Here in Great Britannia (ahem) we love a good old fireplace. Unfortunately, like the one in our house, most of them only still fulfil one of their two original jobs - to look pretty.
Given this it’s understandable that a lot of thoughts and efforts often go into how we can make our mantel really beautiful as well bring a sense of warmth and sophistication to the room.
In our household we know what to do when Christmas and birthdays come – we simply plonk all the cards on top of the mantel (we’re not too original sadly) but it’s in-between these occasions when it starts to look a little lonely. We got bored with all the standard decor pieces such as the classic wooden mantel clock, a few candles, a dry flower composition and a mirror.
It was all so ordinary that it could hardly be called decor at all – just a couple of objects in their usual place.
So we decided to revamp the good old mantel into some hot stuff. We consulted the internet for some interesting ideas and was amazed by all the passion and creativity out there.
It’s definitely possible to keep your mantel decorations classy and sophisticated by converting often boring objects into something much more original. Have a peek at the below – I know we drew some inspiration from these and hope you might too.
source:
left image: http://www.wayfair.com/IdeaLounge/BookReview/3-Mantel-Decorating-Ideas-E1259
right image:http://pinshealth.biz/2013/04/08/blankies-stacked-on-a-chair/
A mirror above the mantelpiece is so standard you barely spare any attention to it at all so why not change it into a blackboard as per the above left image? That’d be a new way of leaving notes to my husband to mow the lawn or trim the hedge – an artsy upgrade to the refrigerator message (which is running out of space coincidentally!). Classic shelf clocks can also be replaced with something much more interesting, such as the wall clock on the right. Hanging it up might not be easy (it’d probably take another reminder on the blackboard), but it’s certainly a unique, eye-catching piece.
source:
left: http://www.lovepomegranatehouse.com/fireplace-mantel-candle-scape/
right:http://letseatgrandpa.com/2013/10/29/fall-mantel/
Candles are usually a nice addition to the mantel, especially if the fireplace isn’t in working order. So why not go a step further and put a couple dozen of them up there instead of just a few? Just imagine the cosy glow they’ll provide in the evenings! All those candles look great on the left, and if you’d like to upgrade the cheesy print into something more creative, you can always use an old window frame instead (right). Warm, crafty, and definitely different – just the kind of things needed to make a house a home.