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Simple Summer Mantel: Your Flower of Choice

I have a confession to make. I’m not very good at crafting a pretty mantel. I put stuff together, only to wrinkle my nose at it the next day. I try to remember the rules. Like group things in odd numbers. Mix short with tall. When in doubt, decorate symmetrically. This summer I’m forgetting the rules and creating a simple summer mantel that looks pretty to me. No rules, just following my gut. And my gut says pick your flower of choice to display in vintage aqua bottles and enjoy.

Simple Summer Mantel with Pink Zinnias

My flea market mirror has been added to my mantel. It used to live in the downstairs bathroom but I moved it because I needed some color here in the living room. I layered it over the ceiling tins (also from the flea market) that hang on the wall.

 

Simple Summer Mantel Decorated with Zinnias from the Flower Garden

I picked pink zinnias from the garden and tucked them into my collection of vintage aqua bottles.

 

Pink Zinnias

If you ask me, I think zinnias are just as pretty as roses.

 

Simple Summer Mantel with Zinnias from the Flower Garden

You could use any flower you choose and line them up in bottles, vases, even tiny pitchers. I left one bottle flowerless, because it would seem too perfect if they each had a flower.

 

Simple Summer Mantel with Zinnias and Silver Candlesticks

I kept my silver candlesticks on the mantel because I like the tiny touch of glam they offer.

 

Pink Zinnias in Vintage Aqua Bottles

I like collecting old bottles. I have several aqua bottles, and I’ve started collecting brown ones too. The last time I was at the flea market I spied the most gorgeous shade of lavender bottles. I didn’t buy any at the time, but their memory is haunting me and my resolve might crack. At least the bottles aren’t expensive and won’t break the bank.

 

Decorating a Simple Summer Mantel with Pink Zinnias

As pretty as a rose, don’t you think?  What’s a favorite flower that you like to bring inside from the garden?

 

Creating a Simple Summer Mantel

Rounding out my simple summer mantel is a faux olive plant, a paper mache blue box, and a small, carved wooden tray painted white. The flowers make me smile every time I walk past, and I’ve got more where they came from. My garden is just bursting with zinnias this year and I want to plop a chair out in the middle of them all and just sit there and enjoy the display of riotous color.

I hope you’re enjoying your summer as much as I’m loving mine. I’m a summer girl at heart and I’m bemoaning the fact that July is almost over. At least we still have August ahead.

 

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9 Comments

  1. Your mantle is perfect. Summer is the time for minimal,light and airy,and you accomplished this in your arrangement.
    It says calm,cool,lazy,and pretty. Zinnias are one of my favorites as well,and these are so pretty in the aqua colored bottles.
    Life is too short to fuss with the trivial…go purchase the lavender bottles. They will mix well with your aqua ones!

  2. You and your gut did good! Very pretty summer mantel. Just wondering if you have turned your a/c on yet??? Ours went on long ago down here in Southern Illinois. 95 degrees with probably 95% humidity here. I still enjoy summer though. ????

  3. I think your summer mantel looks just fine. I, too, love-love-love zinnias. To me it just wouldn’t be summer if I didn’t plant some zinnias. I especially like the tall zinnias called State Fair zinnias. Just love them and you and I share a passion.

  4. I love zinnias as well.
    Lots of fond memories of them growing in my grandparents’s truck patch.
    (Truck patch is a huge garden with long rows on a farm usually near the lane.)

  5. Hi Jennifer,
    I have never left a comment before but wanted to this time. Love your mantel! I have a couple of old bottles and I put sunflowers and cone flowers in them. I really enjoy your blog! We live in Illinois probably about an hour and a half south of you. I think yours is the only blog I follow who lives in Illinois.