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Mantels are one of those funny things: you really don’t need them (or the fireplace below them, actually) but if you buy a house that has one, it becomes a decorating focal point. For almost 40 years I lived quite well without a mantel, but once I acquired one, I suddenly had the chance to do all those things with it I’d seen in magazines. Some ideas have worked better than others, but I’ll share some of them and perhaps you can also add your own.

We probably all have vague memories of grandparents’ old houses with a big mirror on top of the fireplace; in my relative’s case, they also had some knickknacks on their mantel. I don’t think they varied them from year to year (except, perhaps to add Christmas decorations every December) but it seemed to me that their mantel was rather under-appreciated. So, since I first received my mantel in the month of November, I decided to place all of my Thanksgiving pilgrims and turkeys along its length, like little soldiers in formation. Nope; that didn’t look right at all. A little rearranging showed that many mantel piece items look much better-and more important-with groupings. Another finding was that seasonal items seem to gain panache when also grouped with candles that pick up the main colors. Whether you plan on lighting them or not, a group of pink candles against your white walls, in the midst of pastel Easter flowers and bunnies, looks so much better than standing on their own at the far ends of the mantel. In fact, anything at the far reaches of the ledge looks rather lonely, even if your pattern is symmetrical; it’s much more harmonious to leave a bit of space between a decoration and the end of the mantel.

What if you aren’t interested in the traditional candles, statues and knickknacks on your mantel? There are countless options that still look classic, elegant or whimsical, depending on your mood and/or general décor. Model ships, small baskets filled with flowers or greenery, small plants, glass vases filled with sea shells, colored stones or marbles, bud vases, ginger jars, small boxes, plates, bowls, wooden sculptures and personal collections add zest to any boring mantel.

Right now, in the center of my mantel is a pink and white flower arrangement in a pink wicker vase that my daughter made in tech-ed. It’s flanked on either side by three brass candleholders holding white candles, next to a grouping of photos in similar white and pink frames. It’s symmetrical over all, but because I’ve placed the individual items differently, there is a difference between the two sides which I like.

In the past, I’ve truly loved the look of many mantel arrangements, but the longest I’ve kept any has been about two months-after that, I feel a change is due. One of my favorites happened to be at Christmas, when I placed small trees (trimmed with red bows and gold and white ribbons), at either end. With a display of red and white candles in high brass candlesticks in the center, and surrounded by swags of pine boughs, the look was cheery and could be easily adapted for Valentine’s Day by removing the trees and boughs and adding vases of red, white and pink roses.

Some folks like to add paintings or other art above their mantel, as I have, but the colors may clash with your mantelpiece choices-so if such a thing bothers you, be discriminating. Luckily, my prints have enough colors so I don’t have too much of a problem, but you can picture how autumn décor may conflict against a background painting filled with pink pastels, especially if that’s the first thing you see upon entering a family or living room.

Probably the worst thing a person could do with their mantel is to leave it totally empty, or stick one solitary small object in the center. Look around for prized possessions that match your room décor, trial different placements, and keep what appeals.

If you make good use of your luck in having a mantel, you will be rewarded by the lift it gives you every time you walk into the room and gaze upon it.