A mantel is often the focal point of a living room. However, a mantel can easily end up buried under all of the décor that surrounds it. Whether people have too many candles, inherited décor from others over the years, or even have accumulated holiday card from others in the past year, all of these item can end up on a mantel.
However, minimalist décor does not have to mean that a room is stripped of décor to appear minimalistic. Minimalist décor mean that each object in that room has some relation to another object in the room, whether in terms of color, texture, or even the memory that each object can invoke in those who enter the room. When stripped of unnecessary décor, a room can appear larger, feel calmer, and feel more personal to those who lives in the room.
To accomplish this for a mantel décor arrangement, fewer décor item should be purchased for that mantel. For instance, instead of purchasing several décor items for the mantel that may only serve to decorate it, an individual could opt for one sculptural vase, book of various sizes, or one dramatic piece of art décor could highlight the room without the need for other décor items to do the same. Once an individual understands these various approach to minimal décor for a mantel, they will find themselves less compelled to purchase décor items for that area of the room.
Instead, they will feel compelled to create a décor arrangement that feels intentional and meaningful to the individual who enter the home. Begin with clearing the mantel of any décor items and simply wiping it down. Then, begin to arrange décor items based off the ideas listed below.
Each of these ideas can lead to the same goal: a minimal décor arrangement for a mantel that enhances the décor of the entire room.
Simple Ways To Style A Minimalist Mantel
1. Arrange Items of Varying Heights
One of the most important approach to minimal décor for a mantel is to arrange décor items of varying heights upon the mantel. Using décor items of different height allows an individual to create the visual aspect of a mantel that draws the viewer’s eyes to the different décor item arrangement without adding to the amount of décor items placed upon the mantel.
For instance, an individual could place a tall candlestick on one end of the mantel, décor items of medium height in the center of the mantel, and décor items of low heights on the other end of the mantel. This décor item approach work well for living rooms that have high ceilings because the décor items of varying heights work to echo the architectural element of the room. In this instance, the décor items should all be of similar color to each other.
It is not necessary to purchase décor items that are expensive to create this arrangement of décor items of varying heights on a mantel. For instance, an individual could purchase décor items such as a vintage brass candlestick from a flea market, a local potter could sell a matte white vase, and a few novel that are enjoyed by the individual could be placed upon the mantel. The negative space between each décor item is just as important as the décor items themselves.
2. Use Symmetry with Restraint
Symmetry can still be used within a minimal décor style for a mantel if used with restraint. For instance, an individual can purchase décor items of identical heights of stone bookends for each end of an object of interest that is placed in the center of the mantel. The object in the center of the mantel could be a large photograph, a piece of driftwood, or even an unadorned mirror.
This type of décor approach may be of interest to individuals who own formal living space in their homes because the sense of symmetry may allow for an individual’s eye to rest upon the décor items on the mantel. The stone bookends can have weight and texture to them to provide some depth to the décor item arrangement. Examples of such décor items could be marble or wood décor items.
In this instance, it is important for the décor items to avoid adding décor to the center of the mantel beyond the object of interest. A single substantial décor item of art or a single substantial mirror can help to decorate an entire mantel of interest. For instance, large framed botanical art could be leaned against the wall behind the mantel.
Such art may instantly provide a sense of presence to the fireplace in the living room. This decorating solution may be ideal for individuals who rent their home because drilling into the wall to hang décor items is not an option. This same arrangement may be of interest to individuals who would like to change the décor items on the mantel according to the changing season throughout the year.
Any décor item should be chosen that echoes the material of the mantel or the trim color in the living room. For instance, an individual may choose a wide walnut décor item for echo the mantel and the rest of the décor in that living room. In this instance, the homeowner has the flexibility to change the décor item to another piece of art that echoes the colors in the room.
3. Incorporate Natural Elements
Natural elements may be incorporated into a minimal décor arrangement of items for a mantel in the living room. For instance, an arrangement of eucalyptus, a cluster of river stones, or even a piece of sculptural driftwood may be of interest as décor for the mantel. These natural décor items will naturaly change over time in ways that man-made décor items cannot.
It is important to limit the amount of natural décor items to one or two on the mantel so as to not turn the mantel into a greenhouse. For instance, three stems of dried bunny tail grass could be purchased and placed into a black ceramic vase so that they may last for several month. A single smooth piece of bleached coral may be of interest for placement upon the mantel, as may a handful of chestnuts that are collected on a walk.
These types of natural décor items have imperfect shape to them that contrast with those of the mantel that may otherwise include only straight lines.
4. Arrange Books as Decor
Books may be arranged upon a mantel in a minimal décor style. For instance, books of varying height can be placed into the arrangement so that each one is of interest to the individual who owns the home.
