A fireplace often brings feelings of warmth, coziness, and tranquility to a home. The smell of the wood burning, the light of the fire, and the crackling of the cinders help to set the relaxing and even romantic mood. You can even make the fireplace that much more inviting by decorating the mantel around the fireplace. Here are some ideas on the best way to go about doing just that.

You have to consider the rest of the room the fireplace is in; obviously, you'll decorate a bedroom fireplace differently than you would a fireplace that is in a living room or den.

A bedroom fireplace should be made to reflect the coziness of the bedroom for the two people who occupy it. If there are certain elements that appeal to both people, such as certain types of accessories or pictures, they should be placed on or near the mantel.

However, a living room fireplace can become the focal point of the living room. Adding flowers or plants in the fireplace when it's not in use, on the mantel, or to either side of the hearth can provide an inviting, warm touch to the fireplace and to the room itself.

If you prefer a certain style of antiques, such as early American or French provincial styles, you can add antiques from those periods to the mantel. Of course, you should add pieces that blend in and complement the rest of the living room.

You can also decorate the fireplace in accordance to the time of year and any major holidays. For Thanksgiving, you could add some autumn-themed items, such as figurines of pilgrims, feathers, etc. For Christmas, you could add red and white decorations or lights, a white blanket to represent snow, a wreath above the mantel, etc. For Easter, you could add plastic eggs, grass, and baskets to the mantel, etc. There are many ways to be creative with a fireplace around the holidays.

A technique many interior decorators like to use to really bring out a fireplace is to use the "Three Plus One" technique. This involves putting three related, similar (but not exact) objects on one side of the mantel, while putting a larger object on the other side of the mantel.

The one large object can have a connection with the three smaller objects, but it is suggested that the large object either be twice as tall as the three objects or appear to have the same visual mass as the three objects combined.

The three objects should not be right next to each other, but rather, layered to give a pleasing visual effect. You can put one out in front, one more toward the middle, and one toward the back of the mantel. None of the objects should be so close to the edge that they draw attention to themselves; the fireplace should still provide an edging to their grouping and remain the focal point.

Of course, the three objects (and the larger object as well) should blend in well with the rest of the fireplace setting and the room itself. You could substitute different sets of objects based on what season or holiday it is.

A fireplace can add tranquility, warmth, and coziness to a home, and especially to the room it is located in. Decorating it will depend greatly on what room the fireplace is located in, how you have decorated that room and your home, and/or what season or holiday it is. One technique many interior decorators suggest for embellishing a fireplace mantel is the "Three Plus One" technique that involves three related, similar objects on one side of the mantel and one larger object on the other side of the mantel. Decorating your fireplace mantel can add to the coziness, warmth, and tranquility your fireplace brings to you and to your guests.