My mantel and fireplace has probably been through one of the biggest transformations so far in the house. Eventually, I really want a traditional, Edwardian fireplace but for now with budget in mind, I’ve experimented to try and create something that fits well with the rest of the room and doesn’t cost the earth.
From my original fireplace makeover to experimenting with styling, I’ve finally found a finished look I’m happy with, so I wanted to share my top tips for Mantel Styling.
Step One: Choose a base colour & an accent colour
I love to play with colour in all of my interior projects but I’ve found that the more I’ve tried to add different shades to my mantel, the more ‘out of place’ everything tended to look.
I decided to stick with a ‘theme’ for this area and worked with a base colour (my deep, dark green) and then add in similar accent colours such as brass, brown, gold and yellow.
By doing this, the mantel looks stylised whilst still maintaining the ‘thrown together’ look that works well in my home.
Step Two: Experiment with height
I always like to think about how I can add the illusion of height to a space. I’m lucky to live in a period property with high ceilings, so that’s half the battle, but I’m always trying to make a space look taller and I kept this in mind whilst styling my mantel, too.
I’ve placed the round mirror half-way between the fireplace and the ceiling, and although it’s not necessarily ‘functional’ (it’s a bit too tall to check yourself out in!), it makes the space feel bigger and doesn’t add any clutter to the otherwise busy mantel shelf.
Step Three: Pick a stand out piece
And work around that. I used to have my mantel piece full of knick knacks of all shapes and sizes (picture frames, candles, plants), but I found the space only really came together when I chose one central, stand out piece and then accessorised around that. This dried flower arrangement was a commission piece by a local florist called Grasshopper Designs, who I worked with to create something that was tall (see experimenting with height) and in keeping with my ‘accent colours’. With this alongside the round wooden mirror from Dunelm, I had a strong starting point and found it so much easier to add smaller accessories to finish off the look.
Mix & Match with Symmetry
I’ve tried to bring together the whole look by adding in complementing elements (see the Made.com vase on the bottom left which is a very similar shape & colour to the Fy candle stick holders on the top right) alongside some contrasting pieces such as this vintage globe (also by Fy) and my favourite little monkey lamp from Iconic Lights.
Finally, I’ve added green accessories (the Monstera leaves) that fit with my base colour to really tie in the whole space.
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