STYLING MY MANTEL WITH SEED PODS

If you follow my blog you'll know that my rough cedar family room mantel is the thorn in my decorating side.  I seem to always be re-styling it. 

The family room is right off the kitchen and is our most-used room.   Over the years it's become the orange and green room with chrome accents.  When I found a wonderful preserved seed pod, I knew it was the perfect green.  Yep, I'm giving the mantel another look.  The seed pod "branch" is about 48 inches long and mounted on  two iron rods on a large piece of recycled barn wood.  I have the option of hanging it horizontally or vertically. 

MY SEED POD

Next to the seed pod is my plaster ram.  He usually makes an appearance during the holidays when I drape some garland around his neck. 

PLASTER RAM

My stack of orange Hermes boxes tied it all together.  Since they're orange they travel around this room frequently.

HERMES SCARF BOXES

Looking in from the kitchen you can see my favorite ottoman. It's a place to rest your feet, a coffee table when I add a tray, and extra seating for a crowd.   It was an old Ethan Allen piece with some dated blue fabric.  I had it re-done with some orange Trina Turk fabric.

VIEW FROM THE KITCHEN

The oversized demijohn sports some jewelry and picks up the green.

There's more green on the chrome bookshelf, the MCM chair,  and the collage art.

I've mentioned my business partner, Monica  @gatehousedesigns.  Of course we have similar tastes and we both purchased the seed pods for our homes.  She hides hers in her TV cabinet.

MONICA'S TV CABINET

What a lovely surprise when she opens the doors.

SEED POD IN TV CABINET

What quirky accessory have you added to your home?