Warm greetings from The Inviting Home! The holiday season is upon us, and I hope you are finding warmth, welcome and joy in your gathering spaces. Perhaps the most favorite gathering space in my home is around the fireplace. It invites, because we always find warmth and welcome there. I wonder if you’re finding yourself drawn to your fireplace? Perhaps you’re wanting to invoke a warm and inviting feel. I found the following collection of tips useful and hope you find inspiration in them as well:
*The fireplace in any room typically stands out as a main focal point. It should compliment existing décor as it commands attention. As you decorate with holiday trimmings, use colors and style that echo the décor of your living space.
*Multiple items can have a larger impact on the mantle than a single item. Consider leaning 3-5 images of a similar theme upon the mantelshelf. Make sure your framed pieces are at least 1/3 the height of the chimney. This will insure your arrangement is in scale with your fireplace. Balance and proportion are equally important here as in the rest of your living spaces!
*A mirror above a fireplace adds an open and airy feel to the room. Consider adding mercury glass hurricanes or candlesticks to the mantle – their reflective surfaces add “bright and light” to the room. Holiday greens add texture as well as a warm, fragrant and welcoming touch.
*If your mantle or fireplace lacks attention, wake it up with a burst of color by painting it a color that contrasts with your walls; it will bring immediate warmth and awareness to your focal point.
*Layering items on your mantle is a unique way to highlight what you own. To avoid a cluttered look, keep a sense of continuity with your items; vary the heights and sizes of your objects; place larger pieces in back; use stands (or books) to raise select items if necessary.
*If you have a single, show-stopping piece of holiday artwork you wish to highlight, consider placing it above your mantle. If you feel the overall look is bare, add candlesticks or drape greenery to add a little more presence.
*The use of natural elements such as pinecones, branch clippings, cranberries, pomegranates and greens bring instant holiday cheer to your mantle.
The following links offer inspiration for holiday decorating:
50 beautiful mantels:
http://www.traditionalhome.com/design_decorating/howwelive/holiday-mantels_ss1.html?sssdmh=dm17.560146&esrc=nwtrad111011&email=572605992
Holiday wreaths:
http://www.traditionalhome.com/design_decorating/howwelive/holiday-wreaths_ss1.html?sssdmh=dm17.564278&esrc=nwtrad120111&email=572605992
If a “Fireplace Makeover” is called for to renew style and warmth to your focal point, perhaps the following links will provide initial inspiration for your project:
20 before/after Fireplace makeovers:
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/fireplace/styles/before-and-after-fireplaces/
14 Fireplace design ideas:
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/fireplace/styles/fireplace-designs/
I hope this finds you and yours enjoying a lovely holiday season. And as the day draws to a close and you make your way back home, I hope you are finding warmth and welcome there. And as you enhance your gathering spaces, you’ll find in them an invitation to stay and be at home. In your Inviting Home.
Warmly,
Renee
