Rustic Pallet Decor: The Autumn Mantel

No, I don't have a real mantel. Having a real fireplace is something I've missed in this home. This time of year when those chilly evenings arrive and we're snuggling under some extra blankets in our beds and on the sofa, I sure miss the warmth and cozy ambiance of a wood burning fireplace!

Last year I created a backdrop and faux mantel for my little electric fireplace, and I've really enjoyed having that space for seasonal decor. Even if it's not 'real', I think having something that feels like a fireplace wall adds alot to this room, which has little in the way of architectural interest. 
The last time I shared this area was in my Summer Living Room post. 

This week I'm working on warming up this room a bit with more of a rustic, nature-inspired look-starting with the fireplace wall.

I started by replacing the white mantel shelf with a more rustic piece of weathered wood that I've used here in the past. 

Months ago I picked up this half of a pallet from a curbside junk pile. I've actually had a million ideas for it, but it's just been sitting down in the basement waiting for a new life. I'm kinda thinking this might be my son's next headboard, but...one thing at a time! 

Can I just take a moment to say how much my 16 year old loves it when her mom says, "Hey, can you come hold this pallet up on the wall for me?" She. loves. it. Don't let her tell you otherwise :)

 

Well, I knew I wanted to try it up there, but I didn't have a plan for what was going on it. I tried some words in chalk. Sorta kinda liked it, but....no.
I decided on a white-framed vintage mirror and some illustrations from a backyard birds book. Somehow, birds always seem to make their way into every vignette around here!

Above the pallet I placed a wreath I made with brown coffee filter flowers. I had envisioned it being much fuller, but I used up all the filters I had and didn't know when I'd get more, so there it is : ) 
I'll probably add some more to it at some point...

On the mantel shelf, a conglomeration of birdies and squirrels and other rustic, fall-ish feeling items. 

How cute is this little guy?? My daughter gave him to me this weekend as a little Fall gift.

My 9 and 6 year olds came in the room at separate times while I was working on the mantel and told me how much they liked how this area looked. It was so sweet of them to notice and take a minute to tell me that!

I am really liking this warmer look, but in all honesty I'll probably be feeling the urge to simplify within a couple of weeks : )


That's one more little area Fall-ified over here as I move slowly along into my favorite season. I'll share the rest of the space with you all soon. I hope your week is filled with Autumn beauty!



      "Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, 

for beauty is God's handwriting."

                                            
                                                      -Ralph Waldo Emerson  


Joining the fun at these parties this week-


Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
The Fall Nesting Party at The Inspired Room
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

  













Tutorials Tips and Tidbits at StoneGable
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage
Be Inspired at Common Ground  
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage 
Fabulously Creative Friday at Jennifer Rizzo 
The Scoop at Confessions of a Plate Addict 
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm 
Party Junk at Funky Junk Interiors 
Empty Your Archive at Mums Make Lists 
Junkers Unite at Knick of Time 

Warmed Up with Red-Master Bedroom

Recently I did a post called Perfectly Pale where I highlighted some of the whites and neutrals in my home, indicating that is where my design "comfort zone" is heading. Less color, more whites, in pursuit of a more peaceful atmosphere.  I also mentioned (and promised to show you) how I do still use and enjoy color at Christmastime. 

If there is ever a time to add an infusion of red to your basic neutrals the Christmas season is it! I have two areas in our home where I bring in the red most during this season, for an infusion of cozy cheerfulness. One is the kitchen/dining area, and the other is my master bedroom, which I'm sharing today.

Now, I've only been blogging "seriously" for about 8 weeks and I guess I feel a little shy about showing such a private area of our home to my 44 followers the WORLD! Awhile back I did share a little part of this room when I showed you my Faux Fireplace Mantel, so I guess I'm ready to go for the rest? Well, okay then, come on in!

 

 I know I always seem to be apologizing for my photography, but I'm doing it again. It was dusk AND it was gloomy and gray out, so some photos aren't too sharp. This actually works a little to my advantage because I didn't vacuum! : ) Oh, how I would love to snap my fingers and have that ceiling fan be replaced with a lovely chandelier. But we're not here for that!

