Make your mantel visually interesting with these tricks

Dear Gail: I have no idea what to do on my fireplace mantel. I seem to love collecting candlesticks on the mantel, but I just can’t seem to make it look right. Any ideas are appreciated. — Renee

Dear Renee: Candlesticks are a natural on a mantel. They give great height, texture and color, but they should not stand alone. In any room, a fireplace is a dominant focal point, which makes it important to arrange an attractive mantel display.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you get your mantel arrangement just right.

1) Start with selecting one star element to bring focus to your mantel, whether a large piece of artwork or mirror. Then let the accessories complement that feature element.

Before I continue, let me say I know many of you have read my column for years and know how I feel about putting mirrors over fireplaces. It’s normally not something I like to do because you always have to consider what it’s reflecting. When a mirror is up too high, all it reflects is your ceiling.

But I do use mirrors when looking to get extra light into the room. Then I like to use colorful statement accessories to make it a focal point and get the added value of reflecting the colors in the mirror.

When selecting artwork, make sure it’s a piece you’ll love, since it will be part of a dominant focal point. If you’re going to invest artwork, this would be the place to do it. This work should be a statement piece showing off your personal style.

2) Choose to be symmetric or not. Symmetrical arrangements are perfectly equal on both sides of a central item. Think of symmetrical arrangements as a mirror image from one side to the other, like placing a candle on each side of the artwork over your mantel. Symmetrical arrangements are the easiest to do and create a more formal atmosphere.

Asymmetrical arrangements use a variety of items in different sizes, shapes and colors. Asymmetrical arrangements create an informal feel. They include an odd-number group of accessories with more on one side of your mantel than the other, which most people find more pleasing to the eye and always more interesting.

For a starting point with an asymmetric mantel, place the accessories from the outside edges in. Then adjust until it feels balanced. This comes with feel; you’ll know when it’s right.

With asymmetric arrangements, you will be layering your items instead of placing them side-by-side as you would in a symmetric arrangement. Your smaller accessories should be layered in front of the larger items. That doesn’t mean you’ll place them directly in front; you’ll place them the left or right of the larger item, but still overlapping it. The items are a group, so you want to keep them connected.

3) For added visual interest, vary the heights and proportions of the accessories you are using. Think of a mountain range and how interesting the movement is from the high and low areas. Plus, vertical items add drama.

If you like organic elements, place curly willow branches in a tall vase with a few berry birch branches for color. Want more color? I like to use open and airy blossom branch stems.

To tie your accessories in with your artwork or mirror, have at least one taller accessory that reaches up past the bottom edge of the picture. This will balance out your arrangement and anchor the pieces together. Treat the artwork and accessories as one group, you don’t want the artwork and mantel to have a disconnect.

4) Follow your theme, mood, style and color scheme, especially when using a piece of artwork. Then pull your accessory colors from the artwork. You want to enhance the artwork and not distract from it.

5) Know when enough is enough. It’s important to avoid clutter and know when to stop. This is a place where less is more, to allow your mantel to be part of the overall focal point with the fireplace. Always start with a blank mantel, then add until that one extra item just seems too much. At that point, remove the last item and you’re done.

Gail Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, is a professional interior designer and author of a book on the subject. Questions may be sent by email to: GMJinteriors@gmail.com. Or, mail to: 7380 S. Eastern Ave., No. 124-272, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Her Web address is: www.GMJinteriors.com.