Across the room

Also the pics of the wall are a little crooked b/c I was trying to avoid my reflection in the mirror!

Your stone is quite dark, believe a mirror or framed art can brighten the space. IF anchoring onto the stone, drill into a mortar line and adjust height using wire.

Yes, agree stone is dark - the art is good IMO because of the dark stone. The art pops out as light - like a mirror would but the art is much more interesting to look at. The left side of mantel - looking at FP - needs a bright pop too for balance. The color of the chair next to FP & the color of the console on the back wall is also in the art. I would place a taller pottery / ceramic type of vase or statue or something else much taller than the dark bowl that is there next to the art. That would add to the art arrangement & tie that color to the entire room. I’d also look for toss pillows with that blue greenish color in it & add them to the sofa & loveseat.

Thanks! Any artwork selections are appreciated. I’m thinking something that is more abstract and solid colors, basically kind of background to the existing art.

Hmm - I missed the bit about layering the art. I just did an image search for ”layered art on mantel” & sooo many ideas pop up. I see mirrors used as part of the layering in many of the pics but certainly many more ideas. You might be able to ’shop’ your home for art to try out behind the great piece you have. I would still use a vase in the color I suggested as part of the layering — maybe add some greenery to it.

While the width of the art over the mantel is fine, it seems like you need something taller in place of the art rather than layered.

The mirror over the blue sideboard seems small in proportion to the sideboard length. The fireplace art (perhaps in a different frame) might work there with decor.

While searching for a piece to layer, I found this collection on Minted. My husband and I both like it. I could do any of these three.

I like them so much I hate to hide it with layering… Maybe I should get a really big version of the Minted one and put the existing art somewhere else? It would go well in another room I have.

Could do it in 30x40” over the fireplace

Did you try this art from Minted with their visualizer in your room? While the image is interesting it’s pretty dark for your FP. At very least you’d need a really light frame color & that might detract from image & FP & make the frame the most noticeable thing. The picture that you have would look great over the console & maybe cover the holes from hanging mirror.

I just tried that but I couldn’t get it to show a pic. It was just blank.

We also like this one although I’m kind of nervous about the hot pink.

Meredith - I’d be nervous about the hot pink too! 😉 It’s jarring with the warm, cozy tones of your room. So, a big no vote from me on that one. Maybe think about adding something with texture as a layering element - like a metal or woven piece - both could be either painted or left natural. I keep looking at the size of the art you have on mantel & I’m wondering if it’s too large to layer with another piece. I still think adding the color of the console with a ceraminc piece & adding some greenery would be the best look. You don’t want it too busy - the FP is a great focal point as is with lots of detail in the stone.

ETA - Your windows & veiws are stellar - the FP is centered in that view - I think simpler is better for the mantel. No layering.

I'm far from talented in the decorator sense, but my mild OCD is wreaking havoc with that art being uncentered and being set on the mantle, not hung. Are you going to change that? Perhaps I just don't understand.

Meredith - the art that’s on mantel now - can it be turned to be standing on a short side so it’s sitting taller on mantel? The image doesn’t have a top or bottom orientation since it’s an abstract does it? It just occured to me doing that would give you more room next to this art to layer another couple pieces on the mantel. And, since the stone goes to ceiling the height is certainly there.

I’m like Suzieque - my OCDness is screaming ”Center that lovely art on the mantel and remove whatever is to the left of the art!” 😉

Ha ha, it’s always centered. I just moved it for the pics to show where it would be if I layered it.

Meredith - does turning it sideways allow more room for layering?

I had that for a while too. But I had had it horizontal for so long that I was more used to it horizontal.
But I could do whatever makes more sense

It’s about 36” hung vertically

Wow - what a difference! I really like that orientation better even if you don’t layer more art or items with it. Do you have a tall vase with color & greenery that you could sit next to it? Thanks so much for humoring me & posting that pic!

Thanks for humoring me!
I don’t have any tall vases. I grabbed the best things I have for the pics, but I know they’re not the right things.

I could also order this print in a bigger size than what I have already. And move my current artwork somewhere else.

I do like those 2 pieces. With apologies to those OCD folks in this thread - I would move the art to the left so it’s off center & put the larger vase with flower vase. Moving art to left is to balance both the larger sofa piece on right & the 2 lanterns on hearth on left. An asymetrical arrangement with balance of weight / bulk of other objects in the room that’s interesting. The section of the trip tych you’re considering - I think the image is too much like the art you have & sitting together they would look like a ’mish-mash’ of paint splotches. Also, I don’t see a color or tonal blend between the two pieces. I like the piece you have so much because of it’s brightness with the whiter background. It plays off the windows so well & also off the birch logs in FP. Maybe try my arrangement & if you agree then search for brighter or more interesting shaped pieces to replace the 2 glass pieces. Or, add a bright green ferny leafed sprigs to the taller piece to brighten it up.