Books may be arranged in a variety of way upon the mantel. Each book may be of the same height and the same color so that it creates an organized look. For instance, the tallest book may be placed on the left side of the mantel with the others descending in height to the right side of the mantel.
An alternative décor item for books may be to create a pyramid with the largest book at the base of the décor item. Finally, it is helpful to place a small object of interest upon the books so that the décor items are all of interest to the individual who owns the home. Each of these books may be arranged in a manner that allows them to be object of beauty on the mantel.
Each cover may be of interest to the individual who owns the home. These books may be chosen in a way that ensures that the individual actually reads each book or that the cover color of the books echo the color palette of the remainder of the living room. Additionally, individuals who enter the home may find themselves tilting their heads to read the title of each book, which may spark essential conversation within the home.
5. Add Dimensional Lighting
Lighting may be added to a minimal décor arrangement for a mantel in the living room to transform that décor from flat to dimensional. For instance, an individual can purchase two sconces for the wall above the mantel so that they may illuminate the mantel items. Additionally, if the individual would like to avoid hardwiring the mantle for the sconces, a single sculptural table lamp may be added to the mantel that provides the same lighting as the sconces.
The lighting of the décor items for the mantel will provide an atmosphere that is intentional and of interest to the individuals who enter the home. Any bulb that are used for the sconces should be around 2700 Kelvin in color so as to avoid a stark décor look. Such lighting may be used to transform the décor item minimalism into one that is welcoming rather than severe.
6. Incorporate Varied Textures
Texture can be incorporated into the décor items for a mantel for an individual to feel as if the décor of the living room is not too cold. For instance, a rough wooden bowl, a smooth ceramic sphere, and a nubby linen décor item can be added to the mantel. Such an arrangement of décor items of varying texture can be of interest to individuals whose living room décor includes many moddern décor items, as they may otherwise become too monotonous.
Three texture may be purchased for an individual’s mantel décor. For instance, the individual may acquire textures of a hand-thrown pot, a cast iron candlestick, and a slice of marble. These décor items will be of interest to the individual because they are relatively quiet décor items that dont compete with the fireplace as the star of the living room décor.
Each of these décor items may be touched before they are purchased so that each individual is sure that each of the items will be pleasing to touch to the individual.
7. Utilize Negative Space
Negative space within a minimal décor arrangement for a mantel may not be seen as an important aspect of décor. However, it is essential for providing a place for the individual’s eye to rest.
For décor items for a mantel, negative space means allowing for bare stretches of the mantel between décor items of interest. For many individual, there is a fear of the negative space that is created by leaving an area of the mantel bare. However, the importance of minimal décor for a mantel means allowing for these bare spaces between décor items so that an individual feel as if the décor is more balanced.
One décor strategy may be to simply arrange the décor items for the mantel that are of interest to the individual in the home. Then, remove one more décor item from the mantel than the individual may believe that they should of have on the mantel. Allow the décor items to remain on the mantel for a few day once they are arranged.
Most individuals will feel that the edited arrangement for the décor items is calmer and more sophisticated than it was before any décor items were removed from the mantel. Finally, another strategy for maintaining a minimal décor item arrangement for a mantel in the living room is to rotate the décor items based upon the different season within the year. For instance, during the winter month, a mantel may feature décor items that include two pairs of beeswax candles and a few novel of the individual’s interest.
During the spring, however, those décor items may be stored in a box in the home and replaced by a slender branch that is placed in a vase of interest to the individual and a few smooth stone. It is important to store these décor items in a dedicated box to the mantel in the living room so that it is easy to rotate the décor items from winter to spring, spring to summer, and so on throughout the year. This act of storing these items may be one of the few strategy for individuals to maintain their minimal décor items strategy for their mantel décor.
Another strategy for maintaining minimal décor for a mantel in the living room is to edit the décor items for the mantel once a month. This strategy may include removing décor items that have lost their interest to the individual, décor items that are no longer popular in the décor world, or item that the individual simply does not wish to highlight within the home. Removing items from a minimal décor strategy for a mantel will help to prevent the slow creep of clutter that can ruin the good intention of that minimal décor strategy.
Minimal décor for a mantel in the living room is less about strategy and rule than it is about learning to see. For example, an individual may begin to understand that minimal décor is simply an art form that can be learned with time. An individual will begin to not purchase décor items for the mantel but will begin to purchase décor items for the individual’s home that may be of interest to themselves as companion for the home.
The fireplace may begin to evoke feelings of deep breath from the individual when they are in the home. Instead of feeling compelled to look at any décor item throughout the home, the individual may begin to feel compelled to sit in the living room with the fireplace, look up from their activity, and actualy notice the flame in the fireplace. In a world that demand so much of the individual every day, such an appreciation for the fireplace in one’s home may be the most luxurius of décor items for that living room.
