As the seasons begin to change, and the days of festivities quickly approach (eeek, we’re so excited!) you may be wondering how you can update your home decor and give your space a refresh!
There are tons of ways to do so, but one of the easiest and most effective spots to tackle is your mantle! Our mantles tend to be the focal point of the space we have to begin with, so it’s essential that the surrounding decor is complementary and eye-catching.
Creating a stunning mantle isn’t as easy as it sounds. It can be a little tricky to attain that perfectly curated look. But don’t worry, that’s why we’re here.
There’s nothing we love more than a perfectly pulled-together mantle. Let’s break down the basics of mantle decor so you feel confident in switching it up this season.
We’re going to focus on three main points for your mantle decor–the anchor, the elements, and the balance. Say what? Okay, bear with me here. This will all make sense at the end of this article…
Images via Pinterest.
The Anchor
The Anchor is your main piece. The star of the show. Your biggest piece of decor! The anchor will set the tone for the rest of the decor you use on your mantle.
The Anchor is usually a piece of art, a wreath, a mirror or even your TV. Because this is the main piece on your mantle you’ll want to ensure you are picking something that is the correct size, and of course, something that matches the rest of your room.
This piece should not be wider than your mantle, and will usually sit directly in the centre. Depending on your mantle, the anchor piece can either lean against the wall, or be hung up on the wall.
Check out the anchors in the pictures below. Notice how they catch your eye and tend to be the focal point of the mantle decor…
Images via Pinterest.
The Elements
Next, let’s talk about the elements. This is the fun part! Elements are all the pieces of decor you want to add to your mantle.
They can be practically anything but a few of our faves include: books, candlesticks, photos, sconces, greenery and sculptures. The best part about elements is they are usually easy to move around so you can change them out seasonally and experiment with the placement of things.
We love the use of a natural garland around Christmas time, but you’ll probably want to swap that out for something lighter and brighter come summer! Elements are a great way to personalize your mantle and make it unique to you and your space.
For example, you can layer in family photos or show off a cool object from your travels. Elements are often different shapes and sizes, so get creative and find a bunch of pieces that speak to you.
Images via Pinterest.
The Balance
Now, we’re onto the Balance, which is the hardest part of decorating your mantle. This is where we take our amazing anchor, and all our cool-looking elements, and we put them together.
In order to create a perfectly curated mantle we need to strike, yep you guessed it – balance!! Now balance can come in all shapes and sizes, but it doesn’t necessarily mean perfect symmetry.
In order to strike balance, it’s important to use elements of varying shapes and sizes. You don’t want all your tall items on one side of the mantle while all your smaller items are on the other.
Images via Pinterest.
A better way to ensure you are striking a balance is to create groupings. Each grouping should have items of different sizes and groupings are usually made with an odd number of items.
It’s also important to keep in mind that these groupings can be layered. For example, you can use two photos layered upon each other, with other elements of the group in front of the photos.
We know, this may sound confusing but ultimately the best way to create an amazing balance on your mantle is to play around with your elements until you’ve created groupings that compliment each other.
An easy way to check for balance is to step out of the room, and walk back in… Are your eyes instantly pulled toward one item? Does anything stand out irregularly?
Images via Pinterest.
The best designers in the world will always play around with their mantle decor until it’s just right. You may need to swap out certain pieces and switch around the order of everything until it’s just right.
At the end of the day, decorating your mantle should be fun! And something you can do often without breaking the bank.
Remember to find a really great anchor that will compliment your space, then collect your favourite elements that you wish to showcase.
After you have your pieces, play around with your groupings and the spacing, until you’ve created a well-balanced mantle that you are truly proud of.
