It's a great space, though challenging. My suggestion would be to add something with height, to break up all those horizontal lines. How 'bout cutting some branches and spraying them white or gold and putting them in a vase near one end? You could wrap them with small lights for even more impact--just be sure to try to match the wire color to the branches. Watch the sales and maybe pick up one or two LARGE items, like the nutcrackers others have mentioned. You don't necessarily need a lot of items, but you need drama and impact and height. Two large, graduated nutcrackers (or snowmen or Santa's, you get the idea) near one end would have a lot of impact. Other thoughts: have you experimented hanging the wreath separately from the mirror? Can the mirror stand vertically instead of horizontally? You want to break up those long horizontal lines. Or maybe hang large ornaments from the ceiling against the wall, varying the lengths of the ribbons. Take a look at well-decorated stores or malls, that's a good place to get inspiration. Great job on the staircase!

Update for the Christmas bugs among us :-) I've got the whole downstairs planned! The tree will have the glass birds, mercury glass vintage and new ornaments, pinecone ornaments, etc. above, plus I found nice birch wood tags on which I am going to try to do wood burned designs of birds and tie them to the tree with twine. I also found some copper leaf "skeletons"--- both from Sav-on-crafts, thank you for that tip, Luckygal! Also from Sav-0n I purchased six or seven brush animals (squirrels, fox, rabbits, etc) and these I will use on a short garland on the wrought iron railing that goes down the last three steps into the front room. I will mix in other elements with this, possibly raffia and some narrow ribbon and hopefully a few of the large pinecones like Alison's above. For tabletop, I have purchased a variety of new and vintage Putz Christmas houses ranging in size from5" to 13". made of pressed cardboard and dusted with glitter, enough for a nice display on the mantel and one on each side table, along with several sizes of bottle brush trees. I may replace the large green glass vase on the rattan console with a display of these houses, or possibly with a bowl of real pine cones and gold tipped feathers. I am so glad I've at least mentally decorated this space! I know we'll probably have to buy some fill in ornaments bit at least I have a plan....I'm ready to sing the Happy song :-) One of the Putz houses:

oakley - You don't know how I wish I saved some of the threads/pics from 2010 holiday! Thankfully, a very saavy poster (dawnp, IIRC) found me a good part of what I am looking for with the ribbons over in the Holidays section of GW. You might try looking over at the Holiday threads if there's anything else you want to find. Can't remember the name of the particular poster, but she has complied a scrapbook of sorts of ideas and projects that have been done by other participating posters for anyone to view. So helpful, and there are many talented and extremely friendly posters over on the Holidays. There isn't any drama, and I've always found it to be a pleasure to participate over there for sure. Judithva, in particular, walked me through a couple of things by private email. I have her to thank for the decor for my DD's Sweet 16 birthday party! Can't believe that was 5 yrs. ago. Despite using every word combo search here on Decorating, looking for last year's holidays pics, I came up with nothing. I couldn't find anything older than 2011 with regard to Christmas decorating. Maybe you could start a 2011 mantle thread here this year. If not, please share a pic of your 2011 decorated mantle. I always love seeing how the mantles are decorated. So wish we had a fireplace. Fortunately, I live vicariously through my DM as she and DD have a mantle. Every holiday season I spend a day helping DM with the holiday decorating. Would love to talk her into using bleigh's 2010 mantle as a guide. I just sent her a copy of the pic via email yesterday. You know, subliminally, putting little ideas in her head so that when she's ready for me to come, maybe I can persuade her to try something different this year. Bad, I know. mtnredredux - first, tell me about your user name;). Not an easy one to remember, I had to copy & paste. Hoping not to spell it incorrectly, lol. Any event, your tree is/was beautiful. Your pup, oh boy, what a face. Yes, I do see that there is a gift under your tree that is wrapped in your not at all favorite "red" ;). More importantly, I see alot of things on your tree that could lead you in a direction of a tree decorated sans any red. Won't be making the same mistake this year. This year, I am going to copy all of my favorite holiday pics to my computer so that I am not searching like a crazy woman this time next year.

Thank you everyone. You all have given me many good ideas and inspiration photos. I have now just added some bronze colored balls in the green bowl and tucked in some greenery with pine cones. I realize I'm mixing Christmas with autumn and I think I could do better utilizing many of your ideas but this is my first year in the house and I'm feeling my way and figuring out what works from my old stash. I just want the house attractive for my husband's company party we're hosting but I hate to rush out and buy all new things at once. I've already bought lots for my outside decor. I think that with your help I have it where I'm happy, but now as I see things on trips and next year I'll know what look I'm working toward and what colors work in this room. So much of the bronze is formal and this is in my keeping room/hearth room that is part of the kitchen. I want to keep in relaxed and fun. This year is a learning experience for sure and thank you all so much for your help in getting the mantel under control and for making me lose the snow :-) Mimi