STYLING A MANTELPIECE
Styling a mantelpiece
A mantelpiece can be a masterful focal point and in this article we discuss what goes on it, above it, under it and even what to do if you don’t have one to start with.
The mantelpiece is an omnipresent interior design facet, evolving from a practical smoke-catching necessity in Medieval times to a Victorian aesthetic obsession. First merely a shelf-style hood and later encompassing highly decorative surrounds, the mantelpiece has taken on shrine-like significance – a place to display cherished photographs, cards and items.
When it comes to luxury interior design, it’s amazing how such a small space can have profound significance. Today, interior designers regard the mantelpiece as a pivotal design feature and it remains a way for clients to express their taste.
When incorporating an existing mantelpiece into a scheme, an interior designer will always perform a site survey. They’ll ask if there is a working fire and if so, what fuel does it use, how the mantelpiece is fixed to the wall and what will go above it.
Television screens and log burners, open fires or gas stoves generally don’t mix due to the heat output from the fire and the operation of the screen. In addition, the height above a mantel isn’t optimum for viewing, so we advise clients to locate their screen elsewhere. A mirror or painting mounted above a mantelpiece is a far better option.
The mantel itself is where we can get creative and the theme can change in line with the seasons. Real or good-quality faux foliage, intertwined with seasonal berries and twigs, can be used in the art of mantelscaping – where picture-perfect vignettes are created through artfully arranged decorations.
One classic mantel theme is monochrome. An assortment of framed black and white photos as well as prints - propped up along the shelf - can be stunning. Alternatively, a series of vases filled with fresh blooms can make a visual and olfactory statement.
While tempting to place one central item in the middle – such as a mantel clock – and create a mirror image on either side, luxury interior design can involve the rule of three, when trios of certain items are grouped together. When it comes to a mantelpiece arrangement, this could be three bud vases, three figurines or three candles.
A word of warning on the latter. Candles have long been used on mantelpieces but they should be done so with caution. Placed within a tea light holder, lantern or hurricane vase is safest, and a candle should never burn unattended. In addition, a candle placed too close to the wall may leave soot marks and they should be extinguished using a snuffer, not blown out.
If you have inherited a mantelpiece and it’s the right style but not the right finish, it may need a make-over. Old cast iron fireplaces can be obscured by layers of paint but this can be stripped away using a chemical such as Nitromors. Wooden mantelpieces may simply need a sand and repaint.
For those who yearn for a mantel but have moved into a property devoid of such a feature, buying either a plaster mantel and placing it in your desired room, or installing a bio ethanol fire kit, which does not need a chimney or flue and comes compete with a mantelpiece, is a solution. At the most base level, a rustic sleeper can be installed at mantel-height to provide a shelf to dress.
Ask Rudolph Diesel to create a new or improved mantelpiece in your home. Our interior design studio in London can also oversee any structural work needed to open up a fireplace, create a chimney breast or install a fire.