Found this on Pinterest - a general rule for how to style a mantel!

Also, you may consider changing out your art on the other walls - they look very lonely all alone on the huge expanses of wall!

Take them down to start with a blank canvas. You may even end up layering one of them on the mantel, to break up the size of the mirror and add some interest and movement as shown in the diagram. You can keep most of the ornaments you currently have, but you need to space them out more comfortably - they look like they are clinging to each other for dear life! ;)

I find it helps to rearrange things a few times, taking photos each time. Then compare the different pictures side by side. You will eventually settle on a mantel arrangement you really like.

:) Elise

The mirror would look nicer if it had a beefier frame around it and if it were the same shape as the fireplace, or large round or oblong. The curve of the mirror seems dated., the print would be lovely somewhere else, it really doesn't suit the space. A friend of mine with a similar white fireplace put a tied bundle of white papery birch logs in the fireplace and put a large mirror over the fireplace. I believe she used a wide dark mahogany frame, and it looks great. There were also 3 large vases in earth tones to complement her room colors and it really popped. I have also seen beautiful large groupings of candles on a tray in same color, but diff sizes and they also look great. Good luck.

The mirror and the picture are not in scale with the small mantle and fireplace. The Pinterest drawing is great for helping with scale. We just bought a house that had the TV over the mantle and took it down. I don't know the size of your room but ours is small and the TV dominated it. It will be in a corner leaving fireplace mantle for more personal expression. I want to paint the brick white like yours.

The pictures above the sofa's must be grouped together on one wall, you could then move the mirror to the other wall, mirror will look better if it was framed.

create an over mantle by installing a frame or the mirror. otherwise, take the mirror down. You could consider painting the brick black.

The problem is I don't have any money to spare so I have to work with what I have in my house

All of these suggestions are things to keep in mind. Do the best you can with what you have and just keep in mind what you would like your mantle to look like...then...if you are at a yard sale,flea market or Home Goods you will know what to look for!

I think we often try to hard with mantles and over do them. Simple is best. Take down the mirror and the violin pic. Use a grouping of three interesting vases or two vases and a candlestick .... Don't go too small here. Just be sure all three items are different heights. Put them off to one side so to the left or right of the middle of the mantle. I have a collection of pottery vases and they look awesome with leather furniture. Gives great texture to a room/space.

I like the mirror over the fireplace. It refects light. I thnk the red/black candles are better than the white because they are bigger and more to scale. Place them all the way to the left. Then place one thing on the the right... The white objects are too small to scale. Weed out the violin art. Even if you took down the mirror you will still have the problem of what to put above that is large scale to replace the mirror. Wait until you can shop around and find some pretty bold candle sticks on one side grouped in 3 (1 large, then graduating down from smaller to smallest), then find a beautiful decorative plate with a stand and place on the right, nothing in the middle. This will give you a clean pretty and simple design without overstating the decorations. Please post pics when you are finished. I am sure it will be pretty.

Remove the mirror or have it framed. Don't hang the TV over the FP - nothing decorative about TVs. Use larger items on the mantle. Group of big, chunky candle sticks with battery powered candles, books laid horizontally with vase of twigs. Try some of that. Also, use bigger pictures or large grouping over sofas - what you have now is way too small. Just a few suggestions. Play with it until you hit on the right look - it takes time to decorate.

Yes it does. Loose the mirror and get a good painting that will be a good start. Later on I would design an entire new mantel. First I would searched this sight and looked at all the great fireplaces.

My update. I'm using what I have while I save up for some new stuff :-)

Certainly looks better but too much stuff and still too small since your mirror is so tall. If you took the mirror down and found a large piece of art at HomeGoods, you might have a better make-do situation. Also, look for art on Art.com - might find something inexpensive there.

Do you think framing the current mirror like this would help the space?

I don't know how you feel about going this far, but a little black paint might ground it well enough:



It wouldn't hurt to have a nice black screen in front of those old Monessen DLX24PMAS gas logs either.

P.S. I don't hate the mirror, but only because it looks right to me in a house that was probably built in the twenties or thirties.

Is the mirror clipped on or is it glued? I thought I saw clips. If so, I would take it down. I see nothing but the fan. I would take away the bird cage too and take down those two small pictures over the couch. I like your couch. You could use some colorful pillows. I like blue as an accent with brown.

The white trim and light wall paint color give you a lot of freedom. My overall suggestion would be to move away from trying to be symmetrical, on both the mantel and the walls of the sofa. I once heard a designer suggest that mantle arrangements should vary in height and weight and mimic the shape of your hand, with fingers straight and touching. I've tried it and it works! good luck

Please lose the mirror. All if reflects is a ceiling fan. Here's an Ideabook on styling a mantel:
https://www.houzz.com/magazine/decorating-the-mantel-create-a-fireplace-focal-point-stsetivw-vs~1997434

As I commented before, and other comments said--get rid of the mirror. Also another good idea that somone mentioned above is to paint the bricks a dark color for contrast.

