My favorite season of the year is just weeks away: Fall! I start pulling out my fall décor when it’s still beastly hot in Kansas because I just can’t wait to fill my home with all the colors, textures and aromas of autumn. If you want to celebrate this glorious season in your home décor as well, the perfect place to start is your fireplace mantel, one of the most visible spots in your home. Here are three beautiful looks we created at Nell Hill’s to inspire you.
Glorious Garlands of Fall Foliage
For some reason, we only think of dressing our mantels in the majesty of garland during the holiday season. But garland is a glorious treatment for every season, a sure head-turner. This luscious, layered display is perfect for an elegant living room, where you’ll want a look that’s as dramatic as the décor.
We started by selecting a mix of classic pieces to showcase on the mantel top. I’m nuts about blue accents mixed with the warm golds, oranges and browns of fall foliage, so we placed similar but not matching blue and white jars on either side of the mantel. They mirror the cachepots flanking the hearth below. I’m all about mixing contemporary and classic pieces, so we added in this bookend of black and white jars in a decidedly modern pattern. We wanted to keep the symmetry of this display, yet add a bit of visual variation. So we selected a pair of gold candlesticks and a pretty plate propped in an easel to fill in our center space.
If you’ve shied away from decorating with faux foliage because you find it intimidating to work with, don’t be. It’s easy as pie when you know the secret. First, you have to work with each individual stem, fluffing it out, twisting and turning the branches so they appear just as they would grow in nature, a bit wild and willy-nilly. To create this garland, Zack at Nell Hill’s linked together individual stems, one to another, like pipe cleaners, until he had formed a chain. Then he poked in accent picks to give the garland more interest and dimension. We love to add in picks that have nuts or berries, or contrasting flowers or grasses.
If you have some fall picks that are starting to look a bit tired and frayed, this treatment is a great way to get one more year out of them. Use the older picks for the garland, then purchase some new, bright picks for your accents.
Tumbles of Gourds
Do you like a cleaner, simpler and more edited look on your mantel? Here’s a great treatment to try. It’s a more relaxed display that still has a big impact. We started with a pair of clean, clear glass vases that have a bit of an aged patina, thanks to the tiny tint of green. We filled the vases with rustic fall picks, mixing colors, textures and styles so it looks like items you might gather on a fall nature walk. Then we filled in the central space with a tumble of assorted faux gourds, held in place with a twist of bittersweet vine.
We use faux and fresh gourds interchangeably at Nell Hill’s. When I use fresh gourds at home, I opt for diverse colors and shapes. The more quirky the gourds, with nobs and twists and irregular color patterns, the better. If you want to create a display then leave it be for months, pick faux gourds, like those shown here, so you don’t have to worry about them biodegrading on the mantel. I’ve had this happen to me, and it’s gross!
Tell a Story with a Tableau
I adore a tableau that tells a story, drawing in your guests for a closer look, engaging them in the moment. The tale can be complex, with each element contributing to the narrative. Or it can be simple, like our treatment here. Our goal was to invoke a feeling of history, celebrating the past through a few iconic images. Our tools were weathered books, a reproduction wooden storage box and artwork done in sepia tones. Because I like to add a touch of the unexpected, we picked a cluster of contemporary gold vases filled with a brilliant bouquet of fall flowers and greens.
What do you have on hand that you could use to tell a story on your mantel this fall? An old photo of your ancestors? A plate, platter or bowl that has been in your family?
If you love to decorate for Halloween, you could turn your tableau into a macabre saga. Pick out a pair of old candelabra and dust them with fake spider’s webs, complete with a plastic spider or two standing guard. Put a faux skull on top of a plate. Or tuck a rubber rat into your foliage. Let you inner child run free with this one!
Next Week …I love to decorate my dining table for fall because this wide open plane is the ideal stage for the colors, textures and images of this beautiful season. I’ll have four table designs to inspire you.
Tiffany Kopp says
August 18, 2014 at 6:48 amLove to decorate!
cheri lambert says
August 18, 2014 at 3:25 pmI love you fall ideas….I really have enjoyed recent columns…I especially liked the one on downsizing.. I think that is a great topic for your next book! : )
franki says
August 18, 2014 at 4:49 pmJust today I was “so surprised” to see red leaves appearing here and there…with a cooler than usual August it seems Autumn is popping out all over!! Your mantels looks marvelous!! franki
Mary Carol says
August 18, 2014 at 5:07 pmYes, it’s so hot in Kansas today, but the cooler weather is almost here!
Shelly Moran says
August 18, 2014 at 8:28 pmYour ideas for fall decorating of the mantel are quite inspirational. I’m already thinking of things I have around the house that could be utilized to give my mantel a new look for fall. Thanks for the inspiration!
Julianne Mason says
August 19, 2014 at 5:34 amI love them all! I love your style . Its always a treat to see what you do.
Jill says
August 19, 2014 at 8:32 amwould love to see a blog post on decorating your china hutch for fall or Christmas
Curtis & Sherrie says
August 19, 2014 at 3:37 pmOh how I loved this post! Just this past week end I was asking my wife if we were ready to flip our house to Fall. I really feel that our house shines it’s best in the Fall. Even though it is in the 90’s here in Northern California, my thoughts often turn, like the Fall leaves, to Fall and all it’s glory. The colors, the smells, lighting of the first fire in the fire place. Thanks again for a wonderful reminder that Fall is just around the corner……
Blessings~ Curtis & Sherrie.
Linda L. says
August 20, 2014 at 6:25 pmMary Carol,
I love all your ideas for Fall decorating. We are taking a road trip this Friday just to visit both of your stores. A day trip. I’m very excited to see that you have faux bittersweet. For some reason I have always missed it at your stores over the years. Nobody does Halloween better than you and your staff do! I can’t wait to see all your Fall and Halloween decor and much much more. Both of your stores are always such treasure troves! And lucky me I only live a couple hours away. I hope to get to see you Friday.
Mary Carol says
August 21, 2014 at 8:28 pmCan’t wait to see those of you who are coming to the stores, especially for our fall open house, Sept. 5&6!
Kay says
August 23, 2014 at 1:31 pmLook forward to each blog-they inspire and are a feast for the eyes. Thank you so much!
Joyce Mock says
September 8, 2014 at 1:08 amI wanted to express my thanks to Mary Carol and her staff for making a dream come true on my bucket list!! You made my recent visits to both your Kansas City and Atchison stores a memory I shall always remember. Looking forward to using some of the treasures I purchased and your inspiration to decorate my home for the upcoming holiday season. Fall is my all-time favorite time of year. Wishing you much continued success.