Before: simple accessories may work for this mantel in spring and summer, but for the winter and holiday season you will want to amp up your design and add warmth to every nook and cranny of your space.
Think of your garden as an extension of your home and you will feel liberated to bring indoor design elements outside. Here, a mirror on a stone shelf gives the look of a mantel. Mirrors are also great ways to create the illusion of more space both indoors and out.
The 8-inch deep thick mantel above the direct vent gas fireplace has a stain that resembles the dark and rich color of the living room's hickory floor.
No mantel, no problem! If your home doesn't have a hearth, fake it with this DIY project from Marian Parsons. Customize your homemade mantel with colorful paint and pretty knobs or hooks for stockings.
Chalkboards can hang over the mantel or, in this case, stand in for it entirely! This clever faux mantel wall hanging from designer Brian Patrick Flynn is a smart solution for apartment dwellers or renters.
Designers Chip and Joanna Gaines chose an antique map and rustic wood flower vases to complement the warmth of this fireplace mantel, seen on Fixer Upper.
Candles, plants and groupings of favorite personal objects add character and style to a mantel. Mix in new store bought elements with existing objects to create a brand-new tableau without breaking the bank.
