I’m sharing a spring mantel refresh inspired by some unexpected secondhand finds. One sunny weekend my husband and I took a short coastal day trip to La Conner after visiting a local garden nursery. While browsing a thrift shop we discovered two charming brass pheasants with beautiful detailing and decided they were coming home with us as a souvenir of the day.
At the end of this post you’ll find a selection of items that help recreate this look, along with a few vintage pheasant options I spotted while sourcing.
Because the birds had long, elegant feathers, I wanted to give them a proper place to perch. The fireplace mantel felt like the perfect first nest. I often style the mantel with vintage books and candlesticks; for this refresh I swapped in a mix of blue and green candles and added plants in the blue-and-white pots to bring an early-spring vibe to the room. The pheasants fit right in and add a playful, collected touch.
I love picking up little treasures while exploring—quirky finds that have a story. For example, the wicker ship basket on the windowsill is a vintage piece I found last year, and the original painting above our fireplace came from an estate sale; we discovered it tucked away and were fortunate to be able to bring it home. Those moments of discovery are part of the joy of collecting.
Living near charming coastal towns gives us lots of opportunities for small adventures and staycations. I enjoy returning from a day out and arranging the new pieces in our own cozy space—souvenirs that don’t need to be packed away. The mantel is a simple place to update a room’s mood for the season and to highlight secondhand treasures.
Lately I’ve been thinking more about the furniture and pieces I want to keep in our small home. After years of downsizing, it’s fun to curate things I truly love. Space is limited, so deciding what stays and what goes feels like an ongoing experiment. That process is part of building a home with a collected, personal style.
A collected look is often described as “playing it by ear,” but there’s intention behind it. I use thoughtful design guidelines to decide which items to keep and how to style them so the room feels cohesive rather than cluttered. The difference between a hodgepodge and a curated collection is deliberate choices and balance.
This spring I’m planning to bring my mom’s rattan cart out of storage—maybe it will live near the fireplace to hold plants or decor. I also recently found a vintage marble-topped table and a charming chair on marketplace sites; I’ll share photos when they’re in place. Part of the fun of a collected style is allowing the room to evolve over time as you find objects you love.
Finding and placing secondhand pieces creates a story in your home. The thrill of the hunt is not just in discovering items but in imagining where they’ll belong. With attention and a few guiding rules, you can arrange a collected room that feels intentional and personal.
Decorating over time may feel like you’re “winging it,” but each addition can be purposeful. The result is a unique narrative for your home—each chapter marked by memories, discoveries, and the things that make you smile.
Make room for items that spark joy or remind you of special moments—those are the pieces that truly bring a space to life.
Why not surround yourself with things that make you smile or that remind you of happy memories?
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Below is a curated selection of items that capture the look of this spring mantel: a mix of vintage finds, blue-and-white planters, textured rugs, and simple accents that create a fresh, collected feel for the season.