Fall mantel decor ideas
As the warmth of the summer sun fades into cooler temperatures, it can only mean one thing: fall is upon us!
Autumn is my absolute favorite month, and I love to enjoy the season indoors and out, by decorating my porch, dining room and mantel.
I tend to mix it up each year, mostly shopping my home and adding a few new elements here and there.
Because fall has such beautiful natural elements, I typically gravitate towards using organic materials reminiscent of the season. If you’ve never decorated for fall or need some inspiration, here are 9 fall mantel decor ideas to help get you started.
I’ve even included helpful tips on making your own fall garland to decorate your mantel, too.
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9 Fall mantel decor ideas
Farmhouse fall mantel
We’ll start with one of my favorite looks–this simple, yet elegant fall mantel is perfect for those that want to decorate but don’t like too much “clutter.” Simple greenery, pumpkins and fall florals work beautifully in this space.
Greenery with pumpkins mantel
Pumpkins can easily add up, especially if you’re purchasing them each season. Save over time by investing in faux pumpkins that look real.
Simple and beautiful autumn mantel
One of the easiest ways to get started on an easy diy fall mantel like this is to start off with some greenery. You can go the faux route or learn how to make your own. I’m a huge fan of making my own, and at the bottom of the post, I’ll walk you through that process, step-by-step.
Yellow and white autumn mantel
I love the idea of dressing up a mirror over your mantel for a quick decor win! If you haven’t already noticed, Hobby Lobby has amazing faux stems just like the yellow one used here.
Neutral fall mantel
Feathers and organic elements like wheat are beautiful this time of year. You can find most of these elements at craft stores.
Fall colors mantel
If fall colors make you happy, make sure to incorporate them into your mantel design. Minus the pumpkins, you could easily go foraging in your yard for most of these materials.
Fall fruit with greenery mantel
If you’ve never incorporated fruit into your fall display, you’ve got to try it. For a hanging garland, you have to use fake fruit, but you could totally get away with the real deal if you recreated the idea for a simple Thanksgiving tablescape.
White and neutral fall mantel
A neutral color scheme is always beautiful and I love how this neutral mantel is accentuated with wispy branches from the backyard.
Rustic fall mantel
If farmhouse chic is what you’re after, this rustic mantel idea fits the bill. It’s never a bad idea to have lanterns in your decor arsenal, as they work beautifully for fall and Christmas displays. I especially love them when used as fall deck decor, too.
How can I make my own greenery to decorate my mantel for fall?
As you’ll notice in this inspiration posts, many fall mantels are decorated with greenery. And if you’ve never attempted to decorate with greenery (real or faux) don’t be intimidated.
I’ll walk you through the process here, and you’ll never feel scared to tackle greenery again (plus, you can recreate this for Christmas decorating, too!)
How to decorate with greenery (best for beginners)
If you’re a beginner, you will feel more comfortable buying a fake garland and then adding in real greenery in random spots to disguise your garland as real.
Start with something like this faux eucalyptus or boxwood and silver dollar garland.
Next, find your real greenery. I love grocery stores or Trader Joes to get my greenery as it’s cheapest and the selection is pretty good. You want at least two different variations of greenery to add volume and visual interest to your garland.
Items you’ll need:
- Floral sheers
- Faux garland
- Wire
- Greenery–different types of eucalyptus, (my go to is silver dollar eucalyptus, and seeded eucalyptus is pretty too!) magnolia leaves, stuff you forage from your yard!
Cut greenery all the same size (somewhere between 6-12 inches is ideal). Bundle 4-5 different stems together and wrap tightly with about 5 inches of wire. With the remaining wire, wrap the bundle to the fake greenery.
Start from one end and work your way towards the other end. Make sure to slightly overlap your bunches to make the garland look more life like.
How do I keep my garland looking fresh all season long?
Magnolia leaves dry up absolutely beautiful and will last for months, so definitely incorporate those into your mix. You can opt to spritz your eucalyptus a few times a week with a water bottle to help preserve it, or you can dry it before using it in your garland.
Besides spritzing, you can go the route of drying out your eucalyptus before you use it in yoru garland, too.
The easiest way to do this is to fill a vase with a couple inches of water and leave them in there as the water evaporates. This process takes about 10-15 days, so do it in advance of when you want to make your garland.
You can repeat this drying process for green hydrangeas too, which are absolutely beautiful to add to your fall garland.
