There is something about the mantel that begs for foraged findings from the natural world, those pocketfuls of dried flowers, smooth rocks, or artfully shaped branches you collect on walks and hikes. Here are 10 mantels we're currently admiring.
Above: Diftwood and a dried bouquet above the fireplace of art director Alicia Nammacher's house in Seattle, Washington. Photographed by Kathryn Barnard via AT.
Above: A collection of stones at photographer Brian Ferry's home in Brooklyn shot for Sight Unseen.
Above: At the home of graphic designer Jennifer Morla and architect Nilus de Matran, a cast concrete fireplace is surrounded by gourds, a gold leaf wooden arrow, and pine cones. See more of the house at At Home with an SF Design Duo.
Above: Ceramicist Paula Grief goes natural on the mantel; see the rent of the space at The Handmade Kitchen: Paula Grief in Brooklyn.
Above: Turtle shells from different species sits on the fireplace mantel at Eric Goode's home in Ojai; see more at Eric Goode and the Turtle Conservancy Southern California.
Above: Potted plants and natural objects artfully litter the mantel of Belgian artist Mieke Verbijlen on her blog, Mieke Willems. See more from our post on Gardenista, The Plant Portraits of Mieke Verbijlen.
Above: A series of flattened, oval stones on the mantel by stylist Tanya Goodwin of Home from the Sea; see more in our post Beachstones as Decor.
Above: Styling and photography by Nicole Franzen via SF Girl by Bay.
Above: Grapes and drying leaves on a mantel by florists Alethea Harampolish and Jill Rizzo via Studio Choo Blooms in San Francisco.
Above: A tangle of feathers and wood scraps makes up a handmade wreath over the fireplace at Falsled Kro in Denmark.
For more ideas around the hearth, see our post 5 Quick Fixes: Solutions for the Unused Fireplace and look through 500 more images of Fireplaces in our Room Gallery.