Oh, I do like that Adrianne!

With the height of the flower sprig, I don't mind the white vase on the left now :)
Nice job, Adrianne, looks really good. :)

Yay, go find some sprigs :)

Visual weight.. it kind of like teetor totter. So when you have a plump lady and a little kid.. you need to bring the plump lady closer to the center. The vases on the right are your plump lady.. but the stuff on the left isn't a little kid.. but it is lighter so it should be further off of center.

I think I am the plump lady.

Then always be in the center! :)

LOL, I thought it was me, I was going to check in the mirror, and then move myself around the room to where I fit best ;D

I've been reading this thread all morning and LOVE all of the suggestions. So, now that the sprigs have been brought up or fresh flowers, had to jump in....some Forsythia stems would be nice. WIll last a week or so, even faux ones from Hobby Lobby would work and last FOREVER.

With all fairness GroverAxle was the first to mention orchid or bringing the items more centered and overlapping.. She is a clever one!

I was going to say I should always have my children with me, but then I thought not.

Yeah.. keep them away.. thats what I do to balance things.. JK

LMAO! Totally Adrianne!

Get a big tall (4ft) art piece in bold colors instead of boring mirror. Then use 3 of your pots on one end only remove all other items. Less is more.

For the time being, Travis, she's working with what she's got : - )

Thanks Anne! Travis - I appreciate the suggestion but I like my boring mirror. The vases can be returned, the mirror cannot. At least not for the time being.

Love this! It looks wonderful set up this way, great job!

Ok so I think I like white but I was rushed and only had time to look at a few places.

Left :)))

Are they both white?

Yes let me get up closer. Is it weird that all the vases but one are the same style/material? Glass vs Ceramic?

Looks really nice.

I have to say that until you mentioned it, I thought the glass one was just a darker blue ceramic, it looks good on here, but if it bothers you, you might want to try to find another ceramic one. But I think it looks fine. I like the one on the right now. :)
How do you like it?

I like it much better than before. I am having a party tomorrow so we will see if people comment on it. It's much more dramatic than before so it may take a little getting used to. I did save the boxes for the vases just in case I change my mind! ;). Now this just makes me want to give the mantel/surround even more!

I love the pic of before and after, it's a huge difference, with such small changes :)

Looks great! I like the right pic best!

Thanks for your help mforr! It's growing on me quickly!

Don't thank me, I just started the ball rolling, thank anne dee, Grover and Adrianne, they gave you the great visuals :)))

I would use that mirror elsewhere. Add some drama.

Great job...like the right picture a lot.
Maybe in the future you can us the mirror elsewhere but for now this looks simple well thought out and interesting.
In the future, when you do enlarge the fireplace area (something you talked about at the start) use a deep (12-14") mantle.
Devour Houzz for ideas.
You will be amazed at what you can do with ready made a little molding, lighting and paint.
I have enjoyed the transformation of the mantle with a "little help from your friends."

Thank you togetherbydesign! Mforr, Anne Dee, Adrianne and Grover really helped transform it from where I started. I realize its not perfect or not everyone's taste but I am enjoying looking at it. My back story is that last year we moved from my husbands 1,000 SF bachelor house (no keepable furniture or decor) to a 3,000 SF home with a 3 year old and a 4 week old baby. So I had to make some decisions rather quickly (and before I discovered Houzz) so I'm sure as our style evolves there will be items that go but for now I have to live with some of my earlier choices simply because our bank account is not endless. :) We have to get new doors for the fireplace so I am sure that project is not too far into the future for us. I will be posting here when we do!

looks good. You could go even taller with the flowers :)

I love the mirror, but the wide, dark frame overpowers the fireplace. I would hang a large, beautiful painting higher in its place. A wider piece of wood could be screwed onto the top wood of the mantle. Wood puttied and painted to match if you would like an immediate depth to group your vases. I agrre with the odd number of vases, side to side....or, perhaps find an appropriate size statue at a thrift shop to
balance the height of the grouped vases. Another possibility instead of vases on both sides would be framed photos different sizes staggered(Partly overlapping). You have all kinds of possibilities! And they could be chaged seasonally. Light and airy colors for Summer and heavier, chunkier piece or two for winter

