A fairy tale on my mantelpiece
Creating displays around my home, whether temporarily for a photo or two, or more permanently to style a room, is one of my favourite things.
I like how small objects can tell or inspire a story. My husband used to leave seemingly random items balanced on window ledges or tucked into the frame of a mirror. They add a little whimsy, or act as mementoes – and now, for me, of course, reminders of him and the things he liked.
I recently gifted myself a beautiful handmade velvet toadstool from Permillion 44. I’d had my eye on Karen’s pieces for some time, but this one seemed to call out to me, as in a fairy tale, and I could not resist.
This was an impulse purchase, so I wasn’t sure where it was going to go. Once I’d unwrapped the package and seen it in its full glory I decided it would best fit the colours and style of my bedroom.
I’ve wanted to make changes to my bedroom for a few years. It is going to take some major decluttering to get there, and I am yet to make a proper start, but this one piece has inspired me to rethink the space as a whole, eventually, and made it clear what mood I want to create there.
For now, I started with the mantelpiece. I moved the miniature blue chair that was on there to my studio’s mantelpiece, where it seems more at home, and put away the small teapot I’d brought back from Morocco many years ago, which had stayed on display there despite having no particular significance for me.
My starting point was then to add to the magic of the toadstool, introducing a little fairy tale or story book whimsy. The simple wooden tree and house ornaments I normally use as Christmas decorations, alongside the odd appearance as props on Instagram, seemed like the perfect fit. They add to the sense of a scene unfolding in miniature, making the toadstool gigantic by playing with scale, but their simplicity doesn’t detract from it as the star piece in the display.
The other two items are the result of serendipity. The Jon Klassen card was already on the mantelpiece. My husband and I bought it many years ago, not to send out but because we happened to like it. Not quite knowing what to do with it, we propped it up against the wall, still in its cellophane wrapper, and there it has stayed. As I built up my little scene, it worked itself into it, adding fanciful characters to the story. A few weeks later, I found a discarded piece of handmade paper on the floor, with the word ‘Dreams’ in calligraphy. I am a messy calligrapher, so this is not an unusual occurrence… I picked it up and put in on the mantelpiece as a final touch.
Tips for decorating a mantelpiece
Start with one key piece and let it inspire you
Add items sparingly and over time
Keep the emphasis on your main piece
Harmonise colours, material and shapes
Pay attention to the height of items to keep the display balanced, including anything hanging above it
Move items around until they look right
Consider adding something unexpected to add a sense of story (a handwritten note, a ticket stub, stamps or coins…)
Keep playing and changing it as takes your fancy
