What NOT To Do With Your Fireplace Mantel
Whether I'm home staging a home in Atlanta or doing a redesign, one of the most common mistakes I see is the use of a mirror hung above the fireplace.
Why is a mirror a bad choice?
Let's review the before picture below. Standing at 5' 4" and to the left of the fireplace, this is what I captured when I snapped this photo. As I point out, you can see that the mirror is reflecting the ceiling. While canned lighting is nice, it's not the nicest feature to have highlighted.
A better alternative is the use of a picture/artwork. Here's how it now looks:
Here's a list of some very effective ways in which you can make a mirror work in your favor:
- Entrances: When selling - mirrors hung at an entrance allow the prospective buyers to envision themselves in the home, which is precisely what you want to have happen.
- Living Room: Hang it over the couch (if possible). When arranging furniture in a room with a fireplace, it's common practice to have the couch/sofa facing the fireplace. When you hang the mirror over the couch, the reflection will highlight the fireplace.
- Small Rooms: Mirrors provide the perfect solution for visually expanding the space.
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About the Author: Kathy Nielsen, a RESA 2010 Home Stager of the Year Finalists is a nationally recognized leader within the home staging industry, offers affordable home staging solutions to help sell your home more quickly. Kathy can be reached via email at info@homestagingatlanta.com or by phone at 678 522 8392. Their Atlanta Home Staging services offer a variety of options to accommodate all budgets. To view examples of their before and after pictures, visit their portfolio at Home Staging Atlanta Gallery.
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