Here Are 26 Unique Ways to Decorate Your Mantel and Draw Attention to Your Fireplace

Your fireplace can benefit from a uniform color scheme across the brick surround, mantel, wall, and trim. Painting the entire mantel will highlight the molding and other details while providing a uniform background for decorative accents. When juxtaposed with the white of the walls, the gray paint makes the candlesticks, plants, and artwork stand out.

The mantel, if you are fortunate enough to have one, should be the focal point of the room. Put a mirror and some carefully placed objects on the wall. Glass vases and hurricane candle holders will be understated, allowing the mantel to take center stage.

Use overlapping artwork to draw attention to your fireplace mantel. The key is to ensure that the pieces have different dimensions. In this instance, a colorful map serves as the unifying backdrop against which a framed print and painting overlap. Colors from the mantelpiece are carried over to the bookshelves, which have been meticulously organized by hue.

Painting the wall above the mantel in a color that contrasts with the room's main wall color can transform an average fireplace into a showpiece. If you want the color to flow with the rest of the room, pick it based on something else in there. Here, the blue of the mantel complements the blue of the stone of the hearth.

To give your fireplace mantel a new look without spending a lot of money, use things you already have. A plain mantel can be easily transformed into a work of art by adding decorative elements such as potted houseplants, colorful vases, and vintage collectibles. Make sure the objects are evenly spaced by utilizing a range of sizes and shapes. As an added bonus, you can make some cool artwork with some spray paint and some scrap wood.

Displaying a tall frame, mirror, or work of art over the mantel will draw attention to the ceiling height and draw the eye upward. For maximum effect, pick a piece that stands out against the mantel's neutral background. In this room, the dark blue walls provide a striking contrast to a framed black painting. The large, slender frame of the piece directs the viewer's gaze upward, where the ceiling is painted a soothing blue.

You have a fireplace but no mantel. Make a mantel for your fireplace using materials from your local hardware store. Find a wooden beam that is wide enough to cover the width of your hearth. You can achieve a distressed look by staining the wood, giving it a more natural appearance. Use a masonry drill bit and lag bolts to secure the mantel above the hearth.

Instead of one large piece of art, a more cost-effective mantel decoration would be three smaller pieces in matching frames. Across the majority of the mantel, these three prints of a world map create an eye-catching display. Glass vases and votive candle holders add a touch of elegance to the arrangement.

Decorating your fireplace mantel in a way that is anything but minimalist is a lot of fun, but it does take some planning and expertise to pull off successfully. Choosing items that are proportional to the space and each other is essential. In this case, a large painting hangs at eye level to dramatically highlight the ceiling height, and two medium paintings hang at eye level to round out the composition. Possibilities of competition between multiple large pieces and instabilities caused by smaller pieces are increased when there are more of both. Using a unifying principle, such as a color scheme, helps bring everything together.

The result of an asymmetrical mantel arrangement is lighthearted and playful, but it can also be a sophisticated design choice. The lively throw pillows on the sofa to the left of the fireplace draw the eye because they are offset by the more subdued artwork on the mantel. On the other hand, the star artwork atop the mantel is the focal point, so simple accessories are used.

Add pops of color with accessories in a monochromatic living space. The brown wooden mirror frame is a continuation of the flooring, furniture, and shelves, while the blue and yellow vases complement the colors used on the sofa. The end result is an arrangement for the mantel that is both at home and doesn't steal the show from the mantel's charming dentil molding.

Restraint and careful consideration of every detail are essential to creating an elegant mantelscape. The focal point of this traditional living room is the eye-catching wallpaper, which takes inspiration from Art Deco. The remaining elements lag behind, but manage to stay afloat. In order to add some color to the mantel, two vases that look like Delftware are placed on either side.

Mix and match different fireplace mantel decorating ideas for a unique, one-of-a-kind look. A colorful modern painting hangs above a classical white fireplace. The stunning artwork is the focal point, so the decor is kept minimal.

Think about the scale of the artwork above the mantel in relation to the fireplace and the mantel. It's best to match similar items for a unified look. Make sure your artwork is the right size for the wall. Try hanging it with a few other pieces if it's too small to stand alone. Here, an antique mantelpiece contrasts with an abstract splatter painting that, thanks to its neutral background, complements the natural stone of the fireplace surround. The height of the canvas is almost at the ceiling without looking cramped.

