How to Decorate a Cabin Mantel
Cabins are usually rustic. They are most often decorated in a warm, cozy style, often with country or forest-type accents. This does not mean, however, that a cabin has to look like someone's grandma lives there. There are ways to give a cabin a modern feel and still have it retain that comfortable warm, cabin flavor. The same goes for a cabin mantel. You don't have to nail an old pair of snowshoes over a cabin mantel just because it's a cabin in the woods. Instead, try using the ideas below to give your cabin mantel a more updated look. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Black and white photos Fresh greenery Twisted twigs or branches Candle lamp or holders of your choice Interesting rocks
Instructions
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How to Decorate a Cabin Mantel
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Place black-and-white photographs of family members on the mantel. For a more uniform, modern look, make sure all of the photos are framed and matted in the same materials. Black frames are more elegant, while wooden frames give off a more rustic feel. Surround the pictures with fresh greenery to give the mantel that rustic forest smell and look.
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Go hunting and find some twisted, curly twigs and branches. Peel the bark off so they are smooth, then lay them horizontally along the mantel. Add some interesting rocks in random piles and place a candle lamp on one end of the mantel. Just make sure it isn't close to any of the wood twigs.
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Line the entire mantel with simple, votive candle holders. Again, surround the candles with greenery, taking care not to let the greenery get too close to the candle flames.
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Take up your spade and some pots, and go outside to hunt down some seedlings. Plant the tree seedlings in the pots, then bring them in and place them on the mantel. Chances are, if you have a fire every night, the heat will kill the trees, so if you want them to live, remove them when you do build a fire.
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Leave the mantel bare and focus on the space above it. Consider hanging a mirror framed in hammered rubbed bronze above the mantel for a rustic yet modern look. Alternately, hang a piece of modern art above the fireplace. Modern art can really set off a rustic cabin and it really adds a conversation piece to the room.
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Tips & Warnings
Instead of modern art, try hanging a large, black-and-white photo of the cabin itself over the mantel, or a photo of a nearby lake or mountain.
Resources
- Photo Credit decorate.pebblez.com
