fall mantel with vignettes

I like to revitalize my love for a room by switching out the décor throughout the year. Decorating for the season gives the room a fresh look. Mantles are the ideal place to begin:

Autumn

 Christmas

Valentine’s Day

Springtime

But, if you don’t have a mantle, you can use any flat surface!

Side Table

Pedestal

Pie Safe Cabinet

Built-in Bookshelf

Recessed Window Seat

Here are six tips for creating successful vignettes:

1. Varied heights

Try to create a visual triangle. Have one tallest object, then a 2nd tallest and a shortest. I use books all the time to help elevate an object that might be at the same height as another object. Attractive wooden crates or boxes covered with cloth can work too.

2. Varied textures

Using a variety of textures creates visual interest. In the picture below I have a ceramic bird sitting on torn strips of newspaper in a plaster container on top of an embroidered linen and some books.

3. Color palette

Choosing a color palette of 3 colors or less is an easy way to create an appealing vignette. For my Valentine’s Day vignette I chose to work with primarily red and white with some black.

The next year, the color palette was red, aqua and white.

4. Odd numbered groupings

Vignettes and small groupings tend to look better when you use an odd number of objects.

For example, in the grouping above, I have assembled:

1. Birdhouse on a candlestick (visually they are one object)

2. Bird nest in pedestal (again visually counts as one)

3. Stack of books

4. Picture frame

5. Felted rose laying in front of the picture frame.

5. Varied Shapes and Scale

Vignettes work well if you can vary the shape and scale of your objects. Grouping many objects of the same size and shape will not give your eye enough to explore and study. Always take a step back from your vignette to make sure that your grouping has different shapes and sizes represented.

6. It’s Your Décor

This is the most important rule! Make sure you create something you like. Use your own objects. And if you love it, that is all that matters. It really doesn’t have to meet someone else’s criteria of perfection. I wrote a whole post on imperfect decorating HERE.

Happy Decorating!

  

Did you spy Christmas cards in the background? Sure, it is February, but I love them too much to take them down yet. If you’d like to read more “Fall in Love with Your Home” February posts, click on the button below to see a recap of this month’s theme:

 

12 replies
  1. Tausha
    Tausha says:

    Thanks so much for sharing your ideas! I love the texture tip. I also love the bird with the paper shreds! Genius! Too cute! Please, stop by sometime and say hello!
    have a wonderufl week!!

  2. Laurie
    Laurie says:

    Ohhh! I just love seeing all of the seasonal decor together in one post and how your home is transformed from one month to the other. Love it!

    Laurie
    Tip Junkie

  3. Marilyn Holeman
    Marilyn Holeman says:

    Hello, I’m poking around your blog today because of your guest poster, Jess. I love this post. You have some great tips–AND you have lots of cool old books! Love ’em! Thanks for sharing.

  4. Karmen
    Karmen says:

    Sve mi se sviđa. Svaka vinjeta ima ono nešto što me odmah osvoji. Volim maštovite ljude i one koji imaju smisla za lijepo a to si sve ti.
    Puno ljubavi na današnji dan.
    Pozdrav

  5. Just this... Alice
    Just this... Alice says:

    Impressive as always Pretty Handy Girl. So much can be learned from a girl like you. Thanks for sharing your talents with all of us out here in blogland.

  6. marty (A Stroll Thru Life)
    marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says:

    Oh these are all wonderful and gorgeous vignettes. You tips are so perfect. Something we all need to know. I hope you will link this post to Table Top Tuesdays. That's my party that's all about any kind of vignette anywhere. I will have Mr. Linky up Mon. evening. This would be so helpful to so many. Hugs, Marty

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] might be interested in reading this post I wrote on 6 Simple Tips for Successful Seasonal Vignettes.  It should help make it easier to coordinate your decor and set up eye appealing […]

  2. […] you might want to read a few of the guidelines I use when designing groupings and seasonal décor HERE. 0 Comments – Leave a comment! « Previous […]

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