Much like many other homes, I presume, our mantel is the focal point of our family room (not counting the mess of toys that I can’t seem to clean up fast enough). That being said, I always make a point to switch up my mantel décor for each season and/or holiday. From Valentine’s Day to the 4th of July, my mantel rarely stays the same for more than a month. As fall approaches and football season begins, I deck out my mantel with a mixture of pumpkins, leaves and other fall décor. Below are a few tips that should help you get started creating your own fall mantel masterpiece.

Pick a “Centerpiece”

I always like to have a “centerpiece” (focal point) on my mantel that draws the eye to the center. I find this extremely important if you have a television above your mantel, so not to be too distracting. I also use this to help hide the cords coming down from my TV (genius, right?). I use this cute, orange FALL marquee sign. I placed it right in the center and then worked from the outside in to fill in the empty mantel space. 

Use Various Textures & Materials

I love to use a variety of different textures and materials when decorating my mantel, but be sure they work together nicely and don’t look awkward. I used some galvanized pieces, painted wood, and ceramic.

Pumpkins, of Course

Pumpkins are a fall staple, and one of the few things I feel I can get away with putting on my mantel without making it look super tacky or childish. They can also help to add in some color. My advice? Use a variety of different sizes and colors.

Dried Flowers

If you have paid attention to any of my past blogs for Decocrated, you know that I am crazy about dried flowers. I worked some into my mantel to fill in the open spaces. I placed them in milk glass vases, galvanized vases, and a little class apothecary jar. Just make sure the colors of the flowers go with the rest of your decor!

Garland is a MUST

A mantel is most certainly not complete until you have added festive garland (in my opinion). For the month of September, I use a rose gold and burlap leaf garland. Come October when I switch the mantel up for Halloween, I use bat garland. And then in November, I use a Thanksgiving-themed garland that says “BLESSED” on burlap pennants. You could also use felt ball garland in fall colors or even yarn pom-poms!

Make Your TV Work for You

If you are like me, you have a television mounted above your beautiful fireplace and mantel. I am not a huge fan of this, but it was the most practical place for us to mount ours so I have learned to live with it. If you are having company, or just aren’t watching TV, I suggest adding a custom screensaver that fits the vibe of your décor! I’ve added an image of my kids’ Halloween pictures last year and I LOVE it. 

There you have it! All the tools to set up your very own fall mantel. I’d love to see what you come up with! Follow and tag me on the accounts below and show me your final product.

Blog: The Patient Mom

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