Tag: spring mantel

Simple Spring Mantel

Written by Jenna on April 23, 2015. Posted in Decorating, Mantel.

Goodness the last 2 weeks have been crazy busy. Spring arrived, and off we went… sports, activities, it doesn’t stop! I have a slew of projects that I want to share with you (and I will, no worries) from the living room makeover + more, but I haven’t had 2 seconds to pull it all together.

Anyway, when photographing the living room space last week, I couldn’t stop shooting different angles of the fireplace mantel.

For the ‘reveal’, I wanted the mantel to be fairly minimal + simple since it was more about the overall space and not just that one element. But as I started styling the 6″ deep vignette, I couldn’t stop myself from adding layers + pretty accessories + seasonal succulents.

Knowing myself (and how I can keep anything the same for 5 minutes), it will continually change with the coming seasons + holidays, but for now, it’s perfectly set for Spring…

This simple, but seasonally sensational mantel is filled with accessories + layers that I already owned. Nothing is new.

With every mantel creation, there has to be varying heights to create an interesting & engaging vignette. [more tips on mantel decorating here]

For this quick mantel styling, I anchored it with the rope wrapped vase I created which gives the overall composition beautiful texture. It’s of a medium size, so it’s a good size + weight item for the end.

To bring height + whimsy, I filled a yellow colored glass vase with one faux flower sprig – it’s similar to a forsythia branch, but slightly different. I adore this pretty, and very real looking, sprig! I’ve use it a lot on the mantel, but with the new black wall, it has really taken on a completely new + different look.

To balance out the tall elements, I added in a few lower items too. I wrapped three books with white copy paper (how easy?) and topped them with a small potted succulents (1 is real, 2 are fake – can you tell which is which? bet you can’t).

For the backdrop of the mantel, I used my go-to tall mirror (my thrift store find that went from wood to white after I painted it) which I leaned on the wall. Layered on top, I added in a new sign (I was wrong, one item on the mantel is new – don’t you love the quote?!) from World Market, as well as a framed fern (that I snagged from the foyer) –> tutorial on how to create framed fern art.

Love this… life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful

The overall simple, seasonal Spring mantel…

Take a step back to check out the new space. So different from the previous! Check out the entire revamped living room.

Here are some past Spring mantels…

(click on the images to go to the original post)

Happy Spring + Mantel Decorating!

Spring Mantel with Sensational Succulents #LowesCreator

Written by Jenna on March 25, 2013. Posted in Uncategorized. 5 Comments on Spring Mantel with Sensational Succulents #LowesCreator

Happy Monday! Yes, it’s Spring, but sadly it doesn’t feel like it (at least here in NY).

I am so ready for the warmer days ahead and am yearning for the array of colorful flowers, the endless chirping of birds, and the sounds of outdoor laughter. I know it’ll be here soon, but I am just ready for winter (and the endless snow) to be over.

In my search for all things Spring, I decided this years seasonal mantel had to include elements of the outdoors. Last Friday when perusing the aisles of Lowe’s, specifically the outdoor section, I saw a huge display of succulents. I immediately knew they’d be the ideal addition for my Spring mantel!

While in the gardening section, I gathered a variety of succulents in different sizes and styles, along with a new bag of potting mix. I wasn’t going to dare dig through the garage in search of leftover soil from last year, plus I saw this soil that is fast draining and made for cactus type plants. I thought I’d give it a try, since I don’t have a great track record with keeping greenery alive. Yes, I admit, I don’t have a green thumb…

Once home, I collected a bunch of glass vases, dishes, and bowls that I had laying around the house. A few I picked up last week at TJ Maxx, but most I’ve had for a long time stored in the closet.

Then it was time to transplant these beauties into their new homes.

Choosing the right size bowl / vase for the size of the succulent is important. One rule of thumb that I always try to follow is to be sure that the plant isn’t too big for the pot (or bowl / vase in my case) so it has room to grow. The teeny size succulents (which I bought for $2.98/each) went in the smaller bowls and the larger styles ($3.98/each) went into the clear glass vases (which are my favorite because you can see the soil and plant roots – so interesting).

Once the right size “home” was chosen, I loosened up the roots and made the transfer. A few minutes later, all my succulents were planted and ready to add to the mantel.