Normally all the fabrics in my room are pretty white/neutral. Simply adding layers of linens and pillows in varying red prints instantly creates a warmer feeling in the cold winter months.

I sort of fantasize about painting the bed white someday, but I'm not ready to tackle it yet.

Yes, there is a superfluous twin bed in my room right now. It came out of the kids' room and I intended it to go to the basement, but it landed here and stayed. We use it sort of like a daybed/sofa when my laundry pile isn't there. 
Again, just adding layers of colorful blankets and pillows and decorative items, like the postcard garland on the vintage sled, immediately creates a warmer feel to the room.

Red print pillows and a soon-to-be skirt on my "project chair" in a Waverly floral fabric I've been in love with for years.

The name escapes me at the moment, but it has been used in many ways around my home(s).

  
This piece doesn't really have anything to do with cozy color (except it's warm wood tones) but I thought I'd show you just because it's a favorite of mine.

 I think it's the front panel from an old piano? But for now it's standing in the corner of my room being used as a clothes hanger!

 I'm thinking it's also destined to be painted white someday. 

Ok, so I only just realized today that my dresser has a FACE! I can't decide if it's funny or just creepy!

 All her "age marks" just make me love her more.

 An interesting note about the dresser top; the shop owner I bought this from told me that when she acquired the dresser the veneer top had been badly damaged. She removed the veneer and covered the top in this Ralph Lauren wallpaper (!) and a heavy piece of glass.

Over the years it's been fun to put photos, cards etc under the glass. I've been tempted to see what's under the wallpaper, but I'm sort of afraid to mess with it! Maybe I'll cover it with some of my vintage sheet music next?

Nothing says "warm and cozy" quite like a red plaid blanket, right? Especially layered on top of fluffy white duvets and charming red print bedding. The super heavy PB quilt is actually on loan from my friend who's living in China right now and the Waverly floral is a fabric remnant from a past project. I have always loved florals and plaids together, and I think I always will.

It's so easy to use things you already have to pull color into a room! I used some of my favorite crafting/decorating books here. Tired of this color? Swap them out for another! Don't get me wrong, books never need to match a color scheme, but when you are doing a seasonal (temporary) color scheme, why not use something you already have and love?

Blankets, pillows, books, candles, picture frames are all easily whisked away when your design mood changes, with very little time and no money spent.

There's my cozy (I do like that word!) little electric fireplace I made the mantel and faux brick backdrop for.

Thank you so much for visiting my warmed-up-with-red winter bedroom! Rest assured, in a few weeks I'll be ready to have things back to Perfectly Pale in here! It's been a long day....I am SO climbing in this bed right now : )



 









over at:

  

French Country Cottage-Feathered Nest Friday
At the Picket Fence-Inspiration Friday 

Common Ground-Vintage Inpiration 
Six Sisters'-Strut Your Stuff Saturday 
It's Overflowing-Overflowing With Creativity! 
Funky Junk Interiors-SNS 
Homemaker On a Dime-Creative Bloggers' Party 
Liz Marie Blog 

The Faux Fireplace Mantel

Awhile back I shared with you about a couple of crib panels that I found on the roadside. One of them I turned into this fun chalkboard. Yes, I know I need to work on my lettering skills.

Original post here

I just hadn't had the big inspiration moment for the second one, until a couple of days ago.

One of the things I've missed since moving into our current home almost two years ago is a real fireplace. (I'm thinking you've heard me whine about this before) As far as I'm concerned, nothing beats the cozy warmth and ambiance of a real wood burning fire. But, alas, it is not to be in this home. 

But wait, take a look at what I DO have!! Wait for it....wait for it...

TA-DA!!!

 

 Um, hello? Is that crickets I hear? 

I've had this little baby for about three years now, and I really do like it, but it's just a glorified electric heater. It blows hot air and has a fake simulated fire. It warms up my cold bedroom pretty darn quickly, but a little lacking in the charm department, know what I mean? Little black charmless fire simulator needed...