We all know about starting out. I for one have certainly been there.
Take it slow because over time your style will change.
Don't go for trends...even if all your gal pals are...you will tire of them.
If you are temped toward the "hot now" looks keep it to pillows, throws and the like.
Make neutral color decisions for any permanent affixed items and any large piece of furniture (sofa is one do these).
Enjoy these "yummy years" with the little ones....you will never have better decor than them and their style.
Start a Houzz idea book...make notes about why you like a picture you saved....you will see a direction you are going in style wise...at this time in your life.

I actually love the dark mirror there, You need something dark to offset the dark pieces on the other side of room and dining area of kitchen. Plus it's great with the darker vase and a good background for the flower sprig.
It's very hard to get it all together when you have the little ones, they're so wonderful, but they want ALL of your time. Coming on here was a great move, you get troops of people just waiting to help you out and give you a fresh perspective. Sometimes, when your working on things on your own, just take a picture of the different areas and see how things look in photo. It's amazing what you can catch as looking "awkward" when you look at it in person every day and sort of pass over the awkwardness. The photo puts it into a different perspective and forces you to "see" what might need a little tweaking :)

good advice mforr.
I take pics of my space all the time.
It often helps me to make the right decisions!!

I recently redid a similar mantle. by sawing off the faux pillars and going right over the marble with bluestone! It came out great and the price was so reasonable. if you have a decent contractor - this was completed within hours ( after ordering the stone )

Less is more...What do you want for your focus? I am guessing the mirror? Like the vases, just too many of them and too many of the same shape. Pick 3, cluster them together if you have the room. Then put something different on the other side...Candle, favorite photo...green grass plant...sentimental object...good luck

I think you should put a beautiful oil painting....it will make the fireplace look more important. It's very pretty but your cluttering it up.

I think this space is just lacking in height really. If it were me, I would remove all those pieces. Raise the mirror higher. Find 3 tall and skinny vases in white, clear or even neutral tones. But incorporating 3 different heights. Tallest and shortest on the right, middle height on the left. And using twiggy floral accents in the taller of the vases I'm suggesting will bring out the texture in the mirror and give you and outlet for a pop of color. As far as the fireplace itself, you could even overlay a stone tile with glass accents on your beige inset and give all this more focal points.

This should help visualize what I'm saying.

You have a beautiful house!

Did you think about adding two matching buffet lamps on either side? A nice contrasting color like coral or orange would be lovely and help balance everything by adding height and depth.

hi right there are a few areas you are going wrong one the furniture is plast wrong will get to that in min let's focus on the fire place your ornaments are fine you say the fire surround is small now what you have done is put a small then round mirror above it which is small so your eye draws you in trust me go get a large rectangle mirror wider than the fire place by about 4 or 5 inches it needs to be about same gap from top of fire place and be higher than the top of windows if you can get one with no frame it will automaticly open it right up move your furniture away from the windows from what I can see they are your key feature in the room and try then placing something to side of fire place it needs to be tall slim again creating height width clean lines visually if you need any help get back to me

Paint the mantle the same color as travertine Then ad golg to edges and trim. Also do gold plating to mirror

Have you tried placing the tall white, turquoise and brown or your green vase (3vases) on the left side of hearth?

Did you try placing the small white vase with the floral branch on the left corner of mantle , then the frame sort of overlapping ?

Through a Mirror TV up there!! We like using Seura TV's, very cool!!

Find a piece of art that ties in the colors of the room.

I find the collection of accessories too "hard" and cold - I think you would do well to add something organic and more free-flowing, with more texture - a plant, if not some flowers or branches added to the vases. Put things on the mantel that you love - this is a focal point and it should make you happy when you look at it. I love the rhino!

paint the mantel brown/black or charcoal or whatever that goes with the marble that will help Leave the vases on left and take off ones on right, then add a rectangular box shape