Spring Decorating
Last week I was very ready to give my family room mantel a little spring lift!
I couldn’t think of a better way to nudge spring along than to add some new spring plants and a moss wreath. Green is the perfect color for the first glimpse of SPRING! The plants will likely meet their demise before Spring is actually over, this is true, but I’ll enjoy every minute of their life on my mantel. Hopefully I will not forget to water them.
And the moss wreath, yes, I know I could have made it myself. But I didn’t. And this one was affordable, perfect, DONE and didn’t require me to glue gun bits of moss to my fingers. SOLD. True story.
I love decorating with all my heart and sometimes I like to make things, but usually I just like to look at pretty stuff. LOOK, not glue. Not injure myself. Not get frustrated when I mess something up and have to throw it in the garbage. Clearly I’m Not a DIY Diva and sometimes I just don’t even want to try to be one. I’m OK with that.
{Changing subject} Do you ever buy orchids at Trader Joe’s? Always lovely.
The mantel needed a little something else to finish it off so I brought out those ever useful plastic craft eggs from last year’s display (below) and stole a few of them for the mantel. They add just a little hint of yellow, which I love.
The egg branch creation from last year. Now THAT is my kind of DIY. No glue guns or burns involved. And you really can’t kill a plastic egg.
These little flowers from the plant on the mantel were so precious and dainty I just had to bring them home.
I think the flowers are a type of winter rose but I can’t really remember what the garden person said they were. So, I just call them pretty.
Come on, Spring. My mantel is ready for you.
Do you love browsing through pretty garden stores like I do? Even though I eventually kill all plants I bring home (let’s just be honest here), I just LOVE walking through crushed gravel pathways looking at pretty plants. It is kind of therapeutic for me.
Related: Last year’s spring mantel.
Linked to The Lettered Cottage Mantel Party
I love decorating for Spring. It reminds me of new beginnings, everything fresh and just starting to grow. Your mantel is gorgeous, it captures that with the bird, eggs, green plant, spring green moss wreath and the flowering Orchid. (By the way love Trader Joe’s) My mantel I did about 10 days ago I have a gardeners wreath with clay flower pots and crocus hanging over my mantel, 2 white bisque bunnies, one at each end of the mantel, a long and low basket in the middle with blue and cream colored hydrangeas, with a little raffia birds nest tucked in the arrangement with a couple of pastel yellow, blue and lavender eggs.
Melissa,
Your mantel is a beautiful reflection of spring — beautiful flowers,eggs and green! Your mirror adds contrast to the white back drop and pops. Thank you for the needed inspiration to bring spring into my home!
Your Friend,
Deborah
I have to admit, Trader Joes flowers get me through the winter. They are a must splurge every week to bring a little spring to my day! I love to hit the wholesale gardens with my mom in law every spring. She’s a talented gardener, who I pray, one day, I’ll be able to glean even an ounce of talent from.
I love this time of year!
~kristin
I love all the greens! I need to get my butt in gear and get some fun spring plants for my mantel. Cool idea leaning the doors on the side of the mirror. Looks awesome :)
Love your mantel….I’m so ready for Spring!!! It felt good to get out my Spring/Easter decorations this weekend!!! Have a great Day!!
Patti
The green and white plate? Are you kidding?! Oh I am in LOVE. Actually I’m in love with all the green you’ve got up there. You did a beautiful job, Melissa!
Thank you Sarah, you are so sweet!!
I personally am not a green girl but your mantel made me think twice!! That plate is beautiful, the moss wreath…wow!! I also love the green apple under glass – so simple, yet elegant and classic!! And no, you can’t go wrong with green for spring! A very lovely mantel!!
PS We also really enjoyed Jack’s haircut yesterday…it really shows up his wonderful nose…as always he gives us a thrill a minute! Love.
Glad to stretch your mind a bit to think twice about green! :-) Glad you enjoyed Jack’s haircut!!! He thinks he is pretty cute now. Tonight he has his first puppy class!! Should be interesting, ha!
Beautiful!!! Perfectly SPRING!!
I too love garden centers and greenhouses. One of my most favorite memories is going with my dad to the greenhouse. One of those old glass ones where you stepped down into the earth and the flowers were in flats on wooden or earthen ledges about waist level. I can still remember the smell. Mmmmm. There’s something about a place filled with earth and growing things that clears my head and gets my heart to dancing.
Agreed, love those glass greenhouses too!
Oh so pretty and fresh! I love wandering around the garden centre, but every plant that comes into the house dies. I try, but the plants never last long. I can grow things outside though. Weird, eh? I love the moss. I don’t think I would kill that!
Looks great and competently different from last years mantel!
Thanks! Yep, it is fun to try something new and different :-)
Gorgeous mantle! I love the spring theme and especially love the vase with the branch and eggs, very springlike!
It is just lovely, I really like the plate. Very inspiring and I agree bring on Spring:)
It looks so clean and pretty! I love the idea of doing a square wreath on top of a square mirror! A very inspiring room indeed!
Thanks Cate!! :-)
I love the square moss wreath. Finding one at a fair price is definitely the way to go when you can. The green and white is so fresh looking.
Oh, Melissa, your mantel looks so sweet and springy! Love all of the elements and the square wreath is lovely! Love the different heights and the plate and little bird just make it!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Thanks Sheila!!