The mirror is coming down tonight ! I took the clips off but can't lift it myself. I found a different framed mirror to mount instead. What do you think

That mirror looks much better!

I personally am distracted by the mirror. I think a painting or photo framed hanging a bit above the mantle would help a lot.

I tried to switch out the mirror but I still see the fan! Should I skip the mirror all together?

Yes. Skip the mirror altogether. Seeing the ceiling fan over your fireplace is not ideal. Part of the problem, I think, is the items you're using are too small for the space. You need a canvas about the size of the framed mirror.

Here's an idea for something you could make with some paper and a thrift store frame. Pair it with that tall red martini glass, your tallest red candles, and a black plate.

Just saw the latest pic. MUCH better. Hang the round mirror about 6 inches up and tilted slightly down (to get rid of the fan reflection). Then move your other objects in toward the center a bit.

I agree with groveraxle--but don't move the objects to close to the center. Good job!

The mirror above is much better but I think it's still too small. However, until you can find great artwork you could hang the mirror as suggested above. All the other stuff is still too small. Just start collecting some larger pieces if you don't have any in your house already. You'll get there - as I said before, decorating takes time as well as money. Good Luck.

I would combine the round mirror in your last picture, the candle holders with light candles ..to add height I would put a couple of books or a basket upside down under your items, stager the height, if you have a tray try puting it behind the candle holders, Have you thought about painting the trim a darker color , it would so pop the beautiful stone.

Really love the round mirror much, much better.

The round mirror is so much better. Once you save up, i recommend updating the ceiling fan with a new fixture if that is going to be the reflection - it would also do wonders for the rest of the room. Use your own crafts to make artwork and buy some nice frames - quality, large artwork is typically costly. You can make some cool pieces by looking online for ideas.

Round mirror works well but need to be hang on the wall a bit higher up. It looks so much better!

Great! Your persistence has paid off. Very classy. You are on your way. Keep working on your home until YOU love it!

Odd numbers look best. I like the mirror but would use two other objects.

Newest update

Too many small things. Do you have any books you can prop up the candles on the right side on. I would lose everything except the two holders for now. You need varying height. Maybe two books under one and let the other one sit on the mantle with one small red holder for now.

Hi Gwen, What a trooper you are with all of the changes and sharing of photos. I actually really like the photo above this one where you have the star burst mirror lower and the different textured accessories.

I totally agree with Tammy !!! Looks great! Quit while you are ahead and enjoy your new mantle!!! Great job.

Like the Starburst mirror best so far, but I think you could consider layering it with your framed mirror (and maybe paint out the frame an nice deep brown black; and, as mentioned above, consider painting out the bricks a brown black). You would need to try it to see if you would still significantly reflect the fan this way, or if in the layering you could somehow lose that reflection. Perhaps group three of the smaller items in a tiered fashion on the left. On the right, add a talk chunky, textured wooden item (like a wooden candle base and pillar candle) and a stack of antique books on their side, which is shown in one of the pics above. Also, if you don't want to paint out the brick or the frame, is there any architecture to frame the wall its on so that you can paint the background of it a deeper colour to make the fireplace pop? Some inspiration below: http://simpledetailsblog.blogspot.ca/2011/10/im-no-amanda-talley.html

Hi Gwen, thanks for sharing this evolutionary process. In each of your photos, my eye catches on the TV which appears to be in front of a window. Have you tested it above the mantle? Sorry to all those who hate TVs above a fireplace but it might be a good solution. :-) D

I've been pushing for it to go above, but my husband is against it.

Oh, bummer. I could picture someone reclining back, their head all comfy and supported by the back of the sectional, therefore their eyes rest nicely at the above fireplace height. May be time to offer something else that he wants (man cave garage? BBQ in backyard?)...negotiation time!

Reprinted the wall and remounted the mirror! I'm still looking for some new stuff but I think it looks 100 times better than my first picture! Thank you everyone for your help!

Sorry I meant repainted!

You might want to remove the gold framed picture with the grays/silver in the other things.....just take your time, and find a few things you like to,place there with height. When you are short on change, don't be afraid to garage sale...or goodwill.

Agree with jodico too. I would add books underneath one of the candle holders for height instead of just laying everything on the mantle and move them to one side. I know everyone has books and place one on the books and the other with nothing and then get a plant for the other side and remove the silver vases. The mirror looks good.

Looks so much better Gwen. Agree with jodico, don't be afraid of garage sales, or thrift stores.

Beautiful job Gwen. Looks much much better! I think it still could use some tweaking and like the suggestions above. I agree too about garage sales and thrift stores. You might also look for tag or estate sales in your area. But take your time and get what really speaks to you when you see it!

Thanks so much for sharing your progress!

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

Hi G, great photo! Pardon my sloppy sketch yet I'm throwing in the mix the possibility of floating a dark brown wood frame around your glam mirror to suggest you go for a ”rustic glam” style. It would merge the dark brown sectional with clean mod. Your pillows, throws could be silvery. Just a thought. Best, D

Oops, sorry for the sideway sketch!