Friday, October 17, 2014

Flashback Friday: Mantle Decor

I've seen on the blogs that a lot of people have been decorating for the season. Of course, the mantel is a focal point for such decorating.As, it was, back in the day:
The frame is of light bamboo here, but any other similar wood can be used. Feathery asparagus or any of one of the hundred and one running vines to be had for the asking in the country, or for a modest outlay in the city, lend themselves joyously to this device. Blossoming berry-vines are lovely in their season, but any ingenious woman can conceive of a score of things which can be used to follow this floral decorated mantel for party, wedding or ball. The only thing to be guarded against is stiffness; let everything look as if it grew on the mantel out of nature's own hand.
"A Prettily Decorated Mantel," The Ladies' Home Journal; Oct 1890; Vol VII., No. 11 page 6
From HGTV "Decorate Your Mantel Year Round"
I guess we haven't given up on this one. Except that fewer houses have mantels now than when they actually used fireplaces to heat the house.

3 comments:

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

We have a big inglenook where the wood burner lives. It doesn't have a mantlepiece as such but does have a big old chunk of wood along the top about a foot below the ceiling.
I hang a garland from it at Christmas. For Hallowe'en it is swathed in cobwebs. Actually, that is for most of the year!

Linda said...

Wow. I have a mantel, but I also have way to many bad cats.

Linda

Margaret said...

It's fun to read things from way back when and see what it was like. I love having a mantelpiece. I should change it up more often.