A mantel is a shared space. Candles, a clock, a jug of stems all live there too, so the print should not fill the shelf. A good starting point is about half the mantel width for the print and the rest for objects: 20 × 16 in suits a 40 to 48 inch mantel, and 24 × 18 in a mantel of 50 inches or more. Both are landscape, listed width × height.
Decide early whether you will lean or hang. Leaning lets you swap prints with the seasons and needs no nails; a framed canvas stands up well on a shelf. Hanging frees the shelf for objects; leave 6 to 10 inches between the shelf and the bottom edge. The four seasons mini print set gives you both options: lean one 8 × 10 in poster per season, or hang all four as a two-by-two grid about 18 inches wide. The Size Guide has a mantel diagram.
Posters arrive unframed, so you can use frames you already own. Wrapped canvas has a clean edge-to-edge face, and framed canvas adds an outer frame. The details for each format are on every product page.
A family name sign with an Est. year makes a warm mantel piece for a wedding or housewarming. You type the name and year, check the read-back line, and we print exactly what you typed, with no proof. If it is a gift going to another address, enter that address at checkout; our Shipping and Delivery page explains the timings.