New Year - New Look For The Mantel

Once the holiday hoopla is over, we like to simplify, and to create a space that honors the sparse, frosty beauty of winter.

We started with a Chinese vase. A potter friend on Instagram informed us this is a "crystalline" vase-actual crystals form during an extra slow cooling cycle or long hold time.

We filled the vase with branches. Some are "faux" with little crystals on them and some are the real ones we painted to look like birch and stuck in our Christmas tree. Those we festooned with glass icicles.

Next we draped a crystal prism garland across the fireplace (thumbtacks under the mantel shelf). Then we displayed our favorite antique gilded frame and a small watercolor winter scene we bought ages ago in New England. We still love looking at snow - just not shoveling it or driving in it.

Here you can see the full effect! To see how we made a brand new mantel look antique and how we did our planked wall, check out our other posts.

Wishing everyone at HomeTalk an inspiring 2016!

Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/12346693/new-year-new-look-for-the-mantel site