How to Style Your Fireplace

If you want a show-stopping fireplace, some creativity is called for on your mantelpiece…

It’s the focal point of any room, so your fireplace will get plenty of attention, however you decorate it – just make sure it’s for all the right reasons, by styling it like a professional.

Layer objects along your mantelpiece

Art or accessories, family heirlooms, fresh flowers, anything. It’s not what you display above your fireplace, but how you do it, and here you have two main options. Go modern with an asymmetrical style or make your mantelpiece look perfectly symmetrical for a formal look.

Whatever you chose, the technique for arranging your objects is essentially the same. Create three layers to add depth and dimension to your mantelpiece in an uncluttered way.

1. Find an ‘anchor’

Put your tallest object in the centre, a mirror or a piece of art for maximum impact. If it’s ¾ the height between your mantelpiece and ceiling, it’ll help to balance out your fireplace and look easier on the eye.

2. Add ‘visual weight’

Find a shorter object, to put either side of your ‘anchor’ – anything from a candlestick or vase, to a stack of books with a decorative object on top. Going for the asymmetrical look? Why not mix and match, because this pair of objects doesn’t need to be identical?

3. Fill the gap in the middle

Want a clean, minimalist mantelpiece? The possibilities are endless, from small pieces of salvaged wood between your flower-filled vases to framed photos alongside your candlesticks. Get creative, but be careful – when you use too many belongings, it can look cluttered, especially if they’re small.

Pick an accent colour

Victorian or modern, draw inspiration from any coloured tiles on your fireplace and use them to accent your mantelpiece.

Celebrate the seasons

Vases offer a great way to create height on your mantelpiece, which makes the whole arrangement easy on the eye. You could use fake flowers and greenery for a natural look all year round, but why not have fun and experiment with seasonal flowers? Think freesias in March, daffodils in July and gardenias in December.

Create a gallery wall

Got a low mantelpiece and a high ceiling? Use the empty wall space to display your favourite art. Alternatively, lean your paintings against the wall on your mantelpiece, without putting any holes in the wall.

Light it up

Depending on how wide your mantelpiece is you could add a collection of candles – from pillar candles to candlesticks or tea lights in a jar. Alternatively, drape fairy lights along your mantelpiece and down the sides for a soft glow.

Now your fireplace looks the part, if you’ve got an open fire make sure it’s in full working order – call your local chimney sweep to brush soot out of the vents and make any flue repairs.