.
13 Styling Tips to Perfectly Decorate Your Mantelpiece
1. Always Declutter First
Whenever you start a new project, such as styling shelves or a mantel, it’s really important to begin with a clean slate. Remove everything from around the mantel and give it all a good clean. This helps you to focus on the space you have to work with and consider what would match the rest of the decor in the room. It also gives you a chance to play around with some of the style tips on this list so you can see what would look best in the space.
2. Use Mirrors (The Bigger The Better!)
Traditional mantelpieces are often the focal point of a room. They can be large and ornate and sometimes contrast with the colours and textures around them. This means that they balance really well with other large pieces, such as a mirror. Whether circular or rectangular, mirrors above mantelpieces can help open up the room, make it look larger, and be a practical feature.
3. Use Artwork
In a similar way to mirrors, artwork works really well above a mantel too. Art can draw focus whilst also adding colour and intrigue to a room. You could use a large piece of art above the fireplace or a collection of smaller ones that go together. Remember that balance is really important so don’t put a small painting above a large and ornate mantel.
4. Whilst We’re On the Topic – Balance
Balance is one of the most important aspects of interior design and it definitely applies to styling a mantelpiece too. It’s a good idea to draw an imaginary line vertically down the middle of your mantel. When placing objects, think about whether the overall feel of the display is balanced or not. Remember, balance doesn’t have to mean symmetry. If you place one candlestick on one side of the line, you don’t have to place another on the other. You can group them together and place a bowl on the other side. Play around with shapes, texture and colour to create a balanced feel.
5. Vary Heights
Because a mantelpiece is very straight, it’s a good idea to use objects of different heights to help the eye move across the surface. It’s sometimes good to think of a wave above a mantel. So, for example, your taller items such as a candlestick or a vase of tall flowers will be placed at the side of the mantelpiece. Slightly lower objects will be placed next to them, towards the middle and the lowest items should be placed more towards the middle. This helps with the overall flow of the decor and to make it feel balanced.
6. Create Vignettes of Three
A vignette, in interior design, is a collection or cluster of objects. In general, vignettes of three work best. It’s the perfect number to create balance and allow your eyes to dance over the objects, without making the display feel too symmetrical or cluttered. Again, play with heights, textures and colours to make your mantel more exciting.
7. Use Wallpaper
Making a focal wall around your fireplace can be a great way to style it. Depending on the wallpaper you use, you can either draw more attention to the area or decorate it minimally. This works particularly well if you have a small, protruding wall around the fireplace rather than a large wall. Smaller ones help to draw focus, whereas wallpaper on large walls around a fireplace may overshadow it.
8. Showcase Your Keepsakes
Mantelpieces are often in living rooms and dining rooms, so they’re the perfect place to display personal objects such as photographs, souvenirs from travelling or a favourite vase. The same rules apply to decorative objects and keepsakes, you need to make sure they’re balanced and the mantel doesn’t appear cluttered.
9. Use Contrasting Colours
Contrasting colours in interior design can be a great way of drawing attention. If your fireplace is a dark colour, try styling your mantel with bright objects, including a vase of fresh flowers, colourful artwork or a mirror with a bright frame.
10. Use Plants and Flowers
A mantelpiece is the perfect place to display plants and flowers. They’re great for adding colour, height and freshness to a room and they can be the perfect touch for adding seasonality to a display. Try using blossom branches, vases of fresh flowers, succulents to add height diversity and tall plants. You can also play around with hanging plants which can gently fall down the side of a mantle to soften the levels and add a burst of colour.
11. Make Lights Part of the Display
Lights are something that not many of us think about when it comes to styling a mantelpiece, but they’re really important. Whether you go for two symmetrical lamp shades or a feature light on one side, they add to the overall balance of the mantelpiece. Furthermore, good lighting can help to highlight the objects on display which makes the whole area a focal point.
12. Change It Up Regularly
Because a mantel is a relatively small area of the home, it’s the perfect place to change from time to time with limited effort and maximum impact. Seasonally decorating the area is a great way to feel like your home decor is being updated without having to buy loads of new objects or pieces of furniture.
For example, at Christmas, you can swap out your regular candles for red or Christmassy-scented ones and even add a vase of berries or pine. Adding a garland is another great option and you can play around with the length to let it fall on either side for even more drama.
At Halloween (or just generally in autumn) you can create vignettes with different-sized and coloured pumpkins. You can also use red or orange flowers or branches.
13. Always Step Back
Because mantels are such focal points in any room they’re in, it’s important to regularly step back to admire your work. You can even try closing the door and entering the room to see what it looks like on first impression. You might not get everything right the first time around and you may need to play with clustering and height. Remember that less is more and that height is really important.
Decorating a Mantel – An Overview
There are so many things you can do to make your mantelpiece the star of the room. It’s tempting to clutter it with trinkets, photographs and seasonal displays but it’s best to take your time and really determine what works best for your room.
Use the space around the mantelpiece to highlight it, such as with wallpaper, mirrors or pieces of art. When putting objects together, think about height, colour and texture so that the eye can move along the mantel and nothing looks lopsided or overly busy. One of the best things about styling a mantel is that it’s so easy to change! You can remove a photo frame and replace it with a big vase of flowers and the decor of the whole room will feel different!