In general, I tend to change the mantle a few times a year. Sometimes I make it the focal point of the living room, while other times I prefer it to have a more subdued presence. I’m very excited about this Easter themed version due to the pastel’s, soft color palette. The colors happen to play off this original artwork I purchased at a Grand Haven art gallery on a trip to Lake Michigan. This particular piece is by an artist named, Helen Percy Lystra. I still remember seeing it on the gallery’s wall and how happy it made me feel since it reminded me of my days in medical school when I was fortunate enough to rent a beach house with some friends during my fourth year. Once I had it framed, the look was complete. I still prefer to set it on a stand on the mantle to display it with some height. The stand itself seems to replicate the stilts the house sits on in the artwork itself.
When featuring objects on a mantle, it’s important to add varying heights to add visual interest. Don’t be afraid to add tall items on a larger mantle. Taller items will ensure things will be within scale in a larger setting. In this particular case, I’ve partitioned the display into three portions. Notice how the lanterns tie in with the book in the middle and the artwork’s frame and stand. This ensures a commonality within each section so it can all tie in. The pastel colors on the easter eggs pick up the colors from the artwork connecting all three separate portions of the entire visual display.