A SIMULATED MANTEL! HELLO INSPIRATION!

The light bulb went on....the wheels started turning.....it all started coming together in my mind. THIS would be the beginning of my faux mantel. 

By sheer magic (and about 20 blows of the hammer) the pieces just fell before me.

  

The faux brick wall panel is a leftover piece from a project at our previous home. I use it as a backdrop for photographing things for my Etsy shop , The Penny and the Pearl. I should have taken a couple of photos of the process, but it really wasn't much!

I originally thought I would use the top piece with the spindles, but I would have had to resize the brick panel, and I didn't want to do that. I realized if I flipped the "leg" pieces upside down, and set that cute curvy little bottom piece on top of them that it would frame the brick panel perfectly! Yay! I love it when things happen the easy way.  A (very) little sanding..

 

 .....a quick brush on with some white paint, giving it a bit of an aged look, and....

  
VOILA!

A kinda sorta mantel-ish backdrop.

I just leaned the brick panel up against the wall, added the wood pieces and put the electric fireplace in front of it. Then I started to fill in the area around it. 

 I found this heavy glass dome at a thrift store (pretty sure it had been from a light fixture) and I knew it would probably fit the round wood base I already had. The board is a little wavy so the glass doesn't fit precisely in the groove, but close enough for my taste. Just the thing-one large, simple piece I needed for the top of the fireplace heater. Another bird (can you ever have too many?) and a white bottle brush tree with that little flag from my birthday that I love so much, complete the display.
 

I filled a large blue-green basket with pine cones, a vintage style glittered bird and large glittered snowflake, and...

...these darling vintage sheet music origami boxes, made by my daughter Tess a few years back. 

Then I put up a black shelf above the white brick panel to hold all the "pretties" you need on a mantel. I also thought it helped balance out the black of the fireplace. 

 I had the hardest time photographing it, but I made a miniature flag bunting with fabric scraps and rubber stamp letters that says, "Let Heaven and Nature Sing". I hung it in the space between the black mantel shelf and the white trim on the brick panel for another layer of interest and texture and cuteness.
 

Now to add some pretty stuff to the shelf.

Some sweet little glass candlesticks that belonged to my Grandma,  a frosted pine cone in a silver vase and a vintage inspired postcard.

 A little mercury glass bird, a real bird's nest, and a little stand I made from an ironstone bowl and silver candlestick, filled with vintage looking ornaments, and a small glittered star.

I hung a chippy white antique window above the shelf and layered a vintage mirror behind it and a John Derian deer ornament in front.

The view from the bed.

I brought in my little work-in-progress chair. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it up and do a post about it soon. See the stuff on the desk? Yeah, don't look over there : )

  
What do you think? Doesn't the little black box look much more charming with a little simulated mantel?

  
I think it's looking pretty cozy. I might just have my coffee here in the morning. I'll show you the rest of my bedroom soon....when it learns to behave and pick up after itself.

Night night, all!

P.S. Don't forget to check out Part 2 of the free vintage Christmas images I'm sharing from my Grandpa's childhood book! I'll be sharing the last several images in the next day or so-stay tuned!

See you over at:

  

A Homespun Christmas at Savvy Southern Style
Debbiedoo's Newbie Party 
Knick of Time Tuesday
Farmhouse Porch-Cowgirl Up! 
The Dedicated House-Make It Pretty Monday 
Family Home and Life-Wow Us Wednesday 
Vintage On a Dime-Welcome Home Wednesday 
Time Washed-Blissful Whites Wednesday 
Savvy Southern Style-Wow Us Wednesday 
StoneGable-Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits 
The Vintage Farmhouse-Creative Things Thursday 
French Country Cottage-Feathered Nest Friday 

House On The Way-Twirl and Take a Bow

The Charm of Home-Home Sweet Home  

Embracing Change-Tis the Season Holiday Link Party 2012

It's Overflowing-Overflowing With Creativity 

Between Naps on the Porch-Metamorphosis Monday