Decorating
Styling: 12 Inspiring Ways to Decorate a Mantelpiece
From rustic or minimal, to gloriously cluttered, there is a mantelpiece style to suit every room and fireplace
The mantelpiece is an integral part of all but the most contemporary of fireplaces, and for centuries, we have been using this built-in shelf as a place to show off treasured items. In the past, a clock in the middle flanked by porcelain dogs or matching candlesticks might have been the extent of the styling, but today we are free to follow our mantelpiece muse and get creative. These 12 stylish approaches show just how much fun can be had by pepping up your fireplace and making over your mantel.
Stick to one material
Choosing a theme for your mantelpiece display is a helpful way to impose some stylistic order. Try picking items made from the same material. Here, glass objects of various sizes look fresh and pretty on this mantel, but you could choose to group wooden, ceramic, silver or brightly painted items.
Read more tips for creating the perfect vignette
Choosing a theme for your mantelpiece display is a helpful way to impose some stylistic order. Try picking items made from the same material. Here, glass objects of various sizes look fresh and pretty on this mantel, but you could choose to group wooden, ceramic, silver or brightly painted items.
Read more tips for creating the perfect vignette
Choose the curated clutter look
There is nothing wrong with taking the more is more approach to decorating your mantelpiece, but simply filling the space with objects can lead to a messy, incoherent result. So apply some rigour to your selection. Choose one type of object (vases, candlesticks, pots) and stick to a palette of just a few colours that teams nicely with other furniture and pieces in the room. You will still achieve an abundant and interesting display, but without risking it looking as if you’ve dumped the contents of a car-boot sale onto your mantelpiece!
There is nothing wrong with taking the more is more approach to decorating your mantelpiece, but simply filling the space with objects can lead to a messy, incoherent result. So apply some rigour to your selection. Choose one type of object (vases, candlesticks, pots) and stick to a palette of just a few colours that teams nicely with other furniture and pieces in the room. You will still achieve an abundant and interesting display, but without risking it looking as if you’ve dumped the contents of a car-boot sale onto your mantelpiece!
Channel the power of three
Three items is often enough to fill a mantelpiece beautifully. The scale and mix of pieces is up to you. Here, a street sign and vintage mirror stretch across the length, creating a large but unfussy display, while a tiny potted plant provides a central focal point.
Using signs as art and inspiration
Three items is often enough to fill a mantelpiece beautifully. The scale and mix of pieces is up to you. Here, a street sign and vintage mirror stretch across the length, creating a large but unfussy display, while a tiny potted plant provides a central focal point.
Using signs as art and inspiration
Take two
If sticking to one material seems a bit restrictive, open out the theme and include two key ingredients in your mantelpiece display. Here, wood and white is the informal theme. Within it, everything from a white bird decoration to a wooden shoe are arranged together in a display that looks relaxed and can easily be added to or shuffled.
If sticking to one material seems a bit restrictive, open out the theme and include two key ingredients in your mantelpiece display. Here, wood and white is the informal theme. Within it, everything from a white bird decoration to a wooden shoe are arranged together in a display that looks relaxed and can easily be added to or shuffled.
Go minimal
A single item may be enough to set off your mantelpiece. Often, positioning it off-centre works best, to avoid the result looking too symmetrical and dull. Here, a small portrait gives focus to the fireplace without fighting with the rustic brick wall behind.
A single item may be enough to set off your mantelpiece. Often, positioning it off-centre works best, to avoid the result looking too symmetrical and dull. Here, a small portrait gives focus to the fireplace without fighting with the rustic brick wall behind.
Arrange at opposite ends
Objects arranged at either end of a mantelpiece create a nice sense of balance and symmetry. This contemporary fireplace is wider on one side, so three vases have been positioned at its longer end to reflect the non-symmetrical design.
Objects arranged at either end of a mantelpiece create a nice sense of balance and symmetry. This contemporary fireplace is wider on one side, so three vases have been positioned at its longer end to reflect the non-symmetrical design.
Match to the room
If the room in which your fireplace stands is designed with a very strong, clear look, keep the mantelpiece display in harmony with this. Here, a strictly monochrome scheme gives this bedroom real drama, and it is reflected in the mantelpiece display – a simple arrangement of two striking candlesticks.
If the room in which your fireplace stands is designed with a very strong, clear look, keep the mantelpiece display in harmony with this. Here, a strictly monochrome scheme gives this bedroom real drama, and it is reflected in the mantelpiece display – a simple arrangement of two striking candlesticks.
Keep it clear
Some mantelpieces, particularly those that belong to really handsome or ornate fireplaces, look great left unadorned. But if that sounds a little too pared back for your tastes, frame the fireplace with decoration by covering surrounding walls with a patterned paper.
Some mantelpieces, particularly those that belong to really handsome or ornate fireplaces, look great left unadorned. But if that sounds a little too pared back for your tastes, frame the fireplace with decoration by covering surrounding walls with a patterned paper.
Make it modern rustic
Rather than cut flowers, which cost money and don’t last long, gather branches, sprigs and sticks from the area around your home and use them as informal mantelpiece decorations. This fireplace is in an Italian house, so an olive twig from just outside makes a fitting decoration, but you could use pine cones, driftwood or sprigs of evergreen plants such as ivy.
TELL US…
Share your mantelpiece makeover recipes in the Comments below.
Rather than cut flowers, which cost money and don’t last long, gather branches, sprigs and sticks from the area around your home and use them as informal mantelpiece decorations. This fireplace is in an Italian house, so an olive twig from just outside makes a fitting decoration, but you could use pine cones, driftwood or sprigs of evergreen plants such as ivy.
TELL US…
Share your mantelpiece makeover recipes in the Comments below.
Small knick-knacks can look rather lost and insignificant on a mantelpiece. The solution? Choose chunky, oversized pieces that bring guaranteed impact to your space. Here, a kind of gothic meets pop art look gives this mantelpiece masses of original style. The hot pink letters add a zingy focal point against the grey backdrop and prevent the skull and statuary from looking too intimidating.