Hello all! We have had some fantastic summer weather and I hope you continue to enjoy every ray of sunshine. Last week I shared some ideas for easy summer updates you can make in the spaces of your home (https://simplyswankdecor.ca/blog/hit-refresh-on-your-summer-decor) . This week I want to share how I refreshed the mantel - I didn’t do anything dramatic or major, just some simple touches that will keep the summer vibe going until it’s time for fall decor (yep! I said it!). And if you don’t have a mantel, the following ideas work equally well for a coffee table, the top of a hutch or book case.
Deconstruct
The first thing I did was remove all of the items that I had previously used to style the mantel for summer. I like to look at the empty space to visualize how I might style it differently plus it’s a chance to clean ;) I decided to use some of the items again but placed in a different position.
Foundation Items
The items I decided to use for the foundation pieces were candlesticks and a hurricane lantern. I reused the faux greenery garland as it adds life, colour and texture to the vignette. I used large glass candle vase which I relocated from the guest room -sometimes just moving an item from one room to another gives it a whole new look and makes a room feel refreshed! I had used the lantern and candlesticks earlier but moving them around updated the display and brought a fresh perspective.
I placed the glass candle vase at one end (putting it in the centre is predictable and offsetting shapes adds visual interest). The white candlesticks are varing heights and shapes, the white cake plate is an unexpected addition and an upside down bowl does double duty as a candle holder. The white lantern works well with both the white candlesticks and glass candle vase. Having items varied heights in your display creates movement and encourages the eye to move around and over it.
Decor Accents
I chose white pillar candles for the candlesticks keep the look clean – perfect for summer decor. The green palm leaves add another touch of fresh green to the look and draw the eye up from the succulent swag. I found a white candle in the white lantern was uninspired but I found this gradient candle in soft blues/grays in my stash. It provides a touch of colour without too much contrast and the soft colours are perfect for summer decor and bridge the white and green together nicely. The hydrangeas add softeness and the sand dollar and star fish bring memories of beach days.
I hope these ideas inspire you as you contemplate an update to your spaces or have you thinking about where a refresh might be needed.
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