Gardening in the kitchen isn’t something I would suggest, but with 30 degree temps, I wasn’t going to dare be outdoors longer than I had to. A little mess wasn’t too bad to clean up…

Then the fun started and here’s the result of my natural Spring mantel using sensational succulents…

It’s a beautiful collection of natural elements mixed in with colorful favorites.

Any style bowl, vase, cup, or container will make for the perfect holder to display succulents. My collection includes a clear glass round vase, a similar square style, a plain white double dish, a decorative ceramic bowl, and a white milk glass cup.

Choosing succulents of varying sizes allows for an interesting mantel composition.

Despite the frigid temps, the Lowe’s gardening section is already stocking up on their summer displays including an array of flowers, plants, and a large selection of outdoor furniture.

To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Spring decor, I would definitely suggest downloading the Lowe’s Creative Ideas app on the iphone and ipad. I’m always checking out the FREE app for great inspiration. Consider following Lowe’s on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram as well.

Disclosure: I am part of the Loweâ€™s Creative Team and was provided with a Loweâ€™s gift card to purchase items for my project. I was also compensated for my time to use the products. No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Todayâ€™s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

Spring Mantel with Shades of Turquoise

Written by Jenna on March 27, 2012. Posted in Color, Decorating, DIY, Mantel, Spring. 18 Comments on Spring Mantel with Shades of Turquoise

Last week here in Upstate NY, the weather was amazing and I soaked up every bit of sun I could get. Now it’s a little chillier, but Spring and Summer will be here before ya know it! In the midst of the gorgeous weather, I took some time to put together my new Spring Mantel.

Over the past few months, I have been introducing more cooler colors than the warmer colors that I’ve lived with for many years. So my latest mantel creation has a whole lotta turquoise, which is a beautiful and dynamic compliment to the burnt orange focal wall.

Here it is… What do you think?

Turquoise is absolutely one of my favorite colors and from my past post, Totally Turquoise, many of you love it just as much! It was kind of risky to have the mantel be dominant in one color and when planning it out in my head, I wasn’t sure if it was going to work. I think by including a variety of different turquoise shades, the overall composition has alot of depth and intrigue, especially with the backdrop of the burnt orange wall. Other textures and muted colors of browns were also added within to break up the monotony.

Here’s an in depth look …

Many of the pieces that make up my new Spring Mantel have been repurposed from around my home or picked up at local stores for very little. The turquoise glass vase on the left is something new I bought a few weeks ago at TJ Maxx. I had already had this turquoise-mantel-idea in my head and thought this would make a perfect addition – it was taller and I knew it’d make a great ‘anchor’ piece! The glass mason jars which I found at an estate sale last year have been showcased on my mantel before and are filled with lentils and a votive candle. To the right is a tall glass jar filled with rocks from last years vacation to the beach. I love displaying memories and these rocks are a beautiful and quiet shade of blue… a perfect compliment to the other bold and vibrant colors.

One of my favorite upcycling things-to-do is paint old, used glass jars – tomato sauce jars, apple sauce jars, jelly jars, any jar will do! It’s so easy and unexpected. In the Blue Label wood box stand two sauce jars that I added a little color to (it’s actually the leftover paint from my kids bathroom cabinet). My mantels are always about layering, so in front of the wood box is a cute little turquoise pitcher and to the right is a lantern, both of which I purchased at Homegoods.

Of course, I had to add a touch of Easter decor within my Spring mantel. I love this egg shaped Happy Easter sign that I’ve had for years (forget where I got it), but in a few weeks once the Holiday is over, it’ll be swapped out with a new Spring sign (not sure yet what it’ll be).

Continuing to the other side of the mantel, I added a sweet distressed turquoise ceramic bird feeder. Originally intended for my daughter’s room, its so cute and fit perfectly amongst the like colors. To “anchor” the other end, I finished the mantel with two different sized bold turquoise lanterns that I purchased from Target. They have some awesome colors this season like lime green, hot pink, and of course turquoise.

I also whipped up some fun new pillows with accents of turquoise.

Isn’t that owl fabric so cute?! Love it with the brown and white chevron.

And this is how the entire room looks all pulled together for Spring. It’s so different from last year’s quieter, frappe colors.

I think this is my favorite mantel design yet! What do you think?

Do you love turquoise just as much as I do?