Fall Mantel Decorating Ideas With Neutral Colors And Textures -

My kids are heading back to school next week and I have fall on my mind. I’ve been working on some DIY’s to cozy up my fall mantel and I’m so excited to share this DIY home decor project with you!

NEUTRAL COLOR SCHEME

Over the years my taste in home decor has changed dramatically. After 18 years in my home and many changes, I’m trying to make home decor selections that are more timeless.

My living room wall color is gray, with blue undertones. The name of the color is Behr Planetary Silver.

Since I don’t have white walls, I have to pick my other decor in complimentary colors. After experimenting, the colors that work best are neutrals, like beige, cream, muted colors and light wood tones.

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Often, I can’t find what I’m looking for while shopping for home decor. Sometimes it’s because of a tight budget, but most of the time I can’t find the right size, shape or color.

My workaround is usually some sort of DIY project, like the shutters on my mantel. Thrift stores, garage sales and resale shops are great places to find unique items. I focus on the size & shape of an item and usually refinish it.

TEXTURE

To prevent a calm color palette from becoming boring, I like to add layers and textural items to keep it cozy and interesting. On my mantel, I’ve recovered books with white kraft paper and decorative mesh. I purchased mine at a craft store, but the links I provided are similar. I also added a distressed finish to my shutters, and added layers of natural elements.

The wreath is full of grasses, leaves, acorns, and other dried floral accessories. I change out my wreaths seasonally and they’re all different sizes. Often, I need to move them to fit the space, so I don’t like to put nail holes in my over-mantel. One of my favorite hooks are these 5 lb. removable Command Hooks. They always stay put, and when I’m done they remove without damaging my wall.

I also added some dried leaves under the “Blessed” sign. I love the bark on the wood slices, which repeat the deep browns in the wreath.

REPEAT COLORS & TEXTURES

While working with color and texture, I find it easier to work in groupings. If you notice there are two shutters, two sets of wood slices, two orange pumpkins, two white pumpkins, two woven items that are similar in color, and the wreath ties in with the color of the leaves under the blessed sign.

When decorating vignettes, I usually work in groupings of three or an odd number. The mantel is a large area with a lot of space to cover. If you notice, on the left and right side I’ve made groupings of five, but the colors and texture are repeated in pairs.

SYMMETRY & HEIGHT

The left and right side of the mantel are similar in height. But, I’ve chosen to not make them exactly the same. I think this keeps it a little more interesting.

The top of the “Blessed” sign is curved to match the shape of the wreath above it. These two items work well together, filling out the space like one item.

Books are a very inexpensive way to spruce things up. An added bonus is that you can keep stacking them until they are the height you need.

Pumpkins of varying sizes, colors and textures fill in the space and cozy it up.

OTHER THOUGHTS

My mantel is the focal point of a very large wall with built-ins. I try to add a little decor to these, so the whole space is tied together.

Honestly, I just installed the fireplace built-ins last January, and I’m still trying to figure out how to decorate them. Should I leave them empty? Should I add a large picture or mirror inside the picture frame molding? I still haven’t caught a vision for this area yet, but I know it will come in time.

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