Foxy Fall Mantel Decor

Inspired by a reproduction artwork of a fox, my fall mantel decor is styled with seasonal colors, vintage finds, cozy candlelight, and a few well-placed pumpkins. I’m sharing the look with you as well as my thought process for putting it all together. 

Let’s Decorate a Fall Mantel: 

We are doing some fall decorating today! Autumn really snuck up on me this year, so I feel a little behind on adding seasonal touches to my home. I’m not going all out this year, but I did want to make a few changes here and there. In this post, I’m inviting you back into my family room to share my foxy fall mantel decor. 

I thought it might be helpful to not only show you my fall mantel decor but to also share some tips for how I go about decorating something like this and the “why” behind the decisions I make. I’ll also walk you through all of the elements I used in order to give you ideas for your own home.

Sound good? Let’s get to it. 

Want to seem more fall mantel decor ideas? Try these:

• Cozy Fall Mantel Decor Ideas
• Moody Fall Mante Decor
• Boo-tiful Halloween Mantel
• Halloween Mantel Decor to Die For

How do I decorate my mantel in the fall?

Before we get into the exact items I used for my foxy fall mantel decor, I’ll break down the process I used for decorating my mantel for the autumn season.

1. Start With a Theme and/or an Inspiration Piece: 

Every year I try to do something different with this mantel. I seem to go back and forth between fall and Halloween. Since I went spooky last year, I decided to stick with a more traditional fall decor this year. Once I knew that I set off hunting for inspiration. I went to one of my favorite artists, Lindsay Letters, to see if she might have something new for fall. In less than 30 seconds I found my inspiration. This ‘Foxy on the Run’ vintage art reproduction was perfection! 

2. Shop Your Home First: 

With my main focal point found, I shopped my home for anything that could fit with it. The fox made me think of vintage elements and touches of nature, so that’s where I started. (Below, I’ll get more into the details of the items I used.) Try lots of things. You have nothing to lose. Experiment with your items in different ways and arrangements.

3. Add Seasonal Elements: 

With a few key pieces in place, start to sprinkle in some seasonal elements. For fall think about things like wood, bark, dried flowers, apples, pumpkins, etc. 

4. Make it Glow: 

In the fall and winter months, candles are a MUST for me in all of my decorating. A candle instantly makes things feel warm and cozy. The flickering flame also adds movement and life to your mantel. 

5. Add something Unexpected, Personal, and/or Quirky:

Above all else, you’ll want your decor to represent you and what you love. So, be sure to add something different that only you would do. And don’t overthink it either. Keep it simple and fun. Here I added in a vintage gold party horn I just picked up at an antique store. It has nothing to do with anything else here other than it fits in with my colors and vintage vibe. It’s a conversation piece. I also found a vintage matchbox holder which is both unexpected and functional. 

Additional Fall Mantel Decor Tips:

Here are a few other things you can consider when decorating a fall mantel or any space in general. 

• Mix Up Textures: If your display feels flat, try adding some different textures. Things like rattan and wicker are great for fall. You can even be thinking about the sheen of an object here too. Maybe you need something glass for sparkle or something leather for softness.

• Add in an Unexpected Pop of Color: I didn’t really do that in this display, but sometimes an accent of unexpected color can make things pop. 

• Incorporate a Botanical or Natural Element: Almost every styling moment can benefit from plants, flowers, or other natural elements. Before I tucked in the leaves here, my fall mantel decor seemed a little blah. The leaves brought it to life. 

• Repetition with Variety: I heard about this concept in a recent art class I took. The teacher was applying it to setting up a still life to paint.  I thought the concept was perfectly applicable to decorating your home as well. When you style a vignette, it helps to repeat elements (colors, objects, textures, etc.) but with a little variety mixed in. For example, I used books throughout but they are different in color, thickness, etc. I used pumpkins but they are of different shapes and colors. The color orange was repeated throughout all the elements, but I used it in a variety of tones. Does this make sense?

Okay. I think we’re ready to dive into these ideas a little deeper, here’s what I came up with for this fall mantel.

Simple Fall Decor Ideas:

Foxy on the Run Artwork: 

I talked about this above, but since it was the inspiration for my fall mantel decor I thought it was worth mentioning again. I was thrilled to find this piece. It captured the exact esthetic and feel I wanted for this room. In fact, I may even leave this up all year long as I love it that much. Again, this is from the always fabulous and uber-talented Linsday Letters. You know I’m a big fan of her art and have/had many of her pieces in my home. 

You can shop for this piece HERE. The size I purchased was 40×18. I got it with the gallery walnut frame. I not only used this for the overall vintage and natural feel, but I used it to pull the orange, cream, and brown colors into the rest of my decor as well. 

Wrought Iron Taper Candle Sconces: 

I actually bought these in the spring and never hung them. (Unfortunately, they are no longer sold.)  They sat on my mantel for months. Part of the issue was I didn’t know how to attach a heavy (and sometimes flammable item) to brick. 

My new fox artwork gave me the motivation to figure it out. I ended up finding these masonry nails that worked perfectly in the mortar between the bricks. They gave me a secure hold and I got my sconces hung. I knew that I wanted to give my mantel a glow of candlelight and this was a wonderful way to do it. 

Vintage Books: 

I’ve been picking up vintage books at thrift and antique stores when I’m out and about. They are great for adding height, texture, and color.  I have a good collection of different colors, so I grabbed everything that matched my color palette and used them here. 

I ended up facing some of the books with the spine forward and some of them with the pages forward. The spines gave me color and the pages gave me a pop of light color that match the fox artwork. 

Dried Leaves: 

I have been using these preserved leaves for years. I love these because they are real leaves that have been preserved, not plastic reproductions. I think it gives a much nicer look.

I found a set I loved on Etsy a few years back, but they are no longer sold. However, you can find some HERE and HERE. I’ve also seen them at places like HomeGoods and TJMaxx. 

Vintage Match Holder and Matches: 

I recently found this adorable brass matchbox holder while antiquing. At another store, I picked up this floral patterned matchbox. Together, the two act as a beautiful and unique decorative element. I love that they are functional too! There’s no need to look for matches or a lighter when I’m ready to light my candles. 

Wicker-Wrapped Bottles: 

I have a small collection of these wicker-wrapped bottles and demijohns. I usually have them in my dining room, but I decided to switch things up and add them here. I love the color and texture they add to my fall mantel decor. 

Pumpkins/Gourds: 

I picked up a few dozen of my favorite mini pumpkins at a local farm stand. While I love the classic orange pumpkins, the color can be a little aggressive with the rest of my decor. That’s why I opted for these more subdued oranges and whites. Small pumpkins like these are ideal for a narrow mantel. 

Rattan Pumpkin: 

I picked up a couple of these at Joann. I can’t seem to find them online now, but you may be able to grab one in-store. They are a classic style/design that will stand the test of time. Again, these add great natural color and texture. 

And that’s it! My Fox Fall Mantel is complete and ready to be enjoyed all season long. Now I just need some cooler temperatures to roll in so I can light a fire in my fireplace to really set the mood! 

Now Get Decorating:

Phew! That was a lot. Ha!

I hope you found it more helpful than overwhelming. My goal was to share my fall mantel decor and walk you through my design process so you would feel comfortable and confident to tackle your own. 

As always, thank you for joining me back in my home. It’s always a pleasure to have you here. 

Happy Fall Decorating! 

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