Toning Down My Winter Rose Mantel
Two weeks ago, I unearthed a pair of seriously cool vintage Lila Moore Keen camellia prints.
Lila Moore Keen was known as the “camellia lady” for her paintings of camellias and other traditional Southern blooms.
These prints appear to be mid-century based on the wear and framing, and they are absolutely stunning.
The problem when I decided to use them was that I don’t really use many florals in my home. This room, in particular, is sort of an homage to all things Old Florida. I’ve got rusted signs, landscape paintings, and kitschy Florida souvenirs.
But, given that camellias are very Florida and a former part of our yard, they seemed to fit perfectly in the thematic sense. I just needed to get them to work in the visual sense.
I think any time someone is attempting to “rough up” a bigger design picture to make something more “elegant” fit, the key is texture.
For the winter rose mantel, I went with a woven basket, a beat up brick mold, a collection of authentic oyster shells, and the entire set of patina-covered, rusty flower frogs.
The camellia prints are still the star of the show, but they are much more toned down when paired with elements within the color scheme but varying textures.
The result is an element of the room that perfectly stands out while also fitting with the other elements of the room.