ETA - with the closer view of your FP & art I can see that the pillow on the chair ties nicely into the art colors!

Thank you! That makes sense (and saves me money).

Regarding the pieces I pulled for the pic. I’m using them in other parts of the house. So I can try to find two other things to display on the left side. I agree with you about the existing art and the white background. Thank you!

Happy that you’re going to leave the art there. It’s quite nice reflected in the round mirror over the console too. If you have stores like Home Goods, Marshalls etc nearby they are great places to find interesting & not too much $$ ceramic & glass pieces.

How high should the pieces be? The picture this way is 36” tall.

I know you are loathe to move the mirror but I do think the round mirror over your mantle would look great. Then you could do a large print or two medium sized of the Minted ones you like over the credenza. The mirror right now over the credenza looks a bit lost and a bit too high.

Maybe like this:

It’s definitely personal preference but I do disagree about moving the mirror to the FP mantel. What will be reflected in the mirror from that spot? Not much of interest. Where it is now above the console it reflects both light & beautiful view as well as the image of the art over FP. IDK if the mirror is too high over console but based on Meredith’s note about all the holes, I’d be reluctant to move or rehang in place. What I would do, after studying the pic with the console is this: move both the candlesticks & the tall bottles (?) shapes on the other side just a bit away from their edges & towards the mirror. They look ready to leap off console so close to edges. Place something like that long dough bowl (?) that’s on FP mantel in original picture - it has moss balls or something in it - under the mirror to fill space & anchor the mirror to the console. Better?

I moved them!

Meredith - I think that’s absolutely perfect!! Love, love it!! And, look at that great reflection in the mirror!! So interesting. 😊 What do you think?

ETA: I see in reflection that you added a white pot with a green plant in it to the mantel. Looks great!

I love it moved! These are the types of things I cannot figure out on my own. Thank you so much for the suggestion!

The plant is just a filler for now, but thank you! I need to find something taller.

I bought these horses for the green color, but maybe not enough contrast?
I picked them up at Crate and Barrel. I saw a bunch of white vases/ pitchers. Maybe I should have gone with something like that. Anyway, just lmk what you think if you don’t mind!

They are pretty darn cute! I looked at them at CB site & see that the large horse is almost 14” hi x 12” long so that gives me a better perspective of size. I like their texture against the stone too. I agree that more contrast would be perfection but wonder if you have something that could lean against stone behind them to create the contrast. A lighter color of wooden plate / tray or a gold one? I’m wondering too how they’d look on console under the round mirror? They are the kind of pieces that you want to keep & find a place for because they appealed to you when you saw them. So if they don’t seem quite right for the space you hoped, find another place so you can enjoy them. I actually just noticed that there are no tables in this room - is that intentional? They’d be great sitting on a coffee table or on a larger side table. About the white vases - they’d definitely be higher contrast but I’d be careful that a white vase wasn’t too smooth & shiny. That would be too formal of a piece on the stone FP. A creamy color would be better & even better a pottery type piece - like the horses are.

You keep adding more and more stuff to the fireplace end of the room but the rest of the room is quite barren. Is this a new move for you and you are still getting settled? There are no end tables, no coffee table, no lamps, no decorative items. Perhaps once these items are added, the fireplace and mantle needs might be different from what they are today.

Horses, and nature, make much of our decorating be it framed art or display pieces.

Not close pix but placement examples.

Thanks! And thanks for taking the time to look up the measurements! I don’t have anything else to put behind it. I may go back to Crate and Barrel this weekend.

It’s not a new move- I just had the room professionally painted and am now trying to decorate. It took me almost a year to pick out paint (I created so many posts about it here). I eventually hired a consultant to help me. I love the room now and am trying to finish up the decorating. I plan to add a floor lamp. Regarding tables… the room doesn’t seem bare to me in person. My daughter likes to dance and uses this room to practice her routines, so I wouldn’t want to put a coffee table in here. Maybe an end table at some point, but I have absolutely no eye to decorating- and it’s not something I like to spend a lot of money on, so I usually spend months looking for something that is nice but also in my budget.

You did a great job with picking paint color! Makes sense about no coffee table - dancing is much more fun & important! I keep looking at the chair - it seems like the perfect place to curl up with a good book. I would need a lamp for evening & a table to set my cup or glass down onto. Maybe you could think of adding a right size (medium I think) end table there that’s large enough for a table lamp to sit on it. That would create a lovely & inviting reading spot - or the perfect spot to sit & watch your daughter dance….