Top 10 autumn mantel displays

Don’t let fall slip by without updating the mantel. We’ve rounded up ten mantels that will get you inspired.

Fall is a great time to change up your decor, especially concentrating on the fireplace mantel.

Photo credit: Nesting Place

Blogger Myquillyn Smith of Nesting Place says she decided to play with cooler fall colors when she put together this mantel display. “My goal is to keep our home feeling warm and cozy while still showcasing my blues, greens and grays,” she says.

Photo credit: DIY Show Off

Blogger Roeshel at DIY Show Off says she finds a little imperfection in decorating to be “charming.” This is reflected in the mantel arrangement above. Roeshel added the pop of deep teal as an unexpected element, then filled in with reds, coppers and golds to give the tableau warmth.

Photo credit: Finding Home

Her home’s mantel, says Finding Home blogger Laura Putnam, “seems to be the first place I change with seasons, and it seems to set the tone for everything else I do for the season.”

Photo credit: Emily A. Clark

“I’m not a huge seasonal decorator,” confesses Emily A. Clark on her eponymous blog. “My goals in decorating this little spot were simple: 1. To use what I had and 2. To avoid being too ‘theme-y,'” she says.

Photo credit: Little Lovables

“A mantel doesn’t have to be over a fireplace,” points out Lisa on her Little Lovables blog. Lisa says the Native American statue to the left of the “Give Thanks” wreath is a nod to her Cherokee heritage.

Photo credit: Nell Hill’s Blog

More is more in this traditional men’s club look from Mary Carol Garrity of Nell Hill’s. Instead of one large piece of art above the mantel, Mary Carol chose to hang a small hunting trophy with a small piece of framed artwork above it. “It’s not the kind of arrangement you see over a lot of mantels, is it?” she says. “We love to catch people by surprise.”

Photo credit: View Along the Way

View Along the Way blogger Kelly believes in repurposing whenever possible. “For seasonal mantel updates, I like to try to shop my house and spend zero dollars whenever possible. This mantel was no exception.” Kelly hung the sunburst mirror, which she’s had “forever,” as a true burst of shine. The remaining decor is cobbled together from seasons past, aside from the green berries in the white vase. The berries were picked from the bamboo growing in Kelly’s yard.

Photo credit: Sweet Something Designs

Blogger Michelle Edwards, a holiday decorating specialist and visual merchandiser working on her degree in interior design, changes her mantel often with the seasons. The DIY banner is made from burlap and stencils.

Photo credit: Decoist

Blogger Ronique Gibson at Decoist explains that keeping a color theme throughout your mantel draws the eye across the entire fireplace. Stay with two or three colors in complementary fall colors for a unified look, Ronique says.

Photo credit: A Place for Us

Destiny Alfonso at A Place for Us says she used her year-old collection of pumpkins purchased on clearance just before Thanksgiving as a starting point for this mantel. She made the brown paper flowers herself. (“So easy, you can do them in your sleep!” she says.)

More fall decorating ideas

Fall decorating ideas for your fireplace mantel
Weekend home decor shopper: Hot fall looks for your home
Decorating Diva: Fab ways to welcome fall on a budget