I love mixing up my mantel decor for each season. However, it can get expensive to buy new decor. It can also be cumbersome to store a lot of out of season accessories!
I have decorated my mantel a lot and love to use things that were either gathered from around my home or my yard! Shop your house to decorate on a budget without having to buy anything new.
We also gave our fireplace a budget makeover. You can see how we extended our fireplace to the ceiling with molding here.
How do I decorate my mantel?
Fireplace mantels are a great place to decorate seasonally or with a focal point that can stay up year round.
I suggest setting yourself up for success with a basic decor design. Our mantel is crisp white with clean molding lines. I added a large painting (with about 1-2" of white space around it) that stays there all the time. I just change out what is sitting literally on the mantel for the season.
DIY mantel decor is really easy - you can start by gathering items from around your house and just play with layering them until you settle on a look that you like!
Focus on setting items in sets of threes (odd numbers are visually appealing!) and go for varied heights to add instant vertical interest.
What can I use for cheap mantel decor?
- Books (stacked or lined up)
- Framed art (shop your house!)
- Candles + candlesticks + candle holders
- Vases + flowers
- Jars - jelly jars, old candle jars, etc are perfect for small flowers
- Sticks - sticking up or laying flat
- Seasonal produce like pumpkins or gourds in fall, pomegranates in winter, fruit in summer
- Mirrors
- Greenery - branches, vines, cuttings from bushes
- Fresh florals
- Faux florals
- Wooden accents - craft stores have tons of small wooden items that can be painted
- Empty picture frames leaned or hung on the mantel wall
- Anything that inspires you!
Mantel decorating tips:
- Use items with different heights and sizes to create visual interest
- Layer decor for a more full, collected look
- Mix natural elements with man made items
- Don't obsess over symmetry - asymmetry actually draws the eye!
- Pick 2-4 colors to keep everything cohesive
- You can add command hooks or small nails to help keep items in place
- When in doubt, keep it simple! Less is more, too much can look cluttered.
Be sure to check out my mantel decor pinterest board for ideas for other DIY projects to create a cozy fireplace mantel decorating plan!
Here are my best inexpensive mantel decor ideas!
Inexpensive Mantel Decor Ideas
It is super fun to decorate your fireplace mantel for each season. But, it can get expensive. Here are some great inexpensive DIY Mantel decor ideas!
This mantel features greenery, red flowers, candlesticks, and vases. Shop your house to make a big impact!
This mantel uses mason jars, flowers, and framed photos.
This mantel is decorated with small pumpkins and gourds and greenery for a fall effect.
I gathered tropical looking leaves and greenery for this summer mantel.
Give your mantel a coastal christmas feel with garland and blues and whites.
This dramatic mantel was decorated entirely from things in my yard.
I painted birdhouses to create this whimsical Christmas village.
It is easy to make little sail boats from sticks + scrap fabric for this beachy mantel.
If you are looking to decorate a mantel, I hope that these ideas will inspire you!
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Hello, I'm Morgan, half of the creative force behind CharlestonCrafted.com! With a passion for DIY that dates back to 2012, I've transformed three homes and now I'm dedicated to helping others craft their dream spaces. Let's turn your house into a home together!
