How to style a moody mantelscape with a dramatic DIY baby's breath garland

I purchased a stunning mantel (off kijiji of course) for my creative studio and recently got around to styling it. I decided to put together a moody, romantic mantelscape and I'm sharing how I did it. If you're interested in a similar look, here's how to decorate and style your mantel, including how to create your own baby's breath garland!

Here's what you'll need:

• Mantel or surface to decorate
• Candlesticks and candles
• Flowers
• Baby's breath
• Wire
• Floral tape
• Glue gun
• Other found objects (in my case, a swan lamp and a big mirror!)

Let's start with the baby's breath garland

Easier to create that you think, one of the most eye catching elements of this mantelscape is the baby's breath garland.

1. Start with a piece of wire. Cut your wire to the desired length and affix it to your mantel. I just taped mine to the back, out of sight, and let it drape down the side of the mantel.

2. Separate the baby's breath into smaller sections, trimming the stem length while leaving some to build onto, creating the garland.

3. Attach the individual pieces of baby's breath to the wire by wrapping the floral tape around the base of the stem. Be sure to attach pieces close together to create a full look.

4. Let the baby's breath fall in a way that looks natural. I left extra wire at the bottom of my garland so it could curl up nicely on the floor.

Now that we've created a stunning baby's breath garland, let's talk about the rest of the styling.

Flowers are the quickest way to add dimension and colour to a mantel. I had this arrangement created for me by some talented florists. My favourite part of this arrangement is the amaranthus that flows down the side of this arrangement making it feel very luxe. If you're planning to create your own arrangement I have some tips from the pros.

• Your arrangement should be twice the height and the width of your vessel to make it feel really dramatic.
• Floral foam is your friend! Use floral foam as the base in your vessel, taped in place with clear tape.
• Be creative with your colour palette. Although I was going for a romantic vibe, we included lots of yellow to make it a slightly less 'traditional'.

Candles are a must-have when it comes to any decor you'd describe as moody! I seek out vintage brass candlesticks for an eclectic look —these didn't come as a pair, but I think they work nicely together.

Lastly, think about height and other ways to create interest. Here, the mirror is definitely adding height to the overall look, and the swan is an interesting shape, and in this colour, it helps to pull the whole look together.

Autumn is an interior decorator & stylist, and the owner of Make Moves Vintage, a badass vintage shop based in Toronto, Canada. Follow along on Instagram and say hey!