Watch this segment in episode 137 now.




Senior Design Editor of Style at Home magazine, Margot Austin, showed the boys
 

• How to choose a mantel that suits your home.
• How to decorate a mantel.

When choosing the right fireplace mantel for your home consider:

• The era your home was built.
• The architectural style of your home.
• The size of the room and the wall it will go on.
• Whether the room is open concept, has high ceilings, etc.
• Do you want to add built-ins for storage?
• The style of the existing mouldings in your home.
• Do you want it to be the focal point or blend seamlessly?
• The style of your furnishings.

Decorating the mantel:

• As a general rule of thumb, the art should not be bigger than the opening for the fireplace box.
• Mirrors and art should be leaned against the wall or hung low - about 2 inches above mantel so that it still reads as one unit. It should also not surpass the width mantel.
• Change the arrangement and accessories seasonally.
• Consider colour or work with a monotone palette.
• Vary textures and materials.
• A traditional approach may include 'story telling' - create vignettes, layer, display, groupings, use objects with weight and balance .
• A TV -  some love it above the fireplace, some don't. (Margot does not!). Two-way mirrors now hung over the TV makes it look like a mirror when it's off (two-way mirror produced by Seura.)

Dressing the perfectly layered mantel:

• something old
• something new
• something natural (ex: a shell, horn, bird's nest, rock crystal)
• something cheap
• something dear (not necessarily expensive just of fine quality)
• something whimsical or unexpected (ex: jewelry)
• repeat shapes/materials

The fireplace featured in this segment is from Dimplex Heating and Fireplaces. The Sussex Fireplace (electric, with remote control, 54" wide x 48 high x 18 deep) was given away to a lucky audience member. It can be installed anywhere by simply plugging it in. It operates with or without heat and has safe to touch glass.