If you have a mantlepiece what do you have on it?

[WorraLiberty]

I'm looking for ideas here because I have no imagination whatsoever when it comes to decorating my home!

I have quite a minimalist lounge as I'm not over keen on ornaments/knick knacks really and I hate dusting but I have a plain, bare mantlepiece and I'm looking for ideas for what to put on it?

I'm thinking of a few candles but what do you all have on yours? Any ideas appreciated and photos would be a bonus

Matches.

Plants and fairy lights

Candles, tea lights, vintage and bespoke flower diffuser, succulents

Candles, pot plants, bunch of flowers, photos of the kids.

Candles, photo frames, a couple of plants and wooden initials

A clock. And four pottery angels - 2 on either side. (Sounds dreadfully tacky but they're actually pretty tasteful. They were also the last gift I bought for my dad before he died, so they're up there for personal/sentimental reasons). I'm not one for ornaments really, but have made an exception for those.

In the one bedroom which has its original fireplace, there's another clock and then a couple of photos in silver frames on either end of the mantelpiece.

In the living room we used to have candles, but they made such a mess of the wall (wax splashes and soot marks) that when we redecorated we decided not to do that again.

Candles and currently a Fox's Glacier Mint that another kid gave mine weeks ago, which he then very kindly gave to me and took back moments later in case he wants it at some point. And a hair bobble.

My great Aunts old clock from the 20's or 30's.
A couple of pictures of the kids as babies.
A nice ginger jar. with junk like buttons and paperclips in
A small brass pot that was Grandmas. Has flash drives in.

This is my mantelpiece complete with ornaments

Some great ideas here, thanks.

@BIWI that sounds lovely. Actually you've just given me an idea. I have a couple of trophies that belonged to my mum. I might put one or two on the mantlepiece.

@MrCrackersmum that looks beautiful. I love the wooden mantle.

Ohs pool trophy, few decorative skulls that I have recently started collecting.
Also a budda head in the middle.

Plants, a couple of family photos, DD's martial arts trophy and a little clay thing that DS made at school.

a reed diffuser and a black silloutte of a labrador my mum bought for me.

Used to have a picture of a younger ds(18) but he has hidden it because his gf was visiting 🤣

Boat, black vases with flowers and b&w photos

Plants, with a few silver bits (bowl inherited from granny etc) in between them.

Nothing, very occasionally a vase of flowers though.

We have mantlepieces in every room in the house.They just have stuff on them, a bit of a dumping ground really. Living room has a clock, candle, a couple of vases, a large fossil thing, lots of post stuck behind the clock, a ceramic dish, a German Christmas house still left over from Christmas. Dining room has a couple of vases, some pictures, two large candlesticks and a half-built Harry Potter Lego castle.

… if you don’t have any art above I think a nice mirror behind the candles/plants can work well)

In the living room we have a print at each side, a scented candle, and a vase of flowers (currently daffodils) on the mantle. In the hearth another vase of flowers (currently tulips) and a candlestick with three fat pillar candles. On the shelf below the top a small clock, and a lovely set of Russian dolls. I light the top candle every night (right now it is a Boy Smells one) but the ones in the hearth are just for decoration.

In the spare room which is DP’s “man cave” there is a load of junk, despite the fact that fireplace is beautiful.

Oh, we do have a huge mirror on the wall behind in the living room too.

In the drawing room a wedding picture of me in a silver frame at one end and one of DH at the other. We both look very young . In the centre a picture, again in a silver frame but smaller and landscape of ds and dd aged about 6 and 3. Either side of that crystal tea light holders which are quite chunky and ornamental.

In the sitting room some candles at one end, plus a picture of me and me holding ds when he was about 18 months, a Yorkshire sign in the middle and a vase at the other end.

In our bedroom photographs of DH when he graduated and when he achieved something at work, photos of the childrens' first days at school, a little China dish with DHs cufflinks and collar stiffeners, and for some reason a golf ball!

In DS's room a plethora or knick knacks, dust and general detritus.

A clock, matching candle holders, framed photos of my sons

Plants, candles, dried flowers, pine cones, monkey puzzle branches, wine bottles with candles, tealights, photo gift from a friend. Im a maximalist so It's rammed with trinkles.

Dust

Some lillies I was given last week, a few invitations to supper over the next month, a photo of me and our DC riding, one of my husband and I laughing, two silver candlesticks, an antique kaleidoscope, a leather dog collar I took off one of the dogs this morning and haven’t put away, a silver cigarette case filled with paper clips and a fair sprinkling of dust!