Ask:
We have 2 fireplaces with nice mantles, but I'm not sure I'm satisfied with what I have on them. I don't like things to be too cluttered, but I also like it to look warm and inviting.
In the living room I display some Lladro figurines of ballerinas since the painting hanging over it is of me in one of my ballet poses, but I'm not sure that it looks quite like I want it to. It is a marble fireplace facing with a white painted wood mantle and frame.
In the family room we have a brick fireplace with a pecan natural wood mantel and frame. I put pictures in collage frames on the mantle with different types of candles at each end. This is the one I'm most dissatisfied with. It looks boring to me.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Answer:
Well, now we don't have a mantle, but we did in our previous 2 houses and we always had a row of all the kids current pictures on it (plus a 14 yr old one of dh and I). They are all in matching frames.
Answer:
Well we don't have a mantle either Yet...........but in May we will and I have one of my granmothers old mantle clocks to go on it. I am thinking pictures of the kids and that is about it. It is does sound boring now that I think about it. hmm I will have to think more about this now. It never occured to me until now.
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We have large gilded mirrors above our mantles. Then I use candlesticks usually. I have a ton of them, so when I get bored, I pull out some I haven't seen in a while and do groupings on the ends in different sizes and shapes and then I use white candles. I don't like a lot of 'stuff' around, so I keep things simple.
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How deep is the mantle? Can you hang something above it? We have a very deep corner fireplace...so our mantle actually holds a HUGE tv, a room divider that I use as a backdrop (I have 15 ft. ceilings!), several plants on different size pillars, our vcr/dvd player, a lamp, mantle clock, candles, AND books. I'll have to find the link and take a picture. It sounds like a lot, but it actually is very homey and inviting..and I get a lot of compliments on it. I think the key is doing things at different heights...it gives it something extra!
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We have a brick fireplace (painted white) with an beige wooden mantle (painted as well- it was all too dark!). I have a big wrought iron wall sconce- with sage green pillar candles above the mantle. On my actual mantle I have 2 white vases that holds bamboo plants (the only indoor plant I can keep- I am an indoor plant killer- just ask my jade plants!)- they are off the sides of the sconce. I also have other candles- 1 white jar candle in the center, 2 larger green pilar candles beside the bamboo vases and off to the sides (also have a corner fireplace- but not as deep of a mantle as blessed with 6) I have a reed difuser- that needs to get into it's home in the bathroom and a tiered candle holders (wrought iron of course). I think it has just enough color- it sounds kind of plain- but the simplicity of it all is soothing- no knick knacks to clean!
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Currently we have an old mantle clock, pics of the kids, a trinket jar that was my grandma's and a Dragon toy (beautiful woodworked piece made by my FIL) that was given to my DD #1. It actually is quite a big mantle so it looks somewhat bare.
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We have a mantle in our family room. I have picture frames of the two kids on either end, and in the middle: antique books, two ceramic vases I got in Spain, an din the middle is a picture ("art") I got at Target. There is a picture of it in my blog:
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I agree that varied heights make it look better. Just frames and candles would all be things similar heights, unless the candle have tall candlesticks. A large picture in the center or maybe a large vase....something tall.
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My tastes are country/antique so I followed with my mantle. I just took a picture it's easier then explaining.