Hmm. Well, you said you want to keep the clock and mirrors there, but I think the clock is really dwarfed by the mirrors. And with a fairly big and rustic fireplace, the clock really just seems too small up there. Could you find another important place for the clock to sit? The wooden vase-type thing should go elsewhere too, if the mirrors are going to stay. Having said all this, I'm not sure what else you should put up there with the mirrors. Maybe some greenery in a shallow/long container that has both black (from the fireplace accessories and trim of the screen) and some brass (from the mirrors). Or to keep the circular theme going, you could center a (non-holiday) wreath. Or a painting/picture, again in a frame that pulls both the black and brass colors in. With such a bold and beautiful screen, I think I'd keep the mantel decor fairly simple.

I would recommend moving the brass candle sticks to the side/sides of the mirrors, they look as if they are connected to the mirrors, also I agree with a greenery of some sort, and a framed picture. I like the clock on the mantle, (it justs looks like it stands out because of the flash, glare on the face in the pic.) IMO! I would put it to one end, not centered. I love clocks, and think they look great on a mantle

Spectacular fireplace screen!

I would keep the clock but move it from the center over close to one end of the mantle. It would maintain its important position and look good there even though it's not so big.

Actually, I liked the photos you had up there, and their casual arrangement.

I agree that the pewter items and the tall wooden container would be better somewhere else.

I love hearing your opinionsÂthanks!!

The "wooden" container is actually made of metal. It's quite primitive. I tried a few years ago to determine what it is, and how old, but I didn't get anywhere with it.

Love your rustic walls & beams! Also love your period pieces!

By keeping the candle sticks in front of the mirrors you are recreating a colonial candle sconce & I like that. But to pull that off better, you would need to raise the mirrors & add candles to the holders. A pair of beeswax ones would be perfect!

I like the clock on the mantle and having it sit on some books would add some height & give it some more weight. If you have some old cloth hardbounds that are in different sizes that could stack... I can't tell how deep the mantle actually is so this may not work.

This is a lovely focal point & don't think it really "needs" a lot of stuff on it. I actually liked all the pewter & b/w etchings. With that wonderful screen (what a great gift!), you don't want to call a lot of attraction to the mantle itself.

This isn't what you want to hear, but I'm not liking any of those things on the mantle. I would put one large thing up there that is wide and not too high. And stop there.

I'm thinking of a bronze or brass running horse weathervane.

Here is a link that might be useful: Running horse weathervane

OOps! I thought the mirrors were on stands... didn't realize those were candlesticks in front of them! Never mind what I said earlier. I agree that placing the clock on top of a few books might help. Move the candlesticks because they are obviously creating some optical illusion, and for some color, put candles in the candle holders! Or maybe if you left them where they are and put candles in them, that would solve the illusion that tricked me.

I think it looks dark up there. The pictures with the white matts looked nice. Also perhaps something hung between the 2 mirrors (Bigger then the mirrors and perhaps hung higher) would balance it nicely. Perhaps a wreath of dried flowers with some white or cream in them, or greenery. If you like the candle sticks move them to the ends and white or cream tall tapers. Love the screen esp. with the fire, it just glows.

The wall above the mantel is trying to swallow up everything you put there. I would be inclined to cover it, most probably with a large framed mirror. You could have a piece of mirror cut to the exact size you want and frame it with a nice rustic frame, something like this:

{{!gwi}}

Another option would be to install a few panelling boards there, and paint them in a pale color that goes with your room. That would give you a pleasing backdrop for anything you set on your mantel.

This isn't your right colors, but I think this decor looks very pretty against the panelled wall. You could just panel the part right above the fireplace and trim out the edges.

{{!gwi}}

Another option would be to put a large piece of artwork up there that takes up most of the space.

If you prefer not to cover that part of the wall, then I would opt for light colored objects on the mantel so that they show up.

You might also want to set a tall thin lamp on both ends, or some big candles. They would look pretty it at night, especially when you have visitors.

Okay, I don't mean to be a mean girl but I see two big eyes and a nose staring back at me in that picture. Kind of like the french door refrig thread that looked like a face (it may have been over on kitchens)

Maybe of the mirrors were placed slightly askew by each other with something to balance them on the other side of the mantle?

rnmom - I saw the same face looking at me!

I think the mirrors either need to come closer together and down a little with something taller and more substantial between them (picture, sculpture, maybe even the clock on books.) or they need to be grouped together on one side with something to balance them on the other. If centered, on the ends I think you need more height to balance the mirrors - thin lamps on each side or tall vase on one side, candlesticks on the other.

Any way you go, I think you could pull some black and another color from the beautiful screen to brighten things up there.

Another thought - what about an aged bronze log holder below to tie in your mirrors?

Didn't we talk about your fireplace some time back? It feels so familiar to me, and I remember those mirrors. I love the stone and the rustic feel.

I am sorry, but the mirrors are much too formal and gilded for the rustic feel of the fireplace and the wall around it. I think they are wonderful, but they need to be in a different spot. They are also too small for the mass of the stone and wood.

WIth the new fireplace screen being so detailed, I would pretty much clear the mantel and perhaps use a grouping of great leather bound books in various colors of leather, perhaps three or five taller ones standing vertically and then two horizontally, and put the clock on the horizontal stack. That would be on one side. On the other, a grouping of pottery vases or containers, with a bit of a rustic or handmade feel, in some colors that would pull the colors from the fireplace screen.

Since the kitty won't stay on the mantel (LOL!), in the center you could use a low container with a lush green plant or plants in it. A large round platter could stand behind that, something lighter in color to stand out against the dark wood wall.

If you really want to use the brass candlesticks, I think you need to get glass hurricanes to put over them, stand them together, and then use a color for candles taken from the screen. They are too small and skinny to stand up there spread apart.

I would move the candlesticks (w/hurricane covers and candles) to the outside of one of the mirrors and place the outside one on 2 stacked books for a height variance. I would scoot the clock over to this side and place it slightly in front of that mirror. I'd place the tall metal container on the other end of the mantle, outside of the mirror. Just inside of that and ending in front of the mirror I'd add your daughter's photo and the one of the farmhouse scene (reframed in brass or black). Then I'd add a low container of greenery, maybe trailing ivy, in the center of the mantlepiece.

I'm intrigued with your ideas! Afraid I'll have to do without the greenery because if I put a real plant on the mantle Princeton the cat (not to mention Annie and Pogo) would become a permanent fixture until the plant was chewed to bits or died from lack of light, whichever came first. And for some reason I don't see artificial greenery in this house. I do, however, see many of your other suggestions.

I have to brag about my granddaughter (the large photograph  isn't she beautiful?) and my cousin, who painted the small picture of my house and ice house. It really does look like a photo until you get up close.

I'm giving the mantle a good stare-down, adding some of the above ideas to my mental image. Thanks, all!

Susan