As most of you know – my husband and I just bought a house in Philadelphia and are LOVING our new hood! I always tell my friends + family that interior design is one of my favorite past times. You can say I enjoy long romantic walks down the aisles of HomeGoods 🙂 Sharing my my most recent home decor project – our living room!

When we were looking at houses I had two non-negotiables: a washer and dryer (adulting….am I right?!) and a mantle. A mantle is my FAVORITE things to shop for and decorate. I truly believe it adds so much personality to a home and can be changed out throughout the year for a fresh look based on the season. I really wanted an old row home with creaky floors and tons of old school character.

Guess what – life (and marriage as I’m learning) is about compromise and we bought a brand new construction place that didn’t have a mantle but it just didn’t feel like home without one. So I searched for how to add one with some old charm and character into a new home. This search led me to Facebook Marketplace where I found THE COOLEST, one-of-a-kind mantles…new homeowners this is for you: do NOT knock Facebook Marketplace until you try it!

Anyway, we nailed the mantle to the wall and added some finishing touches and TA-DA, instant cozy home. Even my husband was commenting on how home-y it felt! Moral of the blog post: don’t give up on your mission (even when they’re as small as having a mantle in your home)!

Shop ALL my decor + tips at the links below: 

Mantle – found on FB Marketplace (highly recommend!)

Bookshelves – loved the sleek use of these plus the added room they give for more knick-knacks

Mirror – makes the room look bigger and adds a little glam

Candlesticks – get varying heights to add dimension

(more candlestick options here, here and here)

Pillar Candles – my go-to scent is vanilla; I order in bulk because I go burn them so fast

Candelabra in front of mirror – bought this because it gives off the fireplace vibe that I wanted

Knick-Knacks – the rest are pretty little things I have collected over time and that are near and dear to my heart; a decanter from my grandmother, favorite books, pictures of my family, etc.

Read more about my decor throughout the house here!