Fireplace Mantel Ideas

Picture this: Freezing winter evenings, a bottle of Johnny Walker, country music on the roll and a cozy beanbag dumped in front of a crackling hearth. Well, unless you are one of those lamebrain dolts, there is very little stopping you from melting into a mush at the very mention of a welcoming fireplace. After all, what better feeling that snuggling in front of a warm fireside on a cold night with a copy of “Gone with the Wind” and sipping on some scotch? A fireplace adds to the ambience of any décor and peps up a feeling of real warmth. Nothing really beats the aesthetic finery of having a classily done fireplace right in your living room. But what really adds more to the smoldering appeal of your fireplace is the beautifully adorned mantel tableaux. Whether you like stark and minimal or prefer homey and warm ambience, you can easily pull off a dramatic impact by adding striking finishes, colors and accessories to your fireplace mantels. If you are rooting for more ideas on fireplace mantel decorations, then the following section should get you going.

Fireplace Mantel Decorating Ideas

Whether you love “manly” masonry fireplaces or are more game for luxurious, expansive wooden hearths, you can always pick your choicest mantle by its material. From classy oak to opulent marbles to the more vintage looking bricks, the options are almost endless for you. So, whether you wish to bring on an old world charm to your lounge or faux a more “Goth” stone-like appeal, you can customize your own mantle depending on your taste, budget and style.
Depending on whether you want your fireplace mantle to dramatize or downplay your décor, you can always bet on symmetrical or asymmetrical styling options to deluxe up your place. You can use mantle pieces of various shapes, styles, lengths and visual proportions and create an aesthetic smorgasbord of interesting interior decoration. You can bet on vases, photo frames, books, figurines, candlesticks or whatever you fancy to doll up your fireplace mantel and make it stand out.
While the conventional décor of a painting flanked with candle pieces and vases looks stylish, you can always cut yourself from the rut and create graphic, three-dimensional arrangements to heat up the décor of your fireplace. Instead of propping up your art pieces on the wall, lean them on the mantel for a more spectacular effect. You can also put in mementos and object d’art for whimsical glam as well.
While it’s easy to feel tempted to pile up your fireplace mantel with all the unique collectibles like ancient jade disks or mercury glasses hoarded from different corners of the globe, the cue is to hold back. You can, of course, showcase your collections, but make sure you don’t go overboard with your display as it might make the mantel look muddled and unappealing. It’s best to go for items that are somewhat similar in scale, size and origin. For instance, you can mix and match a brightly glassed majolica with Chinese snug bottles for a more cohesive yet striking appeal.
If you want to keep your fireplace decor as minimal as possible or don’t have a hoard of collectibles to display above your mantel, you can create a dramatic look just by adding a striking hue and some pretty tea lights to the wall. Bold colors won’t just accentuate the warmth of your decor, but would also set the tone for the space.

Your fireplace mantelpiece is where all the beauty is. So style it creatively. The above fireplace mantel ideas will help you get on with some inspiration.

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