Love the square wreath! Thats an orchid by the way . . .
The tall one on the right is an orchid, yes. Did I call it the wrong name? Or do you mean the little flowers are orchids?
Melissa,
That turned out so pretty…I love the green and white plate and the plants are lovely. I’ve come to think Mother Nature is bi-polar this year…we go from near summer weather to cold and dreary. While she makes up her mind you can enjoy that pretty mantle vignette. :-)
Karen
Where did you get that plate on the mantel? Love it!
I’ve had it forever, wish I could remember! My mom might have given it to me.
Such a lovely mantel. The fresh greens are perfect to usher in Spring.
This is me —–>”Not get frustrated when I mess something up and have to throw it in the garbage.”
I love the egg branch creation, I must have missed it last year and I have been trying to figure out what to do with my Giving Thanks hurricanes for spring. Thanks!
What a beautiful mantel! It definitely looks spring-like. I love everything about it.
The flowers on the left are called hellebores or “Christmas Rose”. I absolutely love the ones with the green flowers.
Thank you Denise!!
I’m with you.
I love walking through the greenhouses, gravel underfoot, looking at the pretty flowers – while trying to no be so distracted as to step into a puddle. :)
I am inspired! I put out my few Spring/Easter things last week and they just don’t quite do it for me anymore. Yellows, daffodils, a few bunnies, some eggs. They are okay for a short while but your example would be lovely all Spring. Thank you!
Thanks Barbara, I hope so! But I have been known to change my mantels a couple of times in a season so we’ll see!!!
PS: any markings on the back of the plate?
Hmmm, I’ll go look and come back later to let you know!
Melissa, you have a knack for decorating and the written word. You make me smile and make my day a bit brighter. Love your mantel, especially the plate.
I Love to decorate around the seasons and holidays too. But my mantel runs the width of the room, so I find it extremely challenging to decorate. It is easy to make it look a jumbled mess. Suggestions? Anyways, thanks for today’s post!
I definitely love walking through the garden areas of stores, too. There’s something about it that just makes it feel like an escape. I really like your Spring mantel — and I will definitely have to pop over to Trader Joe’s to get myself a plant like that; so many people are raving about them! Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
Oh I am dying over your mantel! I love love your mirror :)
Thanks Alison!!!
Oh, beautiful! I love the white flowers especially. They say winter and spring at the same time! And the pale natural coloured eggs give just the tiniest hint of Easter being on its way. I’m hoping to find eggs like that at Michaels on sale after Easter for some spring centrepieces I’ll be doing at the end of April.
Ahhh Spring is in the air! I live in New England and we are having beautiful weather….it’s really gotten me in the mood for spring.I love how you integrated different textures on your mantel -it gives it an updated traditional look.
Your mantel is beautiful… i love all the spring ideas…
That looks so nice. I love the green plate especially.
Melissa, loving the green on your mantel, it is putting me in the mood for more Spring decor in my own home. Love Tjoes for flowers and orchids!!! Happy Spring Green!! xo Kathysue
I love your site, your decorating blog… I am inspired. I have now ordered from ‘DaySpring’ also, aprons, glass cloches (2) (?), pillows(2), wooden wall art. Can you please tell me where you found the white plate with greenery on it. Thanks so much. I am uplifted by your blogs.
Debbie from the Northwest.
Melissa I adore your spring mantle and other than painting am not a big DIYer. So where did you find your Moss Wreath!?
Come over to visit, I have a New Giveaway I think you will love!
Xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Wow! That looks lovely! It’s amazing that those touches of spring have such an uplifting effect on the spirit! We actually don’t have a fireplace, but you’ve totally inspired me to redecorate the top of our Ikea expedit bookshelf (this is the closest thing to a mantle that we have). Happy spring!
xoxo,
CA
Whenever I need a pick me up I go to my local greenery- {nursery} love your mantel ….sweet
Love your mantel…it’s so light and airy; perfect for Spring. It’s giving me ideas for my mantel…thanks for sharing!
just gotta love that green ladder hanging on the wall!
i have a newer green one in the “country room” bedroom closet filled with toys for the grandchildren when they visit.
and a little vintage wooden one with a huge fern and a tiny butter churn perched on it by the back door.
but that COLOR of the one you’ve got hanging there is wonderful!
I just love it! It’s really warm in Pennsylvania right now, and I think thinking spring, too. I hope it’s here to stay!
This is great way to welcome spring. A new beginning is always a great feeling for me. It is great to be reminded of that freshness even inside our homes. I love the decors especially the mantel.
the pictures are all so lovely, wonderful ideas…now i just need to get a mantel…
I’m so sorry i missed this the other day. Gorgeous mantel but I seem to have a major crush on that plate. It’s the perfect amount of green for me. What’s it’s story?
Your Spring Mantle inspired my to change the decorations on my mantle to a Spring theme. They are usually the same all year, every year, except for Christmas time. Creating a new mantle display has me now looking for ways to make other small changes in the house. Thanks for your ideas!
Hi Melissa:
Your blog puts a smile on my face. Just love your inspiring ideas ~ just wondering where did you get your slipcovers? I am thinking about slip covering my furniture, and I love the way yours fit your furniture.
Carol Landeis
Where did you get that plate???? I LOVE that…..i have a farmhouse kitchen with lots of white cabinets/ and black counter tops and have been looking for something similar!!