Want to design a beautiful mantel in your living room but not sure where to start? Here are my best mantel decor ideas to fill the empty wall space, add symmetry, and create a balanced look.
I started my Design Mistakes series many years ago to highlight the common design blunders I’ve seen (and made myself!). Over time, it became one of the most popular features on my blog.
Here are some fan-favorite posts from the series. Or you can peruse them all right here.
Design Mistakes To Avoid When Decorating Your Fireplace Mantel
DIY Fireplace Makeover from our old condo
I chose this month’s design mistake after seeing far too many mantels in need of some styling TLC.
We don’t have a fireplace in our current home, but we did in our old condo. Since it sat directly across from our built-ins, I never styled it as the focal point of the space. You can check out how we DIY’ed this fireplace to add marble tile and a white mantel right here!
While I don’t have a fireplace in our current home, I’ve styled many over the years and helped countless readers fix their mantel decor mistakes. So today, I’m sharing my go-to tips to create a mantel that looks effortlessly styled.
There isn’t one specific problem that I see over and over again. Instead, there are multiple rookie mistakes being made when it comes to mantel decorating.
Over Decorating Your Fireplace Mantel
It’s easy to go overboard when styling a mantel. I’ve seen mantels packed with decorative objects—picture frames, vases, faux branches, small pumpkins, floral displays, and candles—all crammed together. Instead of enhancing the space, an overcrowded mantel creates visual chaos.
The Fix
- Choose decorative elements with intention.
- Mix different textures like wood, ceramic, and metal to add depth.
- Leave negative space! A few decorative items of various sizes are more effective than clutter.
Under Decorating Your Fireplace Mantel
In contrast to over-decorating, some people under-decorate and barely put anything on their fireplace mantels.
There is an opportunity to make this the focal point of a space and draw the eye to the architecture of the fireplace and corresponding mantel. A single clock face or one lonely good book doesn’t create the impact a fireplace mantel shelf deserves.
The Fix
- Anchor this space with a large item like a mirror or piece of artwork.
- Layer smaller items with a mix of asymmetrical looks and structured balance.
- Add a little touch of life with greenery, florals, and leaves.
Incorrect Proportions
Even if you get the right balance of decor, proportions can make or break a mantel’s look. Let’s talk about a mistake I see all the time—using items that are too small for the space.
A fireplace mantel presents a great opportunity to really draw the eye up in a space. Hanging a mirror or leaning tall pieces of artwork are great ways to add some height.
However, I see many fireplaces with small frames cluttering the top leaving lots of valuable wall space above free (like in the MLS photos of my home, above, when we purchased our old condo).
The Fix
Now that we know a few of the fireplace faux pas, let’s showcase a few inspirational pictures of gorgeously decorated fireplaces, all showcasing different styles.
Fireplace Mantel Inspiration
Photo via Dina’s Reader Home Tour
Dina’s mantel look is stunning and has a farmhouse vibe with the shiplap. She showcases a mirror, a picture frame, and candle holders throughout. Plus, the plant brings in some natural elements.
Photo via The Inspired Room
Yes, yes, yes! Love this brick fireplace from The Inspired Room. The leaning art makes a statement, while the large vase adds height to the right side of the mantel and creates a natural look. Gorgeous and simple.
Photo via Emily Henderson
This mantel, from my favorite designer Emily Henderson, showcases many beautiful pieces. The art in the center grounds the space, and the accessories bring life to the mantel. It looks effortlessly thrown together, but every item was chosen very intentionally for a cohesive look.
Photo via Room for Tuesday
Finally, this striking fireplace from Room for Tuesday. I love how she uses the round mirror as a focal point for the mantel and then adds symmetry with the sconces. The books, flowers, and ceramics layer in life and beauty.
Step-by-Step: How to Decorate a Fireplace Mantel
Now let’s break it down step-by-step, so you can spruce up this important space in your home and create beautiful vignettes.
Step 1: Start with a Blank Slate
Whenever I start styling an area in a home, I always remove absolutely everything off of the surface so I’m starting with an empty space. This gives me a good excuse to dust too!
So the first thing is to remove everything, dust the surface, and step back and take a look at what you’re working with. Here’s a link to the electric fireplace I chose for this example. I wish I had a spot in our home for this beauty!
Step 2: Collect Objects with a Similar Color Palette
Now, time to gather all of the pretty items you may display. I suggest keeping a similar color palette so everything goes together. If you’re displaying a piece of art, take a look at the colors in the piece and pull from that to figure out what color accessories you should find. Here are some of the things you should gather…
- Art or Mirror to act as the focal point (more on this in the next section)
- Vases or Containers (great for flowers or plants)
- Books or Boxes (really just items to create height and layers)
- Pretty Objects (candlesticks, special items, etc.)
Step 3: Choose a Focal Point
Now it’s time to add a focal point to your mantel. I love using a big round mirror or a large piece of art (this one is gorgeous) to your pretty mantel.
This is the time to add some major height to the space, so make sure it’s big enough. This blog post has my best tips to make sure the scale and proportion are right.
You can hang your pieces, or feel free to just lean them. If you go with the leaning look, I always like putting command strips on the top of the frame where it touches the wall. That way it won’t move or come crashing down.
For a designer look, go slightly off-center rather than perfectly centered.
Step 4: Layer in a Frame
If you opt for a leaning frame, layer a smaller frame in front to create depth and dimension. Make sure it’s proportioned correctly…not too small and not too big.
Step 5: Create Different Heights
Just like when you’re decorating any other surface, you don’t want everything to be at the same height. This is where boxes and books come into play, to boost up any small items or low objects.
Add a few hardcover books to the surface and place a box on top. Or add a tall vase or candlesticks to bring some height onto the end of the fireplace mantel.
Step 6: Incorporate Life
You can never go wrong with flowers or plants. A vase with fresh flowers or eucalyptus plants could be pretty! This faux eucalyptus branch looks like the real thing and could add some height to your mantel in a geometric vase.
Or go with an indoor plant (Here’s a list of my favorites.) to add some greenery up there. I also love the idea of adding a plant that is a bit “drapey” so the stems hang a bit over the fireplace. Just make sure it isn’t too long where it creates a fire hazard!
By following these simple steps, you can create a mantel that feels both stylish and effortless.
Favorite Decorative Pieces for Your Mantel
Here are a few of my favorite pieces for styling a fireplace mantel. These items add just the right amount of warmth, texture, and sculptural elements without feeling overdone.
I hope this post inspires you to see your fireplace mantel in a whole new light! Use my steps to highlight this gorgeous spot in your home and make it the focal point it deserves to be.
Mantel Holiday Decor For The Holiday Season
Need some help decorating your fireplace for the holidays? Be sure to check out this blog post that showcases Christmas decor and garland.
Final Thoughts
Your fireplace mantel decor should enhance your space, not overwhelm it. I hope these ideas inspire you to give your mantel a fresh look!
Casey
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