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[Oznell]

I'm not lucky enough to have a mantel;  our little 1910 cottage has a 'buried' brick stack that goes up through the house, but no fireplace.   So I like to dream!   I pretend that my narrow entry table, and the top of my closed cabinet in living room are my mantels, and decorate accordingly.

Found these ideas:

That painting, with the ethereal light in the middle of it, is a warm touch, punching up the light of the candles...  I like the "unplanned" look of the mantel.

I have a weakness for the soft green of old celadon pottery, so like this.  But not the sculpture, that would go.

Here's my favorite thing to have over a mantel, though--  a gilt mirror.   Mantel is artfully layered.

Oh, and the other thing I love, is old books on a mantel.  This might be controversial, but I love to decorate with my collection of old, frayed books--  and they can be turned so the spine faces in, or out!  Literature purists sometimes become incensed at this, but I'm a bookworm and don't think it shows disrespect!  On the contrary.   Look at those precious brass bunnies and milk glass mixed in. 

Quite symmetrical.

More books, whimsical painting, and what looks to be an old christening photograph of baby--  love the 'personal' nature of this....

Beautiful.  A leaning mirror is my favorite, also like that's it a bit off-center.  Or is it?  The tiny paintings and other accessories are exquisite.

Not wild about every accessory, but here's another one with such character, and a sweet doggo.

Now this person is a really pottery hobbyist.  I think the blurb said it is 1920's,  "Constance Spry" pots,  which rings a faint bell.  I wouldn't have this large a collection on the mantel year round, but it's handsome, a fun change.  The very English practice of putting invitations and cards on the mantel is given a cute twist with the hand holding one....

By contrast, here's a really stripped down mantel, and I like it too.  Allows that gorgeous fireplace to shine.

Obviously, not for all the time, but this one somehow strikes me as witty, extravagant, but not taking itself too seriously.  So nice the way the brass candlestick collection picks up the glint of the gilt mirror.  A great backdrop for a photo or ceremony, clearly.

Casual, summer look, with sort of cubist art and couch turned to not even face fireplace.  Fresh, seasonal.

Would anyone fortunate enough to have a fireplace, care to describe what your mantel is sporting right now?   Will you change it out for spring?   Whenever it comes, ha.

[Kachina624]

Nothing is more fun then gathering your treasures together and staging your fireplace mantel.  I also have a high sideboard that I stage like a mantel, so I have double fun.

[spiderw]

I absolutely love all the pictures and displays, the mantels are lovely on their own.  I decorate with old books also and would definitely display them on a mantel with a collectible or an old photo.on top. The picture displays are all so appealing and show such pretty ideas, all enhance the rooms.

I have a mantle in the summer home I own but now rent..  When I used to stay there for the summers I always decorated with antiques and vintage decor.  Oddly enough, there was a stuffed pheasant on the mantle left when my parents bought the house in the fifties.  For some reason I left it there surrounded by my decor and while I do not like stuffed animals on walls or such, I felt it fit the country feel.  That was a long time ago.

[DREAMON]

We do have a mantle. I decorate it with more for each Holiday. Off Holiday season I have less and go with a Seasonal look.

I don't care for books on mantles and definitely not books in a fireplace. That looks like you have no where else to put them and stuck them in the fireplace ....and want to burn them.JMO.

[Jackyl]

Great post!!  We built a house out of necessity three years ago, and along with a lot of other things, a fireplace is all new to me.  

My mantle has:  A puppy budda statue, Valerie's mercury glass candle holders with her blue lit round spheres, a black/grey vase with black flowers in the middle, a wood sign about dogs, and my grandmother's small burgundy glass vase.  I don't change it out because I have no idea how what I'm even doing now looks okay.

[AuntG]

The Fixed Upper lady once listed what looks good on a mantle. Art work, green plant, stacked books. I think she had candles of varying heights too. I saw several different styles, but the look always worked.

[ECBG]

@Oznell 

All of these were a lot of fun!

You could look through basic kinds of antique stores and pick up a mantel to put against your wall!  I would put an antique basket or antique bucket of fern or flowers in the opening.

I just google imaged them!

[Mominohio]

I grew up in old homes with grand fireplaces, and my first house had a real beauty as well. I'm currently 26 years into a house without one, and I miss it terribly. 

I'm also a real snob about they style of the fireplace and mantel that I like, and how it should be decorated.

Not that anyone needs to agree with me, but my pet peeves with mantels are mirrors or pictures that people just sit on the mantel. I hate it. They should be hung, and at a precise height, not all the way up on the ceiling. I also think it horrible to mount a tv over a mantel or fireplace. Simply can't understand why anyone would ruin the beauty of a fireplace with a black hole of technology. 

Less is more on a mantel most of the time for me. Holiday garlands and candles/lanterns and such overdone during the season are ok oftentimes for me though. 

I rarely see a mantel in stock photos that I think is well dressed today.

[Snowpuppy]

@Mominohio , preach, girl!!!

I hate to see photos of decor/non-functioning fireplaces! It's like having a broken appliance being proudly displayed in your living room.

Fireplaces, woodburning or propane inserts are hugely popular up here but they are mostly necessary for a secondary heat source and anyone I know that has one....it actually functions. Like with real wood and all the work!

What happened to hearths? @crazycockermom has a full wall brick fireplace with a  beautiful hearth she decorates.

[NickNack]

I love all of your examples @Oznell .  I just finished decorating my mantel in November.  I posted the picture in the forum at the time.  I have three vases on one side--one with flowers.  On the other side I have two brass candlesticks with candles and a picture (print).  I'm very happy with how it turned out.

I love the painting in your first picture.  I really love the brass bunnies, especially the smaller one.  I wonder if they are available to buy somewhere.  I also really like the whimsical painting with the bunny.