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When entering a room, few features draw the eye like a fireplace. Yet it is the space above it, for all its apparent simplicity, that often causes the most hesitation. The wrong choice can throw even the best-considered decorative scheme off course. It is hardly a new dilemma. Georgians were already agonising over how best to fill that stretch of wall, perfectly aware of its power to set a room’s tone. I asked a few decorators for their advice on how to get it right, and this is what I discovered.
Let us start with the mirror, a forever-popular choice. ‘Scale is key,’ says Romanos Brihi of Studio Vero. ‘It is always better to go oversized than risk something that feels meagre. Equally important is what the mirror reflects: a favourite artwork, a glimpse of greenery, or simply drawing natural light deeper into the room.’ Scale, however, is only one part of the game. ‘The frame should speak to the fireplace itself,’ Romanos says. ‘If the mantelpiece is ornate, a simpler frame allows the architecture to breathe, while a quieter mantelpiece can take something more sculptural or statement-making.’
Artworks, especially paintings, have also long been favoured for the space above the mantelpiece. Brandon Schubert takes a thoughtful approach when it comes to choosing pictures, and it all starts with a practical consideration. ‘A fireplace divides a wall both horizontally and vertically, so the key is to find something that feels balanced across both axes,’ he says. ‘Ask what shape the space above the surround really is. If it is wider than it is tall, a landscape format will feel natural; if taller, a portrait works better. It is usually best if the artwork does not make the wall feel top-heavy.’
Visual weight can matter as much as size and format. ‘A dark canvas or heavy frame can feel larger than it is, so sometimes smaller is better,’ Brandon adds. ‘A good rule of thumb is to keep the picture narrower than the jambs of the surround. Once scale and proportion feel right, everything else is instinct. Art is subjective, so there is no real right or wrong.’
James Mackie favours a looser approach to art placement. ‘I think it is interesting to explore alternative approaches. Rather than hang a single picture above the fireplace, which can feel rather static, almost architectural, consider a series of works such as a triptych if there is space. I also like to create conversations between what is on the wall over a fireplace and the objects on the mantel; this might be a good picture hung to one side juxtaposed with a piece of sculpture or a collection of ceramics. This makes for a more visually stimulating scene, bringing dynamism to what, after all, is often the focal point of a room.’
For Bridie Hall, the overmantel is less a problem to solve than a chance to play. ‘Overmantels were traditionally the place for a mirror, its function to bring more light into the room through reflecting candlelight and lanterns. Since we have sorted out electricity we do not have to worry about that so much, although I will say I do love a mirror over a mantelpiece.’
Her approach is instinctive, and it is about bending formality with a touch of playfulness. ‘There is only one rule to play by, and that is symmetry is the king or queen of the castle. And if the question is “what does one hang?”, the answer is: “if you have a pair or more, then almost anything”. Old or precious china that seems too good to use is often perfect to put on display here. And along the mantelpiece itself, again symmetry is the key. Candlesticks, Staffordshire dogs, strange glass from your aunt, dotted with the odd flower, it can all work together to bring a bit of spark and interest to the hearth of the house.’
You may lean towards maximalism, but Mies van der Rohe’s old adage ‘less is more’ can be just as persuasive here. ‘Adding something above a mantel can create a beautiful focal point,’ says Scarlett Supple, ‘but in a more pared-back or refined interior, I often find that leaving it bare allows the room to breathe. It draws the eye to the architecture and the quieter craftsmanship within the space. I naturally lean towards placing something above the mantel, but only when it feels intentional and genuinely enhances the room.’
In the end, there’s no formula. Whether it’s a mirror, a painting, a row of ceramics or even nothing at all, what matters is that it feels natural to the space, so that when the balance is right, the overmantel stops being a puzzle and becomes part of the room’s story.
