How to Style a Neutral Fall Fireplace Mantel

Learn how to create a gorgeous fall fireplace mantel using a mixture of greenery and neutral pumpkins. Follow along with step-by-step pictures and tips.

How many of you are Pinterest addicts in the fall?! ?‍

I’ve spent countless hours admiring all the gorgeous fall decor, drooling over all sorts of pumpkin recipes, and wishing I had the money to be able to make a fall decor statement in my own home!

This year, thanks to learning how to make pumpkins using old sweaters, and a chalk paint DIY project, I finally was able to create the fireplace mantel I’ve always dreamt of.

Follow along with me as I show you, step-by-step, how to get this same look in your home.

Fireplace mantel covered with assorted neutral colored pumpkins and greenery with a mirror, pitcher and candlesticks

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How I created my fall fireplace mantel

Assortment of neutral colored pumpkins in a variety of materials grouped together on the floor

It all started with these pumpkins.

Altogether I made 22 pumpkins from 5 sweaters this year.

I chose 9 of them to go on top of my mantel.

The other pumpkins here are ones I’ve collected over previous years.

I love shopping at HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby, JoAnn’s and Michaels for inexpensive fall decor.

I really like the large white pumpkin on “picks” at Hobby Lobby!

The picks bend and help you secure them at odd angles. Or you can clip them off.

Fireplace mantel with a mirror in the center and a pitcher and candlesticks on the ends. Additional pillar candlestick holders spaced evenly inbetween

Creating the foundation

I always start my fireplace by figuring out what to put on the ends.

I like to use taller elements at each end to visually “contain” what goes between.

The tall candlesticks that had been sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace this spring were perfect for one end.

Then I used a tall white pitcher with wispy fall grasses for the opposite end.

Varying the heights of items on a fireplace mantel creates visual interest.

The different heights help the eye travel across the mantel.

I used pillar candlesticks, a small glass, and some vintage spools.

Fireplace mantel covered with assorted neutral colored pumpkins with a mirror, pitcher and candlesticks

Placing the Pumpkins

Next, I placed the pumpkins on the mantel.

I used a few design principles to help me decide where to put them.

Separate items of the same color so they aren’t clumped together
Create visual triangles with items of the same color
Vary the textures
Have the stems all facing in different directions

I liked how it was looking, but something was a little off.

I realized that I liked the way that the pumpkins with the leaves were on an angle, not just sitting on their bottoms.

So I tilted a few of the other pumpkins so they’re on their sides.

It was looking much better!

But something still wasn’t quite right.

I sat there and stared at it for a l-o-o-o-o-n-n-g time.

Then texted some pictures to AnnMarie.

Stared at it some more.

And then it hit me.

The two white pumpkins with the greenery under them looked better.

I had some greenery left over from the fall floral wreath I’d made the day before.

Plus some twigs and dried leaves.

Assortment of leaves, greenery and twigs on a rug

Insider’s tip: One of my favorite ways to get greenery for different projects is buying swags when they’re 50% off.

It’s so easy to pull off a few pieces of greenery from these swags for all sorts of uses!

And so budget-friendly.

Adding the greenery

Woman adding greenery to the mantel in front of a fireplace with basket and small stool in front on the floor with assorted natural material pumpkins. Fireplace mantel with a mirror, pitcher and candlesticks

It was easy to tuck in the assorted leaves, greenery, twigs, and dried pods around the pumpkins.

I varied all the natural items to distribute them evenly across the mantel.

I also made sure to add some of the greenery under the pumpkins that were sitting on the pillars.

Some natural items were tucked in along the back too.

This makes it look like the pumpkins are naturally all nestled in.

Finishing the Fireplace Decor

After I finished the fall fireplace mantel, it was time to tackle the area in front.

Sweater pumpkins to the rescue, again!

This little stool was the perfect way to vary the height in front of the fireplace.

I bought the stool at Vintage Market Days, but you can find a similar one here.

I simply added three more sweater pumpkins, a natural wood pumpkin that I found at HomeGoods, and a decorative wooden orb.

Fireplace mantel covered with assorted neutral colored pumpkins and greenery with a mirror, pitcher and candlesticks. Small bench with 2 fabric pumpkins on top and three assorted pumpkins in front. Basket filled with blankets with another sweater pumpkin.

A basket full of cozy throws is perfect as temperatures dip.

I added in one more large sweater pumpkin.

Woman holding a mug in front of a fireplace with basket and small stool in front on the floor with assorted natural material pumpkins. Fireplace mantel with a mirror, pitcher and candlesticks

It may not cool enough outside to turn on the fireplace, but this cozy-looking area is the perfect spot to sip my favorite pumpkin spice chai tea!

I hope these tips for styling a fall fireplace mantel help you bring the fall feels to your home! Let me know what you think in the comments.

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