With snow on the ground and single digit temps winter has made an early appearance.  That motivates us to transform home decor to fit the weather outside.  The mantel below was ready for a seasonal update.

Various items had migrated there, including some of the homeowner’s reindeer collection and some seasonal greenery.  We cleared off everything and created a blank slate.  Then gathered some different pieces for a fresh look.  Trial and error would determine what arrangement worked best.

 

 

First we experimented with a black-framed mirror placed on the left and balanced with several shutters on the right.  We liked the metallic look of the ornament wreath and the reindeer, but not all the shutters.

 

 The mirror was centered and a shutter on one side was balanced by the wreath on the other.  A few pops of color were added for festiveness and to tie in with other red accents in the room.  The shutter adds dimension.  Once the right arrangement was created we needed to vary the height by hanging the mirror.  The ‘W’ was hung in front of the mirror with a simple red ribbon.

 Lanterns full of red ornaments bring color down on to the hearth where another reindeer is placed.  The sparkle of the metallic elements adds warmth and interest.  This festive mantel will stay in place long past Christmas and into the new year.