Fall Mantel Decorating Ideas

To quickly dress your mantel for fall, hang a seasonal wreath as a centerpiece above it. Typical fall decorations such as leaves, small pumpkins, and ears of corn are often featured in wreaths, so it’s easy to find one that matches your other autumn decor. If you’re going for a harvest theme in your home, choose a wreath filled with fruits and vegetables. If a simple orange color scheme is more your style, find a wreath made from swirling orange leaves. Whatever wreath you choose, you can complete your mantel by lining it with decorations that complement your wreath accents.

Pumpkins are beautiful decor accents that can bring the perfect color scheme to your fall mantel. With these organic ornaments above your fireplace, your home will be ready for every festive gathering from Halloween to Thanksgiving. To capture the look of a bountiful harvest season, arrange pumpkins of various shapes and sizes on your mantel and then fill the gaps with candlesticks or gathered leaves. Uncarved pumpkins can last up to 12 weeks, so they can decorate your mantel all autumn.

The autumnal beauty of the great outdoors doesn’t have to stay outdoors. While you’re outside this season, gather up some of nature’s treasures and use them to decorate your mantel for an inexpensive yet gorgeous display. Pine cones, colorful leaves, and freshly gathered vegetables from your garden can all be arranged in baskets and glass bowls to give your mantel natural allure. If you want to get crafty, these natural elements can also be glued, tied, and strung together to make beautiful fall decorations.

Like pumpkins, apples are natural decorations that can beautify any fall mantel. Bring the splendor of an autumn orchard into your home with leafy branches, either real or fake, that you can prop up in ceramic vases. Next, line your mantel with apples of all colors in bowls or baskets. Real apples don’t last quite as long as pumpkins, so you may want to decorate with glass or plastic options instead. Finish the look and make it feel homey with rustic accents like wooden ornaments or some polished brass lanterns.

Though flowers are typically associated with spring, they can also dress up your mantel in fall. Flowers in shades of yellow, orange, and red are ideal fall decorations. For a stunning autumn bouquet, gather sunflowers, marigolds, daisies, and orange roses in a basket or vase on your mantel. Since flowers are very short-lived, you will need to replace them often or find artificial alternatives. Luckily, well-made silk flowers appear nearly identical to the real things.

An array of candles in elegant candlesticks can make your mantle feel bright and cheery as the days grow shorter. Ornate candlesticks made from polished bronze or brass can fit into a fall color scheme while also lending a sophisticated sparkle to your decor. If you want something a little more rustic, try candlesticks made from wood or wrought iron. Pair the candlesticks you choose with red- and orange-colored candles to brighten your space, even when they aren’t lit.

If you want to dress your mantle with something other than the standard fall colors, try an elegant black-and-white palette. With painted-white pumpkins, black candlesticks, ornamental black birds, and a garland of black and white beads, you can bring fresh elegance to traditional fall decorations. For a glamorous touch, you can also mix in some polished silver accents. This theme is especially appropriate for contemporary and postmodern decor styles.

If Halloween is your favorite part of autumn, you don’t have to wait to break out the jack-o’-lanterns, skeletons, and bats. Dress your mantle early for the spookiest holiday and let it add festive charm to your home all season.