Fall Mantel Archives - Graceful Order

Fall Buffet Decorating

November 9, 2016 · by Maria · Leave a Comment

Last year I posted pictures of how I decorated my buffet for fall. I called it a mantel and really, it isn’t. It’s a buffet that is in the entrance of my home that I decorate as one would a mantel, except I live in Miami and fireplaces are not popular, because we have enough heat as it is. I do love having this big piece of furniture that I have had for 13 years, because it gives me beaucoup storage and an opportunity to set the stage for the current season.

This will be a short post because there is not much that goes into putting this together. A few days ago, I shared how I decorated my table for Thanksgiving this year. Since this room borders the dining room, I like to sprinkle a little fall throughout, tying together both rooms.

There were two new items that I was excited to use this year. One was this sweet little “Harvest Blessings” sign that I picked up at Ross for 6.99 (crazy, right?!) and the white pumpkins that spell out FAMILY. With very little money, you can pick up something similar at Ross or Homegoods and add a little autumn feel to your home.

I purchased the leaf garland that you see intertwined on the buffet through Amazon. I actually purchased it with the intention of using it on my Thanksgiving food buffet but I figured it can adorn this table for now. Also, chances are I will tuck it away and when the Thanksgiving frenzy begins, I won’t even remember where I put it. It looks really nice at night, when the lights are on.

(I added the affiliate link above for the garland but it is not currently available, maybe it will come back in stock or you can find something similar on Amazon or elsewhere.)

The wreath on the mirror was already there from the last season – lazy decorating, I know. Hey, maybe I can glue some red berries on it and leave it there for Christmas!? Now that’s an idea!

In a few days I will show you what I did with the family room and living room (opposite to this furniture piece) and I think you will like it. Think vibrant pops of orange! See you in a few days! Harvest Blessings, friends!

Decorating a Fall Mantel

October 1, 2015 · by Maria · 26 Comments

October is here and it’s a great time to start transitioning into fall decor! I typically don’t decorate every room in my home for fall, but I did already sprinkle some autumn love on my porch , dining room and my simple autumn-inspired mantel, which I am sharing today. You may remember what it looked like before when I shared how I organize the entryway but I wanted to start with a blank canvas (minus the lamp) which is the best way to decorate a mantel.

I live in Miami and fireplaces are rare (for obvious reasons) and therefor so are traditional mantels. Many of us use our buffets or long coffee tables to serve the same decorative purpose as a mantel and here is mine. This buffet is in the entrance of our home which holds everything but dishes!

I started adding and taking away elements and this was the result! What do you think?

I purchased this pumpkin a few years ago in Homegoods and I placed it on top of a wooden beverage dispenser to add height, interest and the perfect spot to nestle these beautiful hydrangeas!

The gold vase we purchased at IKEA 10 years ago and it used to be white. A few years ago I spray painted it gold and I love how it made the texture more visible. The wreath had actually been hanging outside my front door for months – yes, it was a ~~really~~ a little dusty but I cleaned it with a can of compressed air. It was the perfect finishing touch!

I love this print from Emily Ley. “I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection” – I love this message!

Here is the before and after and I love how it is simple, semi-neutral but it decidedly fall it turned out!

And now for more fun! I have joined a team of talented bloggers that are opening up their doors to show you their Fall home decor. Below are the links as they have been sharing their homes for days. Check them out as I will also be hopping over for some inspiration!

Thank you, friends!

Thank you for joining me for the

“Fall In Love With Your Home”

Decorating a Fall Mantel

September 26, 2014 · by Maria · 5 Comments

Decorating a fall mantel? I almost didn’t decorate for fall at all. It just feels like so much trouble to get out fall decorations, when I know all the decorating I will do in the Christmas season. But then, I started by decorating the front porch, and sure enough the next thing I knew, I was making pumpkins out of tulle for the whole house. Well, maybe not “making them” and not out of tulle, and certainly not for the whole house. But I did buy two ceramic pumpkins at Target, so kinda the same thing.

I was only going to decorate the mantel, so I stayed within the lighter fall colors to tie into the rest of the room. Keeping the existing color scheme, I purchased some stems and pulled others from my stash in the garage and I already had this wooden bread bowl.

I cleared out the mantel, which honestly is the key in decorating a mantel. It’s easier to re-envision an area when you are not looking at the way it is already decorated. Even professional designers lose perspective in their own homes. You look at furniture arranged in the same manner for so long, that you can no longer think of new placement. So definitely clear out the mantel and begin from scratch.

I left the lamp because I need a lamp in this spot.

Start with the focal point or centerpiece (which is not always in the center). In my case, I decided that the bread bowl would be in the center.

Then I added one of the hydrangea stems to the bowl. I didn’t cut them since I want to re-use them for other decorating projects. I did the same with the other stems, just folded them over.