Today’s Project Heidi: Decorating 101 lesson is on one of the decorating essentials–a fireplace mantel or simple shelf. Actually, you just need to pick an area that you will keep beautiful and fresh. A spot that is self-contained and devoid of life’s clutter such as car keys, sippy cups, cell phone chargers, and wayward dirty socks. For those of you taking notes: Choose and dedicate a spot for beauty.
I liken this spot to Flylady’s shiny sink. Start small. Pick an area that isn’t overwhelming and focus on making it beautiful. Then you will have a place to rest your eye. You’ll smile. You’ll notice that it is contageous. The feeling of accomplishment will encourage you. You’ll want to extend the beauty to a new spot.
Our first house didn’t have a fireplace. When we moved into our new home a year ago, I was thrilled to finally have a mantel. It was the very first place that was cleared of all screwdrivers, paintbrushes, and new doorknobs still in their plastic packaging. Maybe those who came to see our house laughed at the one or two little decorations on the mantel when the rest of the room was a chaos zone, but it gave me a peaceful and lovely place to rest my eye when I had no control over the visual atmosphere in the rest of our new house.I live in a small space with three destructive little boys and a chaotic husband. I know how hard it is to dedicate a spot to beauty. Much of our furniture must be sturdy and functional. I need storage space and work areas. As lovely as it is to have a table covered with a delicate table cloth and a gorgeous centerpiece, that isn’t my reality. It happens on occasion, when I’m entertaining perhaps, but usually we are eating, doing school work, paying bills, or playing with playdough on any large flat surface. That is why a mantel or shelf works so well. It doesn’t lend itself to a catch-all or utilitarian purpose.
A shelf or mantel (or piano top, or…) takes very little to adorn but is full of endless possibilities. Take, for example, Sarah’s white shelf.
In the Beginning:
