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    Home » Holidays

    Burnished Fall Mantel

    By: Jane · Updated: 7 Feb, '15 · This post may contain affiliate links · 46 Comments

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    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.

    Fall mantel

    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.

    Fall mantel

    Fall mantel

    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!

    Fall mantel

    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!

    Fall mantel

     Here's a closer view. All of the pumpkins except for the burlap one are inexpensive, plastic pumpkins that I've painted or burnished.

    Fall mantel

    If you'd like to see how I burnished them, click here to read my post how to burnish cheap plastic pumpkins.

    Fall mantel

    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.

    Fall mantel

    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.

    Fall mantel

    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.

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    1. Nancy

      September 13, 2016 at 8:22 pm

      Beautiful indeed!

      Reply
    2. Debbie

      September 30, 2013 at 7:25 pm

      Loveth the burnish and burlap and bringing gleam to all! Yea Fall!

      Reply
    3. Erin

      September 27, 2013 at 6:47 am

      Love the baskets! Did you use spray paint, if so what finish (flat or satin)?
      Thank you for sharing!
      Erin

      Reply
    4. Debbie

      September 24, 2013 at 7:05 pm

      Its so hard for me to decorate around my TV, but you did a great job. Love the burlap. Blessings, Debbie

      Reply
    5. Sandy

      September 13, 2013 at 9:55 pm

      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.

      Reply
    6. Edie

      September 13, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      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.

      Reply
    7. Becca

      September 12, 2013 at 8:05 am

      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!

      Reply
    8. Mary

      September 12, 2013 at 6:04 am

      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 🙂

      Reply
    9. Sharon

      September 12, 2013 at 12:04 am

      Your mantel is beautiful, Jane. I love the burnished affect. It looks very natural and elegant...just my style.

      Reply
    10. Jean Windham

      September 11, 2013 at 4:32 pm

      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

      Reply
    11. Melissa @ My Recent Favorite books

      September 11, 2013 at 1:52 pm

      Love your mantel ! So pretty! =)

      Reply
    12. Vee

      September 11, 2013 at 9:27 am

      Beautiful! So elegant!

      Reply
    13. laurie

      September 10, 2013 at 10:15 pm

      Jane, this looks beautiful! Your burnishing is done to perfection, and I LOVE those giant burlap bows with streamers hanging down. laurie

      Reply
    14. Linsey @ Farmhouse Porch

      September 10, 2013 at 10:05 pm

      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/

      Reply
    15. Gina

      September 10, 2013 at 7:40 pm

      Jane, it's beautiful! I love the burnished colors & I love the bows. The baskets on the sides of the hearth are so pretty.

      Reply
    16. [email protected] Designs

      September 10, 2013 at 6:34 pm

      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!

      Reply
    17. Bonbongirl

      September 10, 2013 at 6:13 pm

      Jane-
      I love your mantelscape and the Fall into Autumn idea! Can't wait to see what else is coming our way 🙂

      Reply
    18. Cynthia

      September 10, 2013 at 1:40 pm

      Jane I am loving this look with a capital "L". It is soft yet sings of fall! What inspiration!!!

      Cynthia

      Reply
    19. Melanie

      September 10, 2013 at 1:17 pm

      Love it! Everything is perfect, what a lovely way to bring fall inside!

      Reply
    20. Susan ~ Designs of Home

      September 10, 2013 at 1:08 pm

      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!

      Reply
    21. judianni

      September 10, 2013 at 12:09 pm

      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!!

      Reply
    22. Ann

      September 10, 2013 at 10:10 am

      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!

      Reply
    23. Andrea at Opulent Cottage

      September 10, 2013 at 9:59 am

      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

      Reply
    24. Carol

      September 10, 2013 at 9:33 am

      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.

      Reply
    25. priscilla

      September 10, 2013 at 7:39 am

      Love your mantel ! Pretty colors !

      Reply
    26. Betty

      September 10, 2013 at 6:51 am

      I totally agree Jane, such a beautiful mantel. Oh how I wished I had a mantel to decorate.

      Reply
    27. Tina

      September 10, 2013 at 5:46 am

      Jane, I just love your mantel. It's so warm and inviting.

      Reply
    28. Shelia

      September 09, 2013 at 11:13 pm

      Hi Jane! Oh, your mantel is just so beautiful. I love everything.
      Be a sweetie,
      Shelia 😉

      Reply
    29. Kathy

      September 09, 2013 at 10:43 pm

      Beautiful mantel and hearth! Love the muted colors!

      Reply
    30. Martina

      September 09, 2013 at 10:25 pm

      Love it Jane!!

      Reply
    31. Gee

      September 09, 2013 at 9:29 pm

      Luving the burnished colours Jane.

      Reply
    32. debbiedoos

      September 09, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      Loving your mantel Jane...love the burlap bows too!

      Reply
    33. Angela

      September 09, 2013 at 9:04 pm

      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

      Reply
    34. Kelly @ Eclectically Vintage

      September 09, 2013 at 9:04 pm

      It's burnished to perfection! Love the bling - and those dried hydrangeas!
      Kelly

      Reply
    35. [email protected] A Cultivated Nest

      September 09, 2013 at 8:29 pm

      Love your burnished fall mantel! That wreath is just adorable and so are those buckets with the cute bows!

      Reply
    36. Kim

      September 09, 2013 at 8:29 pm

      That is pretty, Jane.

      Reply

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