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Fall Mantel Styling with Vintage Decor

By Rachel

published 09/12/2024

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Last Updated on October 17, 2024 by Rachel Granholm

Infuse the cozy essence of this season into your home through fall mantel styling with vintage decor!

As the leaves change color and the weather begins to cool, many look forward to the comforting moments of autumn. What better way to welcome the season than by sprucing up your mantel? With its unique charm and timeless appeal, incorporating vintage pieces into your fall mantel adds a touch of nostalgia and warmth to your home. Grab a warm beverage and cuddle up for this thrifty fall mantel styling with vintage decor!

Table of Contents

Vintage Mantel, Fall Flair: Cozy Decorating Tips

Fall has many adjectives: cozy, welcoming, moody, nostalgic, crisp, and the list goes on. When decorating your space for fall, it’s helpful to keep in mind those words that make fall feel like fall for you. I hope that the ideas and tips below will give you some guidance on how to achieve that!

In this article, we’ll delve into the art of fall mantel styling with vintage decor, from selecting the perfect pieces to arranging them in a way that creates a stunning focal point for your space. Get ready to be inspired and learn how to create a picturesque fall mantel that will impress even the biggest home decor enthusiasts. Let’s dive in!

Thrifted Fall Mantel Styling Guide

As you know, I adore thrift shopping. It’s one of my very favorite hobbies that I carefully schedule into each week. When I thrift, I am looking for vintage decor to add to my collections, craft supplies, any needed household items, and seasonal decor.

One of the many beautiful things about thrifting is that you can find a plethora of things, especially seasonal decor items, for so cheap!

I’m here to let you know that you can totally style a fall mantel, or any other space in your home, on a budget using pieces found secondhand. When thrifting for decor to use seasonally, give yourself permission to get really creative and think outside the box.
Styling your home is not linear nor is it one-size-fits-all, so it’s an amazing way to express your style and the most authentic way of making your home feel like you.

Here is a list of fall mantel items to look for at the thrift store:

candlesticks
fall-themed ribbon
jars, vases, bottles, or crocks
vintage books
tureens or bowls
vintage handkerchiefs, table runners, or dresser scarves
faux or dried stems
vintage art
mirrors
gold, brass, or wood picture frames
wood risers, vintage cheese boxes, or cigar boxes

Shop the Fall Mantel Look

Fall Mantel Styling with Vintage Decor

Let me start this off by saying that my mantel is quite an unusual shape. Due to the way the chimney was built, it basically cuts the mantel right in half and, truly, has been a decorating nightmare trying to make it all feel cohesive instead of two separate sides.

It’s taken me years to learn how to style this space properly but, once I started working with it rather than fighting it, the whole game changed.

So, if you have an oddly-shaped mantel or space in your home that is giving you grief or if you are simply here for all the fall mantel decorating ideas, I’ve got you! From classic autumnal elements to fall-inspired color palettes, come along as I share how to create a cozy and inviting mantel display.

Below, in no particular order, you will find each element used on my mantel for the season as well as simple tips for styling.

Fall Mantel Element #1- Vintage Vases, Jugs, Crocks, or Jars.

Height is, in my opinion, the most important element of building a solid foundation of any mantel vignette.

To achieve enough height on the mantel, I started at the back with a vintage stoneware crock on the left. Then, for even more height as well as texture, I placed a tall stem of whispy, dried eucalyptus inside.

On the corresponding side of the mantel, I used a larger amber glass milk bottle with similar dried fall stems. Because the chimney itself is black, it’s difficult to see the amber jar.

So, to help break up the dark colors, I tied a plaid ribbon around the neck of the bottle.

Another design element that helped with the dark on dark was to place a milk glass vase just to the left of the amber bottle, on a just slightly shorter plane.

In my eyes, the white color makes the amber bottle ‘pop’ a little more and adds some dimension to the overall display.

Fall Mantel Element #2- Candlesticks.

Candlesticks, vintage or not, are a crucial element for creating a cozy fall mantel.

This season, I decided to use my hobnail milk glass candle holders. The beauty about milk glass is that you can style it for any season by tweaking it to fit the aesthetic.

So, to achieve a moody, fall vibe with the candlesticks, I placed a gold-hued taper candle in each.

Mantel Styling Tip: When decorating with candlesticks on a mantel, I have found it helpful to stagger the heights of the pair. Raise one of them up just a tad by placing a wooden riser or book underneath it.

Candlesticks are helpful for adding into a space where you don’t know what else to use or are out of decor pieces. You can also opt to use them for more height, as well.

Shop Fall Candle Sticks

Fall Mantel Element #3- Vintage Books.

Vintage books amp up the vintage fall look unlike anything else. With their faded colors, worn bindings and tattered pages, old books bring in that nostalgic and timeless character that every fall mantel needs.

Stacked, side by side, or placed here and there, any display option will give you that moody, old-world feel.

On my fall mantel, I selected seven books, that have been thrifted for just a few dollars a piece, and placed them side by side. I adore the dramatic look that vintage books bring to a mantel space, especially when paired with lighter colored decor such as ironstone or milk glass.

If your mantel is lacking depth or color or if you think it needs some more visual interest, reach for a few vintage books. I promise it will do the trick!

Fall Mantel Element #4- Tureens or Bowls.

