Simple Fall Mantel

Create a simple fall mantel with limelight hydrangeas, sedum, vintage crocks and driftwood.

I foraged our yard and our basement to create this very simple mantel design.

The other day I shared some tips on creating fall floral arrangements. I used a lot of limelight hydrangeas and vanilla strawberry hydrangeas. I’m loving these pale pinks, greens, and muted whites of these flowers.

I stuck these in a vintage crock and it looks so dreamy.

The color and texture of driftwood makes me so very happy. I strung two garlands of driftwood along the entire mantel.

For some reason there’s a socket in the middle of the mantel which is great when we want to have Christmas lights BUT it can be a little awkward when I want a very minimalist mantel. So I usually use garlands or vintage books to cover it.

The other side of the mantel has a sculptural white vase and some faux candles. I use battery operated ones for it to be extra safe. I love these.

Sedum is such a pretty flower. In the summer it turns from green to pink in the fall. These little flowers make me so happy.

The round mirror is over-sized and has a traditional and old world feel but it’s from Home Depot.

Here you can see the full mantel. I wish our rooms were a little bigger because sometimes it’s hard to get this front on angle.

I was drawn to the period details and beautiful dark woodwork of our home. We updated the fireplace a few years ago but kept the original mantel. We refaced the fireplace with fossilized ocean flooring and used bluestone on the hearth. You can see the makeover here.

I thought I’d give you a glimpse of a few more details in this space. I love the built in bookshelf.

I decided to turn the vintage books around for a more neutral back drop. The book pages pick up the colors of the candlesticks and the muted colors of the hydrangeas.

The sweet cement head is actually a planter. I love using it for plants but also empty. Of course, I added more sedum.

Above you can see our front hallway (to the left) and then another built in on the other side of the fireplace. Do you guys know what that would have been used for? Do you think in the 1920s they used it to store wood for the fireplace?

Isn’t it so pretty and I love the crystal door knob.

I filled a giant planter with plants, see here, and that Dendy Sadler lithograph used to hang in my parents’ restaurant when I was growing up.

You can see the makeover for this chippy piece here.

Shop the Look

Well, I think that pretty much sums up our simple fall mantel. I’m so glad I got to show you a little more of our home’s charm. I hope this gave you a few easy ways to welcome fall.

I’m sharing this as part of Krista’s Seasonal Simplicity Tour. Check out all the mantel and fall vignettes by my friends below:

The Happy Housie ** Tatertots and Jello ** The Handmade Home

Modern Glam ** Taryn Whiteaker Designs

Craftberry Bush ** Cassie Bustamante ** Cherished Bliss

My Sweet Savannah ** The DIY Mommy

Amidst the Chaos ** She Gave it a Go ** Life is a Party

Clean & Scentsible ** This is Our Bliss

Finding Silver Pennies ** House by Hoff ** Rambling Renovators

Jennifer Maune ** Maison de Cinq

This is Simplicite ** Lolly Jane ** Life is Better at Home **