5 tips for re-styling your mantel after the holidays
I’m doing my de-decorating after the holidays which is always a bit depressing but at the same time feels like an opportunity to refresh some interior design elements in the house! I pack up my year round mantel decor carefully so when it’s time to put it back, I know where everything goes. BUT, then when I unpack it, it feels a little old and dusty. Time for a refresh!
As an Interior Designer, I am always looking for ways to “practice my craft” and styling is one of the funnest things I do. Many of my clients in Westchester don’t realize how important the styling aspect of their design scheme is until they start to see all the magic come together at the end of a project. Here are 5 tips for simple ways to refresh your mantel for the new year.
#1. Create balance, not symmetry
This arrangement from @melissa.brooks succeeds by being bold but simple. The round mirror creates a central focal point and breaks up the rectangular lines of the fireplace surround. The floral vase and taper candle holders provide “weights” on either end without matching. A limited material palette of brass, wood and white with a touch of greenery keeps the look clean and fresh.
2. Layer, but not too much
Layering adds interest and depth but too much of it can look cluttered and messy. This simple black and white arrangement from @stage2style gives each item plenty of space to breath. The touch of greenery again offsets the angular lines.
3. Don’t fight with the TV
The reality of the dreaded TV over the fireplace is best dealt with by adding things with height and organic shape at either end of the mantel. Often there is a sound bar under the TV so keep that area spare with small sculptural pieces like this arrangement of two matching dishes from @thespoiledhome.
#4. Go for drama
If you are lucky enough not to have a TV over the mantel, go big with a dramatic mirror and decorative sconces (they can be candle based if you don’t have electrical). This collection of vintage pieces shown here from @artisan.craft are perfectly scaled and the single pitcher with flowers is all that is needed on the mantel itself.
#5 - Make it Personal
Don’t be afraid to break the rules and display what means something to you even if they don’t look perfectly “collected”. The mantel shelf is a perfect place for the knickknacks you’ve accumulated like this vignette from @laurelbern who swears by the “rule of three”. Displaying momentos’ and seeing them regularly connects you to memories that remind you of less mundane things than household chores!
