10 Unique Ways to Style a Perfect Mantel

Dress up your living room's coziest focal point with these unexpected ideas.

ROWENA NAYLOR/STOCKSY
Add a Pop of Drama
Use your mantel as a ledge to prop up your favorite colorful painting — it's a fresher, yet more casual, look than hanging it.

Mark Lund/Getty Images
Stack Colorful Books
A fully-stocked bookcase makes any room instantly cozier, but your library shouldn't be confined to tightly packed shelves. Stacking volumes on a mantel brings a lived-in vibrancy to your home — and may just inspire a bit of fireside reading.

Valerie Wilcox/Offset
Prop Up a Mirror
Mirrors make any room seem more expansive, so place one above a fireplace for a bit of optical magic. Pick a mirror with a simple frame to prevent your mantel from looking overcrowded.

ZACH DESART/OFFSET
Scatter Succulents
You don't need to have a green thumb to bring the outside in. A couple of potted succulents gives a plain mantel a modern twist.

David Prince/Offset
Display Assorted Antiques
A curated collection of eccentricities deserves an elegant display. Antiques and collectibles of all sorts give a mantel one-of-a-kind character.

RUTH BLACK/STOCKSY
Hang a Modern Wreath
Your front door isn't the only place deserving of a wreath. Select an unusual one to place above an elegant fireplace to act as a focal point in your living room.

We Are SISU/Stocksy
Arrange a Collection of Candles
Candlesticks get a contemporary edge when displayed in mix-and-match holders. Use candles of all the same color to reign in the vignette, but feel free to play around with varying heights and widths.

Francesco Lagnese
Display a Nautical Accent
Don't be afraid to go big and bold. An unexpected wall hanging like a fish figure is sure to turn heads and prevent a mantel from looking too cliché. Nautical décor remains classic — year after year.

Francesco Lagnese
Position Mixed Vases
Simple assorted pottery of the same hue strikes the perfect balance between folksy and chic. Place pieces in clusters of different shapes and sizes to avoid an overly symmetrical mantel.

Bob Hiemstra
Prop Up a Statement Piece
The right piece can transform a mantel into an eye-catching display. This wooden artwork gives a natural touch to a stately fireplace, and when situated alongside small décor pieces, it makes a majestic room accent.

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By Rebecca Deczynski

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