First Mantel Styling

So, it's my first post.  Stepping into "revealing" beauty that is there-- already waiting to be discovered-- I will be embarking on sharing my first stylist project with you.

My husband and I have just moved into our first house (that we own, anyway) and... (drumroll please...) it has a wood burning fireplace!!  After some MAJOR painting in the past few weeks and the fire cleaner people coming today to get it set up, we are ready for our first wood burning fire tonight.  This is a huge deal for me.  I LOVE fires.  I am perpetually cold, and it is hard to pull myself away from any cozy hearth.  And, let's face it, there's so much beauty to be found in creating the focal point of a space with a mantel.

So!  I've found two images that will help inspire me style our first mantel design.  And, it's CHRISTMAS!  A time where beauty is in the air-- we just need to snatch it.  In this case, I hope to combine four main elements to achieve a botanical/vintage/chic display.  The starting elements just waiting to be combined: a large wrought iron planter we bought at a Door County, Wisconsin architectural barn, fresh greenery (we will pick this up in Rockford when visiting the husby's family on Friday-- much cheaper there!), a large old frame with some vintage detailing on it (I will be peaking into the crevices of my dad's art station at my mom and dad's on Thanksgiving for this element), and a boxwood traditional round wreath (I remember seeing one outside Home Depot- wish me luck when convincing my husband that this is a good purchase for $20, a little steep).

So: 1.  wrought iron planter, 2. large vintage picture frame (just the frame), 3.  Fresh swags of greenery, and 4. a boxwood wreath.

Here are the two images that I will use as reference when I need help with balance and line.  The first, from the "Decorate your Mantel for Christmas" newsletter from Better Homes and Gardens, shows the concept for the wreath hanging by a ribbon in the empty frame.  The second, same source, shows the rod iron accent that I will achieve with the planter.


See?  These things have been floating around in my mind for weeks.  But, now that I have chosen four of those concepts, I can play with revealing the beauty in their combination.  I will post before and after pictures as soon as the beauty has been realized!

-MTP