The weather is changing and the mantel is all decorated for fall! Today I'm showing you how to decorate mantels, and I hope you get plenty of ideas for your own fall decorating, too!
I love all the seasonal changes that Mother Nature brings us. I've taken my cue from her as I put together my fall mantel. I'm calling it my "burnished" fall mantel because that's the word that comes to me when I think about all the brilliant colors of fall. It is as though Mother Nature is burnishing the landscape for our enjoyment.
What exactly does the word burnish mean? It means to make lustrous or shiny especially by rubbing. Think of burnished gold. So I decided to do a little burnishing of some traditional elements of fall such as pumpkins, gourds, acorns, and seed pods to use in my mantel display.
I actually got the idea of using these colors when I saw the colors in the hydrangeas that I was drying. Much like Mother Nature's seasonal transition, I decided to use these more muted and understated tones to ease our home into autumn. The grapevine wreath is composed of soft tones, and I added some of my plaster leaves that I made last year. The directions on how to make them are in the post how to make plaster leaves. And of course, I had to add one of those inexpensive plastic gourds that I burnished!
Painted apple baskets loaded with pumpkins and gourds are at the base of the fireplace. If you look closely, you can see a little straw from our garden tucked into the baskets!
Here's a closer view. All of the pumpkins except for the burlap one are inexpensive, plastic pumpkins that I've painted or burnished.
If you'd like to see how I burnished them, click here to read my post how to burnish cheap plastic pumpkins.
If you notice, I kept up the burlap topiary that I used in my summer oyster mantel. Plopping in a few miniature pumpkins turned it into a fall topiary. You can find directions on how to make a Burlap Topiary.
The large burlap bows were used in last year's Christmas mantel, and I added them here because I thought they went well with all the other tawny, neutral colors in this display.
All the burnished colors that I've used are my way of inviting fall inside, and I hope you gotten a little inspiration to begin your autumn decorating, too.
Nancy
Beautiful indeed!
Debbie
Loveth the burnish and burlap and bringing gleam to all! Yea Fall!
Erin
Love the baskets! Did you use spray paint, if so what finish (flat or satin)?
Thank you for sharing!
Erin
Debbie
Its so hard for me to decorate around my TV, but you did a great job. Love the burlap. Blessings, Debbie
Sandy
Jane, I love the burnished look in your home! I also love white pumpkins. This is my third stop. Each one of you in the series has a completely unique interpretation of a fall mantel. I love it! I did my decor a lot different this year too. Who says pumpkins need to be orange? The burnished look is very classy.
Edie
Love this idea. I am very interested in the fireplace screen. Would you please provide some details since I'm looking for one before fire season begins.
Becca
Your "burnished" Fall mantel, inspired by your beautiful hydrangeas, is gorgeous, Jane! So warm and inviting, your mantel excudes Fall! I love your plaster leaves, too! Happy Fall!
Mary
Love the softer side of autumn Jane and your mantle! The texture and colors of your hydrangeas go beautifully with your burnished pumpkins! I hope your crop of white pumpkins will be ready to harvest soon 🙂
Sharon
Your mantel is beautiful, Jane. I love the burnished affect. It looks very natural and elegant...just my style.
Jean Windham
Jane, this is one of my favorite projects you have completed so far. The burnished look is so pretty and I love hydrangeas anyway so what a great idea to bring out the colors and use them all together for fall. I also enjoyed visiting the other sites to look at their fall mantels. Thanks to all of you for sharing. Jean
Melissa @ My Recent Favorite books
Love your mantel ! So pretty! =)
Vee
Beautiful! So elegant!
laurie
Jane, this looks beautiful! Your burnishing is done to perfection, and I LOVE those giant burlap bows with streamers hanging down. laurie
Linsey @ Farmhouse Porch
Metallics and brass are big this year for the holidays I've heard...you're a step ahead of the game! Very pretty!
I would love for you to link the up at The Scoop party tonight!
♥Linsey
http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/
Gina
Jane, it's beautiful! I love the burnished colors & I love the bows. The baskets on the sides of the hearth are so pretty.
[email protected] Designs
Jane, I love your choice of colors...the mantel and hearth area is such a soothing and warm feeling of Fall...and I am anxious to see your pumpkin crop!!! ... Beautiful Jane!
Bonbongirl
Jane-
I love your mantelscape and the Fall into Autumn idea! Can't wait to see what else is coming our way 🙂
Cynthia
Jane I am loving this look with a capital "L". It is soft yet sings of fall! What inspiration!!!
Cynthia
Melanie
Love it! Everything is perfect, what a lovely way to bring fall inside!
Susan ~ Designs of Home
Pretty mantle. It is fun to see how you all decorate for fall in different ways. I just love the way you used the 'black box" for the caption in the first photo! I will be pinning that one, for sure!
judianni
I love your use of muted fall colors - but I am oh, so not ready for fall!!!We are redoing an old bay front home and the weather is cooling down enough to really enjoy being outside. I am surely going to use some of your wonderfully beautiful ideas next month, but the dried hydrangeas are coming to my mantle IMMEDIATELY!! I never would have thought to use them for fall. Thank you so much for your inspiration!! Love your site!!
Ann
Oh Jane you have out done yourself! This is amazing. I love that you included touches from your garden. I have a TV to work around too. It's just a fact of life. I think you did a great job working around yours. The wreath is perfectly placed!
Andrea at Opulent Cottage
So elegant! I love the muted colors, such a refreshing start to fall. Thanks so much for sharing your burnishing technique, I have a whole box of those cheapie pumpkins. Somewhere 🙂 Have a great week!
xo, Andrea
Carol
It all looks beautiful.
I am not ready for fall yet - summer just arrived on our part of the coast. I am getting some great ideas from your little blog hop so I will be ready when I make my fall change on October 1.
Thanks for the inspiration.
priscilla
Love your mantel ! Pretty colors !
Betty
I totally agree Jane, such a beautiful mantel. Oh how I wished I had a mantel to decorate.
Tina
Jane, I just love your mantel. It's so warm and inviting.
Shelia
Hi Jane! Oh, your mantel is just so beautiful. I love everything.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Kathy
Beautiful mantel and hearth! Love the muted colors!
Martina
Love it Jane!!
Gee
Luving the burnished colours Jane.
debbiedoos
Loving your mantel Jane...love the burlap bows too!
Angela
I love your burnish look Jane!!! Right up my alley!!! I'm off to see how you burnish cheap pumpkins as I see a lot of burnishing in my future!! Gorgeous!~~Angela
Kelly @ Eclectically Vintage
It's burnished to perfection! Love the bling - and those dried hydrangeas!
Kelly
[email protected] A Cultivated Nest
Love your burnished fall mantel! That wreath is just adorable and so are those buckets with the cute bows!
Kim
That is pretty, Jane.