A fireplace mantel is the focal point of any room, and if it's not decorated properly it stands out like a sore thumb. DIY Decorating & Design host Nancy Golden gives basic rules for decorating a fireplace mantel. A fireplace mantel, like any decorating surface, can be decorated symmetrically or asymmetrically. Symmetrical arrangements, usually quite formal in tone, feature pairs of items evenly balanced, sometimes with a single focal point in the middle of the mantel (figure A). An asymmetrical arrangement features odd-numbered groupings of objects of different types and sizes. An asymmetrical mantel arrangement might include a grouping of three similar candlesticks of varying sizes placed opposite a single flower arrangement of equal weight (figure B). Balance is the key to creating a successful asymmetrical arrangement. The number of objects in a grouping is unimportant as long as the groupings balance each other visually.
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