Adding Seasonal Punch To Your Mantel
Posted: Thursday, March 05, 2009
by Joanne Graves
Mantelscapes
Do you stare up at your mantel and wonder how you can transform it into a seasonal showpiece for your home? Many people are in the same predicament as you. Although the mantel should act as the focal point of a room, it is more often overlooked because most homeowners don't know where to begin. If you start with these few ideas for seasonal inspiration, you will have the important basics of seasonal mantel decorating.
SPRING: Placing elements that reflect the essence of spring can add a sense of rebirth to your mantel. Joanne recommends placing a few bird nests with real or realistic looking robins or quail eggs (empty of course). These can be tucked amongst your existing mantel decor, or can replace an item on your mantel. Another idea that brings in the green of spring to your mantel is the addition of a few four to six inch moss balls. These can be added to your existing mantel decor or can replace objects on your mantel. Joanne likes when they are used unexpectedly, and are perched atop an urn or large candlesticks on your mantel.
SUMMER: During the summer months the addition of seashells turns an ordinary mantel into a summer mantelscape. You can accent your existing mantel with a few large conch shells or pieces of coral. Try standing an uneven number of starfish along the mantel. Fill two large, footed glass vessels with shells that have been collected over the years, and nestle a large pillar candle inside each one. These summer additions, can replace candlesticks and picture frames that adorn your everyday mantel decor. Every time you look at your newly added summer mantel decorations, it will remind you that summer has arrived.
FALL: Fall is the season that the weather begins to get colder and we begin to want to warm up our inside environment. Adding real or good quality artificial pumpkins and gourds to the mantel can create a fall scene without too much work. Add a few sprigs of bittersweet to the surface of the mantel, in order to add some interesting color. This mantel decor will take you from October through November, until you are ready to decorate your mantel for the Christmas holidays!
WINTER: After all the Christmas trimmings are taken down, leave up your natural looking greenery, and white lights through the winter months. Snowmen whether new or antique can be nestled on the mantel amongst the greenery and white lights. In February add a few red hearts and you are well on your way to being a pro at Seasonal Mantel Decorating! These simple additions are enough to carry you l through the winter until you are ready for a redesign come spring.
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