Fall Mantel Decor With Traditional Style

by Jen @ RamblingRenovators - Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Pumpkin pie, apple picking, cozy sweaters. The fall season brings a lot of wonderful experiences but my favourite has to be sitting in front of a roaring fire. The moment is made even more enjoyable when the fireplace mantel is dressed for the season. You don't need to go overboard with pumpkins either... you can create a cozy feeling with fall mantel decor that has a traditional and classic style.

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I've been in a mood lately to use what I already have for decorating my house. There's a lot of uncertainty these days so I'd rather save than make unnecessary purchases. Do you feel that way too? I've styled this fall fireplace with very simple materials that add character and suit the traditional style of my home. I'm joining 20+ bloggers in the Seasonal Simplicity series today who are sharing their fall mantel ideas so there's sure to be a style to suit your taste. Let's have a closer look at my traditional fall mantel vignette.

Mantel Decor Ideas

Styling a fireplace mantle can be daunting. I used to agonize over getting the fireplace mantel to look "just right" and feel balanced and symmetrical. But then I realized, things don't need to be perfectly balanced and in fact might look better when they have a 'thrown together' appeal. In other words, I discovered I don't need to be so uptight with my mantel decor! Here's the different elements I used to create my fall fireplace.

Ingredients for a Fall Mantel

Mirror

I started my arrangement with my shield mirror. I've had a few different things above the fireplace - a round mirror, artwork - but I keep coming back to this shield mirror. I like it's unusual shape and brass frame and the way it feels classic but is still unexpected.

Flower Arrangement

You've seen my DIY fall flower arrangement using dollar store florals and a champagne bucket. I've put this arrangement on the mantel to bring height and texture. I love how the cool tones of the bucket and the painted pumpkin contrast with the warm tones of the mirror and fireplace screen.

Candlestick Holders

The gold candlestick holders create a nice bridge from the tall flowers to the piece of art. Having that flow and connection between objects is very important when creating a mantel display. Having a pair of candlestick holders creates some repetition and interest as well. I've used modern candlestick holders but you can easily opt for vintage ones that are always around at the thrift store.

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Thrifted Art

This piece of art is my favourite object in the display. I found this frame at the thrift store. The art it contained (a page from an old calendar) wasn't particularly noteworthy, but the frame was nice. I removed the art and spray painted the mat with satin black spray paint that I had on hand. It gave the mat a slight textured look, almost like leather. For the art, I printed a free download from the National Gallery of Art. This one is "L'Ile aux Moines with Figure and Cart" by Eugène Boudin. The simple graphite drawing brings vintage charm. I'm crazy with how the black mat and warm vanilla background work together.

Leather Bound Books

I'm lucky to have inherited a set of leather bound books from my mother in law. There are about sixty in total with deep navy or claret red covers. I've used some of the navy ones here and decided to turn the books with the spines facing inward. This way, you get more of that worn, vanilla shade from the pages. Old books are an easy way to bring character and a sense of age.

Antlers

A faux antler adds a touch of nature to my mantel. Keep your mantel decor from feeling too cold and posed by adding in natural accents like branches, antlers or rocks.

Ceramic vase

When it comes to styling decorative objects, contrast is always appealing. Light and dark, rough and smooth, big and small. Contrast keeps your eye moving and makes your display come alive. Here, the shiny moss green vase (similar) plays against the textured leather books and rough antler. Without this shiny object, this side of the mantel would look very flat and monotone. The moody green colour feels right for fall and repeats the colours of the florals in the larger arrangement.

Painted Pumpkins

Pumpkin, but make it fashion! I like pumpkins but I'm not really fond of the colour orange. This year, I've decided to decorate with chalk painted pumpkins. These ones are in Swedish Grey by Jolie Paint and are scattered throughout the room. They bring a coolness and softness to my decor and work so well with my wall paint colour (Ammonite by Farrow and Ball)