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Art work over mantle - help please

17 years ago

I bought this art work to hang over the mantle. We had to hang it higher than I wanted because there are 2 electric boxes (outlet and cable) behind the picture, right where it needed to hang.

How can I make it look right? I think I need to add some things to the mantle to accesorize it, but what? I'm trying to pull some reds into the room.

Comments (18)

  • 17 years ago

    Perhaps some small urns with candles on either side of the pictures. Or some tall vases with a little greenery.

  • 17 years ago

    Two round red vases at each end of the mantel? Check shops like TJ Maxx or Pier One or Z Gallerie .....

    Or how about two large chunky wood candlesticks -- one at each end -- with red candles? or cream candles?

    Or how about a simple row of red votive candleholders? Perfect for a party!!

    Keep the mantel fairly simple -- and add a couple of smaller artworks ((the same style as this one) on the right-hand wall -- perhaps in a vertical row?

  • 17 years ago

    I would do a group of 3 roundish urny vase type things of varying sizes but all same colour (I'm picturing something a similar colour to the frame) on one side of the picture and a potted vine in a pot on the other side. If you could find a full vine that would trail under the picture and sort of fill in that empty space, I think it would work best.

  • 17 years ago

    I would do a few medium/tall architecture candle holders with a reddish tapered candle on the left, a shorter vase on the right with simple reeds or a silver dollar twig, nothing under the picture, and a red-based throw on the couch. Mantles are a place for the KISS rule: Keep It Simple Stupid!

    NO fake plants or greenery. It looks so bad. With this kind of mantle simplicity is best.

  • 17 years ago

    I am going to be the bad guy here - the picture is very nice, but it is just too small for the space. It looks out of proportion to the firebox and height of the fireplace, and then having it floating too high only makes it look even smaller.

    Rather than trying to make it work, I would hang it elsewhere and start here again. Look for a larger, more vertical piece. If you need to hide the outlets, consider perhaps a tapestry hung there, or a larger piece of art on canvas.

    Or, rather than a single art piece, a grouping of smaller pieces, or photographs, that would allow one item to cover the outlets, and others to hang around it, making full use of the height and width of the space.

  • 17 years ago

    I do regretfully ( don't like to offend) agree with les917.

    The picture does not look right. It is too small. Even with doing some mantle decor I think it is too small.

    I would look for a bigger piece of art or a grouping of pieces.

  • 17 years ago

    All of these ideas are helpful.

    I agree, that the picture is too small - but I like it, so I may try to make it work. I searched art.com for weeks to find something I liked. I'm not offended by anyone saying it's too small and I may really have to move it before it's all over, but in the mean time I'm going to try some of the suggestions for the mantle. We'll see...hmmm, maybe I do need to move it. i'll have to ponder all this.

  • 17 years ago

    I wonder if it might help to add something on either side of the picture, like sconces. Might be too much (budget- and work-wise) to add actual light sconces, but maybe candle sconces? Not this specific one, necessarily, but this is the type of thing I'm talking about.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Candle sconce

  • 17 years ago

    I thought candle sconces too. Perhaps mirrored ones. This link below was helpful to me - it is a Domino mag slideshow of sconces over fireplaces, but I think all with mirrors instead of art, but still.

    Here is a link that might be useful: mirrors & sconces

  • 17 years ago

    When I saw the post, I imediatelly thought the picture was too small. The picture should be at about 6 inches wider/taller and with a heavier frame (keep the frame simple)
    If you love the picture an money is not an issue, you could reframe it, using a double border to add depth and a heavier but simple frame.

  • 17 years ago

    I don't think the photo is too small. I think that it will look just right with some red incorporated on the mantel. The eye will see the photo first, and then travel to the accessories on the mantel. It can be one cohesive grouping.

  • 17 years ago

    Look at the photo at the link.

    Alone, the square wreath (or a picture of that size) would seem out of place, but with the other decorative elements, it all comes together.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • 17 years ago

    Looking at it again, if you arrange objects on the mantle you might weight them on the left, to balance how the art is compositionally much heavier on right, which is unusual.

    I think you can make it work.

  • 17 years ago

    I think a piece of iron sculpture on one side of the mantel (the side opposite the large tree in the artwork) would be nice. Go to Target.com and search on sculpture -they have a neat piece with a mother and child, a neat swingset with two kids, etc., $35-$60 each.
    Lynn

  • 17 years ago

    I also thought about sconces. That is what I've done with mine. Put them close enough to feel like they are all connected--another thought is a thicker frame.

  • 17 years ago

    Since you like the picture, remove it from that frame and place it in a "beefier" frame with larger matting. It will give the picture more importance and help fill the space.

  • 17 years ago

    Too high, too small ; I agree with all of the above. Above the mantle is prime space/location, you shouldn't have to merchandise around the picture to make it look right.

    I disagree with adding more matting, possibly you should look for a print that can be framed with all of the image showing, this particular print looks like the matting is hiding some of the picture by cutting off parts of the trees, not too effective, imo.

    The colors do work in your room, the red is great.

  • 17 years ago

    Take the photo to a photo copier and make it larger and then put it in a larger frame. Find a print online that you like or in a magazine and have it enlarged to fit the old frame. Or you could even take a black and white photo of a lovely tree in your own town and put it in the old frame and use it elsewhere in the room. I too, love that print but I do think it needs to be larger. A fuller frame would look wonderful too.