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Decorating a double sided mantle

10 years ago

I have a double sided fireplace which means 2 mantles and 2 times trying to decide what to do with them. One side faces family room and the other side faces the sitting room. The fireplace sits smack in the middle of the room and is all white brick. I need height for sure because it is so much white going on so I think I need to stick with dark colors to give it some oomph. This is one side of the fire place. I haven't purchased anything for either side because I really don't know what to do with it. These are just items I already had.

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Comments (6)

rebeccamomof123
10 years ago
It's a wonderful blank slate to work with! You could have worse problems;) I'd avoid doing the same thing on both front and back. I'd start with an anchor piece on each side and work around that. Maybe a meaningful piece of artwork, large photo canvas, even a beautiful wreath for one side. Maybe a mirror on the other side. They would have to be large enough to take up a fair portion of your wall. I love the look of multiple photos stacked against each other (one big in the middle) but each in different heights and frames for lots of good height and depth variation. You could also have fun on one side, maybe your sitting room as conversation pieces - a large framed map of a country you may have visited with vintage travel books stacked on one side and a compass and globe. Whatever you pick, have fun! Looking forward to seeing photos once you complete it!
rwhirley
Original Author
10 years ago
Rebeccamom123..LOVE the idea of a mirror. Maybe leaning it on the mantle. We have tried to hang something on the "wall" of the fireplace but the grout was soft almost and I don't trust anything hanging from it but the thought of a bug mirror on one side I love. My children were in my brothers wedding last year and I am thinking a big picture of them on the other side. Thanks for your input:)
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Lovely home, lovely candles on the fireplace! Yes, things could be changed. But why would you? On the side of the great room it all says 'you' in a time were many are more like 'shop'. So enjoy the lovely things and cozy atmosphere you created and be thankful once more for it. So: on the side of the great room I would leave it as is. If you however are able to create the same intimite style on the side of the kitchen: that would be an enhancement. For those three pots over there do shout 'shop' instead of 'you'. Maybe the beauty of the great room side is that it isn't equally balanced (yet still balanced somehow). Where the kitchen side is way too balanced and the color white is too intrusive. The passe partout around the picture in the great room is brown and totally fits in with the fire place. On the side of the kitchen that same brown might make the picture there less intrusive. Yep, I know, there will always be people who think exactly the opposite. But I think you did a fine job and only need some encouragement to do the same on the side of the kitchen as well. Oh, and don't go for the same bird picture twice. That would be boring. I mean: same size, same color. Just a bit too much of the same. The pictures you have now are fine. Same topic, but still different enough.
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Put a similar size photo on the other walls for a coordinated look. If that is inappropriate, leave the other walls and mantle space completely empty.
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As to colors: poppy floral art and rug - both have orangey- red? you could zing with 3rd orange [glass bowl type thing]. Or just keep the blues, brown sofa, etc., and have enough going. if this didn't work? can wear it... their display photo, see dark / grey chair with it. https://www.etsy.com/listing/940959810/100-luxurious-soft-silk-vibrant-green?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=peacock+blue&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&bes=1
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rebeccamomof123
10 years ago
Here is an example dressed up for Christmas that reminds me of your space. Even without the holiday stuff, the leaning mirror and lantern would look great on your mantel!

[Contemporary Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by Tacoma Interior Designers & Decorators It's The Little Things...
Cloud Swift
10 years ago
Perhaps you could hang the mirror from the ceiling - there probably is a joist where the ceiling hits the chimney hits the ceiling so that you could hang it with wire or chain as is done with a picture rail. Being from earthquake territory, a large heavy object such as a mirror on a mantle just leaned against the wall seems precarious.
roxanna
10 years ago
rwhirley, I recommend these for no-damage to brick -- http://brickclip.com. I have used them for years on my brick fireplace to hold mirrors. Each holds up to 25 pounds, so a large mirror or picture would need more than one, I expect. The link has a video to show how they work. They are terrific. =)
Michelle Griffith Talbert
6 years ago
What about the mantels themselves? Should you try to stay in the same color family with both sides? I have just made my single fireplace into a see-through double sided fireplace. One side faces den and the other side faces a sunroom/sitting room. I have existing mantel that is a medium brown but wanted a lighter almost white-washed wood for the other side. A decorator said I should try to stick to same color family in wood but could have different styles of mantels. One is more formal and the other side more rough hewn. The fireplace is mountain stone.

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