Don't bother hanging pricey paintings over the mantel; instead, highlight fun frames. You can easily decorate your mantel by stacking a variety of empty picture frames of different sizes and materials. Add a few finishing touches, such as a bouquet of flowers or some greenery, and you're good to go. Even an old croquet mallet will do.

A plain mantel can look elegant with the right ornaments. Putting a mirror in the middle and a pair of sconces on either side of the mantel is a simple way to dress up the space. Arrange smaller vases, candlesticks, and decorative objects around the mirror to complement the larger vase that serves as the mantel's anchor. To do this, you can take cues from the furniture and the walls. The calming color scheme of the room is reflected in the selection of blue and gold accent pieces. Create visual interest by arranging objects of varying heights and visual weight on a mantel.

Placing things in symmetrical patterns makes them seem more orderly and traditional. Apply the method as a sophisticated fireplace embellishment for instant style. Two wall sconces, one on either side of the hearth, are the first step. A circular mirror is then centered between the sconces. Arrange items on the mantel that are all the same size and shape to keep things looking neat. The wall candlesticks here are the inspiration for these tapered, footed vases.

This mantel is defined by and illuminated by sconces in an industrial style. The room's many straight lines are broken up by a spherical mirror. The mantel, made from salvaged wood, looks great with just the right amount of decor. In rooms with a low ceiling and a narrow mantel, it's best to avoid a cluttered look by keeping the mantel simple and accessorizing it with just a few key pieces.

This antique mantel has been given a new lease on life with the help of a large, eye-catching painting. A brown jug, a small basket, and a few found objects in complementary tones finish off the mantel without stealing the show from the painting. The variety of fabrics used in the ensemble gives depth to the otherwise monochromatic design.

The placement of a flat-screen television above a fireplace is common, but doing so may detract from the aesthetic value of the hearth. Incorporate the unit into the wall behind the fireplace and close it off with bifold doors to restore the mantel's original appearance. Beaded board, like that used on the coffered ceiling, covers the doors here.

Molding can give the wall around the fireplace some much-needed personality. Fill the area around your fireplace with rectangular molding pieces painted the same color as the wall. Above the mantel in this living room, one large rectangle serves as a frame, while on either side of the fireplace, a pair of narrow rectangles fills the area and directs the eye upward.

Paint the wall around your fireplace a bold and eye-catching color to make it stand out from the rest of your standard fireplace. A steely midnight blue wall in this living room gives an otherwise ordinary white fireplace an air of sophistication. The mantel becomes the focal point when accessorized with a gold sunburst mirror. Adding some simple touches, like candlesticks and matching deer figurines, gives the mantel a more homey vibe.

When designing a mantel, think beyond just the space above the fireplace. Think about how the built-ins on either side of your fireplace will affect the overall look of the mantel. The built-ins in this living room display objects whose hues complement those of the abstract painting hanging above the hearth.

When decorating your mantel, try incorporating objects of varying heights. The simple, sleek molding in this room is emphasized by the tall, wispy branches that draw the eye upward and the books that are arranged vertically and horizontally. An ornate gilded frame surrounds a large horizontal mirror, giving the mantelpiece a touch of elegance.

Instead of investing in an expensive gallery piece for over the mantle, try a decal. Think about the height of the wall above the mantel and the width of the fireplace to pick a decal that fits the space without looking out of proportion. Displayed on the mantel, black candlesticks and white candles continue to uphold the area's air of cool sophistication created by the black clock detail on the white wall. A vase of yellow flowers adds understated vibrancy, and a few strategically placed books add depth.

When designing your mantelpiece for the fireplace, symmetry is key. Place a large object in the middle (in this case, a sculptural piece of driftwood), then flank it with two smaller objects. It's not necessary for them to be inseparable; just related. Two distinctly shaped terra cotta containers, for instance, can be displayed side-by-side and still look like a set. The natural forms of the branches and seedpods ensure that this symmetrical arrangement remains relaxed.