What to do on the mantle?

13 years ago

I recently purchased the 5 metal heron sculptures for our new coastal Carolina home. They are the perfect scale and color for the wall over our mantle, but now I am not sure what, if anything, I should do with the mantel itself. I am planning on adding some canvass art in the large space to the left. I tend to be a minimalist, but do I still need more? I would welcome any ideas.

Featured Answer

lefty47

13 years ago

last modified: 13 years ago

HI -- Love the Heron art pieces , but could you rearrange a bit ? Move the smallest one to the right a little and move the big one that is on the bottom right to the left a little, to fill that empty angled hole in the middle . Yes, I totally agree you need to tone down the white mantel or better yet replace with a drift wood or stone mantel piece . I think that the fireplace really needs to be framed more with a wide frame on the sides and top(mantel) all in one piece with mitered corners ,instead of having something just plunked on the top .And then you don't need to have any other décor on the mantel . Are you sticking with the color on the walls or can we help you with that also . The color is pretty but perhaps dated .

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Comments (18)

User
13 years ago
That's enough if you want to keep the herons as the focal point.
Mark
13 years ago
I would replace the white mantel because it is too new looking and too white. You need a a nice chunky piece of weathered wood for the mantel.
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User
13 years ago
Oh, that is a great idea Mark! Right now the white is a bit glaring.
Carolina
13 years ago
I'd make the mantle darker so that it doesn't stand out so much.
Carolina
13 years ago
Hey Mark, great minds.... :-)
PRO
Imaginations Design Studio/Cheri Brichetto Designs
13 years ago
You need to make the mantel disappear, currently it is where your eye first lands. I would either paint it a similar color to the stone or replace it with stone or a rustic piece of wood.
betherskine
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for those suggestions.....however the white mantle now matches the fairly extensive trim and beams in the rest of the room and I'm wondering if painting one lone feature a different color would make it too isolating?
User
13 years ago
Bringing in a new material like a stone would not make it look isolated but intended.
giniaginia
13 years ago
omg... its great. Savana Whalen is an artist in McClellanville, SC are those made by her? She has work in Litchfield and Charleston galleries.
They are awesome and do make a statement but you need some more things equally as awesome! Not sre what? but you will find it:)
Jean O
13 years ago
I think a wood mantel would bring out the brown bricks in the fireplace... The white doesn't seem to fit in... it doesn't match the white trim at all... all you see is the mantel stick out... I never even noticed the white trim until you said something... if anything, the white trim will come out with the white mantel gone... I have the same exact fireplace... and my mantel is wood...
PRO
Sarah Bernardy Design, LLC
13 years ago
The fireplace stonework is very heavy in proportion to the mantel. Replace mantel with a chunky dark wood that has more weight and possibly even a wide rustic corbel like leg to wrap down the sides of the stone. This will anchor the wall so that your herons can sore above.
Teresa Fell
13 years ago
How about something like this:
User
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
For some reason when I see this picture above, I now see a shotgun leaning up againt the fireplace...;)
lefty47
13 years ago
HI -- Ok, now I'm choking on my breakfast laughing !!!
Jenny Clagett
13 years ago
I agree. Rearrange the Herons. Pick the dominant color of the stone and paint the mantel or switch to wood - stained or driftwood - as others have suggested.
elcieg
13 years ago
Very nice…I think, besides the good advice Mark gave you about the mantel, you should bring the great blue down closer to the mantle and a bit left of center. The two smaller herons should be out there on their own because it this were true to life the size would indicate they were flying farther in the distance.
PRO
Lou Vaughn Bath Remodeling
12 years ago
Bring more of the outdoors in with a natural wood piece forsure! Maybe add some natural wood wainscoting to give the effect that one is seeing the birds out of a very large window! http://LouVaughnRemodeling.com