I'm sorry, but I agree with your family member. It seems awkward. Mainly because the colors do not seem to match the room. Is this a family room or a formal living room? What color are the walls- they are looking green. If you like the items on the mantle, I would remat the painting- using softer brown colors and a larger mat or frame.

I agree with Kelly & your family members & I'm a professional home stager in Dallas... It is all out of proportion and truthfully I'd take it all down. The mantle itself is actually higher than I'd expect to see - did you have this redone? There is a lot of empty space between the fireplace opening & the mantle itself and then it's limiting the size of items to place on or above it - the largest picture is actually too big anyway. I'd do something simple and long (horizontal) to help balance this. I'm going to attach a photo of a "short" fireplace wall with what kind of décor/artwork I'd recommend for yours. It's a long piece of metalwork - I think I found it at Hobby Lobby. You can always flank the mantle with 2 matching candle sticks or topiaries. Keep the rule of 3 in mind when decorating your mantle or other areas of the house. Hope this helps!

As others have said, I would certainly suggest removing the large frame (too big for the space) and balancing the sides around the photo with whatever suits your fancy whether plants, candles, vases, etc.

I agree that they are not only the wrong proportion and color --but when staging, it is best not to use personal /family photos. Use decorative items that will appeal to buyers.

The wall are yellow

I can't take the mantle down at this time this is how the fire place was built. My husband Insist on the photos being in the room. The walls Are light yellow. I really do not know what to do

I would also get a fireplace screen.

It is a family room

Wha

How about if you keep the smaller one there, layered with some larger items and then find another spot in this room for the large picture? Do you have a small wall where THIS pic would fit or a table it could be propped on? Maybe place some of his medals on the table with it. Was he a sprinter?

A pop of red on the mantle will look nice with this smaller pic and also with the yellow walls. Do you have anything red? BIG?

I think the two pictures together is a great idea, just not on that mantel! As others said, it's out of proportion and feels off. I like Abby's idea of bringing in some red as its in both pictures. Not sure about the rest of the room, but keep the photograph on the mantel and mount the art somewhere alongside the mantel perhaps, so the top of the frames line up. As someone else mentioned, you may want to consider reframing, or rematting the pictures

I am sorry I uses the wrong words I am not moving. This is our family room and this is the photo my husband had on the fire place mantel but he had a lot of clutter too. Too make him happy and for me to get him to get rid if the 20 year old tv and replace it with a flat screen and he has a old surround sound and huge speaker. He is getting small ones. So this was the compromise. I just want to change it up with out hurting his feeling or making him up set. He is set in his ways. We have only been married for 2 years and this was his house. I am on the deed now and have am redoing the house. We have a limited budget. I am getting a screen. It is wood burning but he never used it. I am getting it cleaned. I have always had a wood burning fire place. Thank you.

You are a good wife! Tough to move in to HIS home and please both of you. You are making a good trade with some decor ideas, too. Let him know how hard you are trying to make this look theeee best! AND to please him at the same time.

abbeyjean thank you for your kind words

I would keep the plant and the photo together, just switch them with the plant closer to the right, with the photo on the inside. Otherwise looks better, but yes, something big and or dramatic needs to focus that arrangement. It's too weak visually now

You are getting there! For right now, kind of flip things........slide the plant and pic, just like they are, down to where the candles are and the scoot the candles over to about the middle. See how nice the red looks with the picture?? You need odd numbers when you decorate, so this will feel off due to the FOUR, but you are close.

Ya know what.......let me change this one more time.........keep the plant and pic as you have them as that is soooo perfect, but move it to the middle of the opening of the fireplace below. Get rid of the lower red candle and put the taller one overlapping the picture, too. You do not want it side by side, but have it covering part of it, just like the plant is. Then you have your three things and it will look ok until you find your larger item. Your hubby needs to give you a big hug!!!

Ia that right

I don't know how to move around the discussion to make one all can see.

THIS will work right now!!! I like the glass candle holders with the glass the fern is in, too. AND you did a great job with the layering!!!

Working with what you have, why don't you do like last pic above but use the larger drawing instead of the smaller photo? It will fill the space much better. Still keep the plant and candles. If you need a little more height on the candles you could cheat and place a book or box of some sort under the candleholders (or just the one toward the back)

The large frame pic could have a thinner frame to match the other frame. That will help the pics to be together.

I think your designer was trying to achieve this look. Try overlapping the smaller one in front of the larger one. Then place the candles on one side and the plant on the other side-similar to the picture below.

2 yr old post.