Easy Natural Mantel Decor To Enjoy All Fall!

Add natural seasonal touches to your mantel for an easy display that you can enjoy from now through Thanksgiving!

Fall in New England

Fall here on the Maine coast is a glorious thing! The marsh grass has faded to brown. Red and orange leaves pop against a backdrop of dark green spruce and gray rock. My wildflower meadow is full of wild asters — some of them bright purple this year! The limelight hydrangeas along the deck have turned a deep rose. And yes, some trees have already lost their foliage, leaving behind stark branches adorned with berries, nuts, and seeds to feed the wild animals and birds in winter.

Throughout the year, I love to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside — sometimes literally! No matter where you live, this is a great time to forage in your yard or local park for flowers, leaves, and branches to add an understated natural feel to your home. And of course, who can resist a trip to the pumpkin patch in October? Our local farm grows so many unusual varieties now! I may have brought just a few home with me this year….

The Stone Fireplace

The literal and figurative heart of our home is a fabulous see-through stone fireplace which divides the living room and dining area. The stone, locally quarried granite cobblestones which were used for fill to level the property for the original cottage, was unearthed during construction. It has all the wonderful character of old stone. The fireplace is truly a work of art!

The living room side has a salvaged wooden mantel and raised granite hearth. I spent some time looking for a “significant” piece of art to hang over the mantel here. I couldn’t settle on anything, though, and decided it would be more fun to change things up seasonally. So I rotate different artwork and mantel displays here.

For variety, I chose a granite mantel and floor-level hearth for the dining area. This side is a tribute to my mom and her incredible collection of antique English blue and white transferware. This display always stays the same; I just add different seasonal decor.

A Faux Fireplace in the Primary Bedroom

When we lived in Maryland, most every weekend I headed out to hunt for treasures at local estate sales. One of my finds was a cool old fireplace surround with a painted insert and colorful tile. This piece eventually landed in our primary bedroom here in Maine. Over the past year I have transformed it to better fit the space. (I will share more on that another time!) Like the dining area fireplace, the display here stays the same year-round — a watercolor portrait of our kids when they were young and a collection of Gonder art pottery vases.

Let’s see how I decorated these fireplaces for fall!

Decorating For Fall With Natural Touches

Fireplace mantels are one of my favorite spots to decorate seasonally. It doesn’t have to be complicated — some dried flowers, foraged branches, and local pumpkins will do the trick! Let your decor indoors reflect what is happening outdoors in nature!

Faded Hydrangeas in the Bedroom

A grouping of vases makes it easy to switch out seasonal decor! I love the organic shapes and soft colors of these vintage Gonder vases I got at a local auction. For a more minimalist look, different-shaped white vases would be fun. Or if you love blue and white, a grouping of different patterns would be pretty.

For Fall this year, I simply cut a few blooms from the limelight hydrangeas that line our deck. I don’t mind if they have a little brown in them. Just as I love antique furniture that has a bit of wear to it, I love blooms this time of year that are a little past their prime.

Pro tip: To dry hydrangea blooms, you don’t need to put them in water. Just plop them in your container! I find that the ones that have already faded and dried a bit on the stem are better than those that are still fresh. Mine on the mantel were dry within a couple days!

Dried Flowers in the Dining Area

The antique jugs with a barley and hops pattern that line the mantel in the dining area were a collection I always admired in my parents’ home. They graced a shelf in their kitchen. This fall I filled them with an assortment of dried flowers in autumn hues of purple, off-white, tan, and orange. I purchased the dried bouquet from a local market, but you could also try drying your own!

The wreath made of dried grasses that hangs above the mantel was also locally sourced. This is the third year it has held this place of honor! I store it carefully in a box and hope to get many more years out of it!

Slightly Spooky in the Living Room

The living room fireplace is where I go all-out for the seasons! This is the second year I have hung this vintage owl print over the mantel. I found it at a local antiques store. It has just the right amount of fall moodiness, so it works for Halloween too. Last year I added a few cobwebs for some extra spookiness! A vintage owl decoy echoes the print. Iron vessels in different shapes and sizes hold a pair of stacked pumpkins and foraged branches that have small dark berries.

Pro tip: A bit of asymmetry keeps things interesting! Play with different heights and shapes until you find some balance. The goal here is to create a mood, not perfection!

On one side of the fireplace an antique bucket holds a large variegated pumpkin in shades of mustard and green. I told you our local pumpkin farm has some unique varieties! For a fun nod to Maine, a vintage pair of iconic LL Bean boots filled with more foraged branches sits on the other side of the fireplace. At Christmas I use the boots to hold greens.

Pro tip: Think outside the box when sourcing your decor! In addition to your regular retail stores, check out local thrift, resale, and antiques stores. Etsy is also a great source for unusual pieces. Choose things that speak to you for a home that is uniquely yours!

Allow The Season To Inspire Your Decor

Did you notice that Maddie insisted on being in each of the fireplace pictures? She just loves the camera! I have no idea what she thinks I am doing when I point that little rectangle at her, but she sure wants to be a part of it!

I hope you got some ideas for your own fall decor from this post! It is certainly not too late to decorate for the season. In fact, if you use foraged branches and flowers, you really couldn’t start much earlier. I would love for you to allow the season to inspire your decor instead of making your decor drive the season. Keep it simple, and let nature speak to you!

You can Shop The Post below for some decor pieces similar to my antique and vintage finds!

For more ideas on how to give your home that warm cottage feel, check out my recent blog post Cozy Cottage Mix and Match Bedding!

Thank you for joining me here!

Until next time!

Shop The Post

I am sharing links below to some items related to this post. If an item was purchased locally, is no longer available, or is one-of-a-kind, I have suggested something similar. Keep in mind that since I have not actually seen those items, I cannot personally vouch for them. If you purchase through these links, it won’t change your price, but I will receive some compensation. I hope you enjoy this easy way to bring a little Maine style into your home!