- Consider the season. Decorations on mantels are easy to change and should be chosen with the current season in mind. In the spring, a simple wooden vase filled with blooming branches makes a beautiful, fresh statement. Decorate for summer with several small bud vases in a row across the mantel, and place a single rose in each vase. In the fall, a garland of colorful autumn leaves hanging from each corner of the mantel creates a cozy feel. A Christmas garland of pine and red ribbon is a must in December, and in the winter, try dressing your mantel with silver: A silver bowl full of glass balls, some silver picture frames with black and white photos and some silver candlesticks with white tapered candles.
- Think about personalizing your mantel. Mantels are frequently used to display unusual items, such as collections, or to display family photographs. A collection of blue and white china bowls looks amazing spread across a formal mantel. A collection of wicker baskets brings a country feel to a cottage fireplace. Group a cluster of family photos on one end of the mantel, and balance it out with a group of candles in different sizes on the other end. Keep the photos in similar frames, or make them all black and white, so that the mantel doesn't look over-cluttered.
- Make sure you match the style of the room. Your collection of pewter beer mugs is not going to look right on top of a formal fireplace, but they might look great on your hunting lodge's log mantel. Colorful photos of the family vacation to Disneyland probably won't appear attractive when placed on top of a floating metal mantel in an ultra-modern media room. Instead, try a single abstract sculpture or something organic, such as a line of smooth, black rocks.
