Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      One has conquered the world of plant-based baking. Another runs a microbakery from her home. Two own businesses with their spouses. And the fifth is a James Beard finalist chef. The common thread? Absolutely delicious cakes. Read More
    • The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      For many Midwesterners, holiday feasting kicks off with a relish tray. We dare not mess with an icon—at least, not too much. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    At Wisconsin supper clubs, the steak is served rare and the traditions are well done. Like the brandy in an Old-Fashioned, these timeless institutions only get better with age.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    This sleeper hit of a weeknight dinner comes from Food Network star Molly Yeh's cookbook Home is Where the Eggs Are—and is basically a vehicle for Parmesan and garlic toast. No complaints! (The alternate version, with ham and cream, is excellent too.)
    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    With visions of dinner parties and game nights dancing in their heads, a Chicago couple renovated their historic (and first) home, one DIY project at a time.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    Author Lisa Eldred Steinkopf shares how to make blooms last longer—and repeat.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Buses, trains and very few automobiles—check out these out-of-the-ordinary holiday lights displays.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Tamales are a project, but many hands—even tiny ones—make lighter work.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • DIY Pistachio Wheat Stalks for Fall Decorating
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    About Us

    About Us

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
    • Fall 2022 Issue
    • Winter 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Homes
  3. Seasonal Decorating
  4. Fall Decorating: 1 Mantel, 3 Ways

Fall Decorating: 1 Mantel, 3 Ways

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com Updated August 16, 2021
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Golden glow

See how we decorated one mantel for fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving using accents such as pumpkins, bittersweet and wheat, as well as vintage and inexpensive finds.

Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Golden glow

Golden glow

For a golden glow, consider painting an accent wall with an autumnal color that immediately warms up the room. Once you have your color in place, you can move to decorating the mantel. Here, we used Sherwin-Williams SW 6382 Ceremonial Gold.

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pumpkin mix

Pumpkin mix

To create this cozy look, place three medium-size pumpkins on the mantel and mix them with smaller pumpkins for balance. Inexpensive gold glass vases filled with faux leaves add a touch of sparkle and warmth. For an added pop of color and texture, wind bittersweet around the pumpkins and vases.

2 of 10

3 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fall fireplace filler

Fall fireplace filler

Place a wicker basket filled with faux leaves and bittersweet inside the fireplace. For a little something extra on the hearth, we used a vintage wooden bottle carrier to hold smaller gourds. This classic autumnal display works well from September to November.

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Halloween mantel

Halloween mantel

As Halloween approaches, a vintage-inspired mantel will make your home feel haunted!

4 of 10

5 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Spooky feel

Spooky feel

Hang or lean a collection of flea-market vintage silver trays on the wall-the more tarnished the better. Gather pewter and black candlestick holders and fill them with black taper candles. If some of the candles lean a little, even better; it creates a spooky feel. Use old books from second-hand stores to vary the height of the candlesticks.

5 of 10

6 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Thanksgiving mantel

Thanksgiving mantel

Transition to a harvest-inspired mantel as Thanksgiving approaches.

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Dish display

Dish display

Hang dishes in a symmetrical display. We used melamine plates, which are cheaper and lighter than china or porcelain plates. Also, don't feel limited to using just plates; the center of the arrangement is actually a large serving bowl that serves as the anchor for the other smaller plates.

7 of 10

8 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

How to attach plates

How to attach plates
Credit: Photo courtesy of Flatiron Disc Co.

We attached the plates with an easy-to-use adhesive disc hanger that you can purchase at most crafts or hobby stores. Wet the adhesive on the disc and wait for about 5 minutes, then adhere the disc to the back of the plate.

8 of 10

9 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Gourds and wheat

Gourds and wheat

Casually arrange an assortment of pumpkins and gourds between two bundles of dried wheat. We wrapped the wheat with ribbon and placed it inside clear glass vases. Have some fun with an old blackboard or two. You can draw a leaf, write an inspirational quote or even put your holiday menu on it!

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Thanksgiving fireplace filler

Thanksgiving fireplace filler

To complete the look, nestle vintage crates filled with pumpkins inside the fireplace.

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 10 Golden glow
    2 of 10 Pumpkin mix
    3 of 10 Fall fireplace filler
    4 of 10 Halloween mantel
    5 of 10 Spooky feel
    6 of 10 Thanksgiving mantel
    7 of 10 Dish display
    8 of 10 How to attach plates
    9 of 10 Gourds and wheat
    10 of 10 Thanksgiving fireplace filler

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Fall Decorating: 1 Mantel, 3 Ways
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.