In the winter, your fireplace is the cheeriest spot in your home, with the mantel decked out with a lavish display and the hearth crackling with a fire. But during the warm summer months, it can seem like a dark, dank cave. So when the weather warms up, and fire season is finished, I like to completely remake the look of my fireplace. I go for a minimalist treatment on the mantel then create a light, layered display for the hearth. Here are three quick and easy looks you can use to dress up your hearth this summer.
Look One: Garden Spot
Clean out that soot-filled fireplace and turn it into a garden oasis!
For this simple display, we placed a concrete garden urn in the center of the empty hearth. Then, we ringed the top with a daisy wreath – one of our hottest sellers this spring at Nell Hill’s. I love how the bright white, cheery flowers contrast with the dark, harsh hearth, but you could use any sort of flowered wreath or even one made of ferns.
Next, we placed an assortment of faux potted ferns in small groupings just in front of the fireplace. They barely show, but provide spring color and a light, lacy texture. If you have more success than I do with live plants, they would look lovely here, too.
We finished off the look by placing two spunky green garden stools just in front of our display. They are such a fun focal point – perky and playful. And, the ferns and daisy wreath in the background give the feeling of actually being in a garden.
When our display is finished, this dingy black hole now looks like the Secret Garden.
Look Two: Fern Fresh
What could be easier than pulling together this plucky display? In seconds, this hearth went from ho-hum to head-turning attractive.
We started by finding a cute basket and filling it with an assortment of faux ferns. You could also use a wooden or metal box, or even a wooden dough bowl. We placed the basket at an angle to give the display more movement and make it feel less stiff and formal. Then, we positioned a few more ferns in clusters in front of the basket, much as we did in the fireplace look above.
Finally, we found two painted side chairs upholstered in cream linen and pulled them in front of the hearth in a nice seating arrangement. We’re crazy about the bright, bold pillows that are so hot this season, so we added two to dress up our formal chairs, making them a bit more inviting. These dining room chairs come in three different styles and are so affordable and so versatile, they are selling like hot cakes. If you have extra chairs around your dining room table, try using them in front of your hearth this summer, just like we did here. Or, pull in some wicker chairs from your porch to create an even more relaxed feel.
Look Three: Sunny Spot
This grouping is one of my all-time favorite hearth displays, and one I mimic every year in my own home. I have some sensational antique chairs that Dan’s mother gave us that I like to place on either side of the hearth, separated by a pretty side table. Don’t you just love these modern winged back chairs, covered in a spunky gray graphic fabric? It’s a whole new take on the fireside hearth chairs of old. Gray and marigold yellow are a hot color combination right now, so we paired these matching chairs with yellow pillows featuring a traditional toile pattern. I think the contrast between the modern upholstery fabric on the chairs and the age-old toile is striking, don’t you?
I am captivated by this sweet little side table and think it looks ideal here, nestled between these two larger chairs. The three graduated shelves give plenty of room to display doo-dads, and, if that wasn’t good enough, the shelves are topped by mirrors so they give a luminescent shine.
We styled the table with some fabulous accessories that would look great year round, like a crystal jar, antique books and votive candles. Then, we added a faux fern to bring in a hint of summer.
Next Week … Want to dress your bed for summer? We’ve got some great looks to inspire you, from fiery floral to light and breezy.
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Kim says
May 2, 2011 at 2:32 pmHi there! Love, love..LOVE how you have done this! Just wondered if the neat little side table {pictured in the last 3 photos} is available in your online store, OR in your store for purchase?? I am interested and would love to have one! Please, can someone let me know? Thank you, and well done! 😉
Mary Carol says
May 2, 2011 at 4:05 pmI know Kim–I love that table too! Call Janet for more details @877-746-4320. It sells for $473.00—great in any decor.
Carol N. says
May 3, 2011 at 5:19 amI love the wing chairs and pillows in the last pictures! I’m recovering my sofa in gray and adding accents of yellow as well; good to know that will be in style. Do you sell the toile pillows in your store? I’d love to have them!
Kelli says
May 5, 2011 at 2:48 pmLove it all! I SO wish the pillows were sold on your website–maybe someday?? Nice pillows at a reasonable price are so hard to find! Thanks for all of the gread ideas!
Kelli says
May 5, 2011 at 2:49 pm“great” not “gread”–uggh!
Patty Stones says
May 5, 2011 at 4:16 pmI was in your KC store last weekend and bought a garden stool. It is blue and white and I love it. However, I did not see any of the green garden stools as pictured above, and I love that one, too. Is the green one available in your KC store and I just missed it? Or is it available in your Atchison store? Or on line?
Thanks.
Patty
Jo says
May 5, 2011 at 4:20 pmWhat a great way to spruce up thee ole fireplace in the summer….love your ideas.
Jo
Jane May says
May 5, 2011 at 5:55 pmI love the fireplace recommendations for summertime! You always have such great ideas to share and easy to do.
Something I’ve been looking for is what to put on the coffee table…I try to change out each season and looking for new things to display items, or what is on trend for the season..
Always love to see your blogs and fresh ideas!
Mary Carol says
May 5, 2011 at 6:59 pmYes Patty, we do have the green garden stools available at the Briarcliff store for $86.00–come back and see us!
Mary Carol says
May 5, 2011 at 8:44 pmWe do Carol–Those grey and yellow pillows sell for $93.50. They are located at the Briarcliff store. Call 877-746-4320.
Mimi Tafour says
May 6, 2011 at 3:41 pmdid i see a notice about a book signing event with barry dixon ?
Jo Ann Sutton says
May 6, 2011 at 5:34 pmLove the faux ferns. Are they available on-line? Would like to get some for my home in Calif.
Mary Carol says
May 6, 2011 at 8:48 pmJoAnn—The ferns are a seasonal item, so they are not on the online shopping. Call the store at 877-746-4320, we would be happy to send them out to you.
Mary Carol says
May 6, 2011 at 8:57 pmKelli–Don’t ever hesitate to call the store @877-746-4320 and we can ship out the item you are interested in from our warehouse. Sometimes the items are in the stores only—and not on the online shopping and sometimes it is the opposite.
Mary Carol says
May 6, 2011 at 9:50 pmMimi–That was an event we already had at the Briarcliff store in Kansas City last year with Barry. Hopefully, we can have him in again.
Gail Bailey says
June 9, 2011 at 2:28 amJust back from a great shopping trip to Nell Hill’s, Atchison. Had wonderful time Mary Carol came in while we were there, thanks for talking with us, & for being in on the surprise gift for my friend Karen. Looking forward to the house tour & more fun in Sept.
Jennifer says
August 9, 2011 at 6:27 pmI love the chairs in the first picture. color so cool and relaxing,
can I buy just 1 or do you sell it as a set? and how much? 🙂