When styling a mantel for fall, it’s helpful to have a few larger statement pieces. Such pieces can include tureens, platters, or bowls. These vintage pieces take up a lot of real estate on a mantel and, as such, I’m inclined to use some of my favorite thrifted and vintage finds.

The first larger-scale decor piece I chose is this incredible brown transferware tureen. It nestles in next to the row of books perfectly! To add a tad more interest, I tied a gold velvet ribbon to the handle.

For the right side of the mantel, I opted for a neutral ironstone tureen, sans lid. To bring in more of that fall feel, I placed a few fall-themed accessories inside such as faux pumpkins and thread spools.

When thinking about decorating a mantel, think in terms of symmetry. But, instead of using the same pieces, choose ‘like’ items so that each side of the mantel echoes the other without being too ‘matchy’.

For example, I used two ironstone tureens but they are different in size and pattern. I also used them in two completely different ways. You can do that with anything on a mantel!

Fall Mantel Element #5- Faux Pumpkins.

Personally, I don’t care to load down the inside of my home with fake pumpkins. But, a few here and there suits me just fine.

And, pumpkins are quintessentially fall, after all! Alas, I would be re-missed if pumpkins were not included on a fall mantel display. So, I selected three faux pumpkins for the right side of the mantel.

The trick with fake pumpkins is to make them look like they are supposed to be there.

Like…the one above looks like it fell off the vine and landed right where it is. And, when using them in a vessel, mindfully place each one to make them look as ‘wild’ as possible.

Fall Mantel Element #6- Vintage Thread Spools.

I don’t know what it is about old thread but they make the most amazing fall decor accessory! Vintage thread or thread spools add texture and soften the edges of any fall display.

On a mantel, vintage thread spools can be used as fillers to fill in empty or open gaps. And, if you don’t care to use any pumpkins, thread spools mimic the look of pumpkins since they have a similar shape!

Fall Mantel Element #7- Dried Fall Florals.

Dried stems, such as any variety of eucalyptus, are my favorite stems to use for fall.

When styling a fall mantel, faux stems are so important!

You see, stems add movement and life to any display. Nature has a way of bringing balance and harmony to a home so, naturally, a mantel is a worthwhile place to infuse that.

Stick dried stems into vases, jugs, or jars. Lay them across or over things. Drape it like a garland. However you choose to use dried florals on a fall mantel, try to make it as natural looking as possible!

Fall Mantel Element #8- Vintage Linens.

Linens, such as handkerchiefs, table runners, doilies, or dresser scarves, bring a delicate, soft, and feminine vibe to a mantel vignette.

Look for varieties such as:

I like to use vintage handkerchiefs or smaller linens as a base for any mantel display. By placing linens down first, they act as an anchor for the rest of the decor to sit on, helping each piece feel grounded.

Fall Mantel Element #9- Fall-Themed Ribbon.

If you are looking for a super budget-friendly decor option, ribbon is your best friend.

I saw this decorating technique used a few years ago and fell in love with it. By simply tying a fall-themed ribbon around a jar, handle, vase, lamp, etc…you can totally change the whole look of a room, especially in a small space!

Some of my fall ribbon favorites include:

Fall Mantel Element #10- Vintage Art.

Art is special.

Art, especially of the vintage variety, helps any space to tell a story.

And, thrift stores carry an amazing selection of art so you can adorn your walls for just a few dollars!

I love to include art on my mantel, usually hanging on the wall on the left side. Because, then, instead of looking at a blank white wall and an empty space, your eye is drawn to that piece of art, which in turn draws your eyes down and across the entire mantel display.

It’s like the cherry on top of the sundae, rounding it all out with something super sweet.

Fall Mantel Element #11- Wooden Risers.

Last but not least of the fall mantel elements is one that I couldn’t be without…wood!

And, not just any kind of wood but vintage wooden risers.

Wood elements are not only helpful for adding warmth to a fall display but are crucial for raising decor up that needs it.

As you can see, the amber bottle on my mantel was raised up using a vintage cheese box.

Wooden risers can take many forms but, for me, I love to use:

Cozy Up Your Mantel: Vintage Fall Decor Ideas

Circling back to the beginning of this post, I had stated some fall adjectives including cozy, welcoming, moody, nostalgic, and crisp. Looking at this fall mantel display with thrifted and vintage items, I feel like those words sum it up, don’t you think?!

It truly doesn’t take much, guys. Use what you have or go thrifting to find affordable fall decor.

By simply tweaking everyday decor items, adding ribbon, or switching out summer stems for fall ones, you can style a beautiful mantel for the season on a budget!

Closing Tidbits for Fall Mantel Styling with Vintage Decor

With that, this concludes our first official fall post of the season! I hope that, whatever you found helpful or useful here today, you have the courage to try it and make it your own. Because, after all, decorating your home is a gift.

Each new season is beautiful in its own right and full of everlasting change. This fall, be encouraged to evolve and allow yourself grace to start over.

Leave me a comment! How do you like to decorate your mantel for fall? I love hearing from you!

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If you are new here, I’m Rachel, the writer and content creator here at The Antiqued Journey. I’m so happy to have you! I encourage you to stop by the ‘about me’ page to get to know me a little more.

Here on the blog, you will find loads of inspiration for decorating with vintage and antique decor, simple DIY crafts and many thrifting adventures. If that interests you, I invite you to sign up for my e-mail. You will receive a free digital download as a thank you!