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    Home » Home Decorating » Fall & Halloween Decorating

    Published: Sep 27, 2022 · Modified: Nov 20, 2022 by Rachel

    Bewitching Halloween Mantel Decor Ideas

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
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    Signal the official start of the Spooky Season with these easy & creative Halloween mantel decorating ideas. Pumpkins, ghosts, spiders, and gleeful grins are sure to stir up some frights. Featuring design tips and dollar store DIYs, create an inexpensive macabre masterpiece that will dazzle and delight!

    Collage of Halloween mantel decor designs with post title.
    Contents show
    1 How to Decorate a Halloween Fireplace
    2 Halloween Mantel Decorating Ideas
    2.1 1. Candy Corn Orange Mantel
    2.2 2. Gothic Black Crows Mantel
    2.3 3. Creepy Crawly Garland and Orange Pumpkins
    2.4 4. A Cauldron of Bats
    2.5 5. Antique Dollar Store Finds
    2.6 6. Mix Fall and Halloween Fireplace Decor
    2.7 7. Crafty Layered Halloween Display
    2.8 8. Modern Farmhouse Halloween Mantel
    2.9 9. Easy Wood Signs
    2.10 10. Classic Orange, Black, and Gold Mantel
    2.11 11. Eerie Glam Skeletons
    2.12 12. Black Branches for Height
    3 More Halloween Decor Ideas for Your Mantel

    The one rule of Halloween decorating is that there are no rules! Choose to go with a style that speaks to your inner good witch or bad witch.

    While I am more about keeping the scary decorations outdoors, I do generally decorate the fireplace mantel each year with a vintage gothic theme. I tried once to decorate the whole house – bad idea. I may have sleepy-ninja-attacked a skeleton in the dark and our poor dog wanted to protect us from the window displays. Lesson learned – small doses. 

    Thus, I am a fan of budget friendly inspiration like our collection of Easy DIY Halloween Decorations from years past. Today, I’ve gathered some of my favorite Halloween mantel decor ideas for a hauntingly good time!

     Ready for best part? Most of these designs use common items you probably already have on hand or include dollar store DIYs. Because nothing is scarier than spending hundreds of dollars of stuff that sits in storage 11 months of the year.

    How to Decorate a Halloween Fireplace

    • Drape a garland or scarf. From pom-poms to cheeky banners, cheesecloth, and sparkly spiderwebs, fabric options are the perfect backdrop.
    • Add metallics for elegance. Add a spooky glam vibe to your mantel with accents that often play well with existing décor like mirrors and vases.
    • Layer textures. Think cobwebs, glittery spheres, mirrors, lighted candles, or dusty books. Varying textures add depth and visual interest to your mantel.
    • Reuse what you have. Get creative with everyday items on hand! Forage dead branches from your yard. Candlesticks, mirrors, clocks, glass jars, and old books all work great with a Halloween theme.
    • Think about the overall shape. Choose an overall shape based on your mantel size, such as symmetrical or offset. Use a mix of tall, short, wide, and heavy or light items. Achieve balance by thoughtfully repeating items (groups of 3 or 5) and arranging taller accessories in the back while smaller items are front and center. Prop items up for more height.
    • Create a focal point. To draw the eye upward, place one large item in the center, such as an oversized mirror, painting, framed print, wreath, or clock. Don’t forget the hearth area! Fireplaces traditionally have two focal points.

    Halloween Mantel Decorating Ideas

    Without further ado, let’s kick off this spooktacular time of year with a celebration of these hauntingly good displays!

    1. Candy Corn Orange Mantel

    Colorful layered Halloween mantel with BOO sign, candy corn, bat garland, and orange pumpkin topiaries.
    Source: Where the Smiles Have Been

    This fireplace mantel decor has layers of texture, color, and pattern. An eclectic mixture of upcycled items, simple DIY crafts, and fun new finds results in a one-of-a-kind design.

    2. Gothic Black Crows Mantel

    Spooky Halloween mantle with dessert buffet in front. Decorations include ravens, gravestones, a clock, and candles.
    Source: Halloween Buffet Ideas

    Eat drink and be scary! That’s the motto of any good Halloween party. This black & white mantel & buffet came together with items I primarily shopped from my own home. The Edgar Allen Poe inspired spooky mantel features a classic cast of characters- dark bats, spooky birds, ravens & crows, spider webs, and spells.

    3. Creepy Crawly Garland and Orange Pumpkins

    Cozy fall white mantel display with orange pumpkins and gourds, and DIY spider pompom garland.
    Source | Jessica Wellington Interiors

    What’s creepier than spiders? Maybe zombies, but even that’s debatable to this gal. Easy yarn makes great spider webs with this kid-friendly pom-pom garland craft. Pair with pumpkins for a cozy fall vibe that could easily transition into November.

    4. A Cauldron of Bats

    Creepy mantel with swarming bats from fireplace opening towards white antique mirror.
    source | My Life from Home

    Beware, it’s a bit batty in here! Fun fact: a group of bats is actually called a cauldron. A neutral palette and thoughtfully selected felt pumpkins frame a scene that’s frightening yet chic.

    5. Antique Dollar Store Finds

    Black and white Halloween mantel with ghost garland, branch display, and DIY bug artwork.
    Source | DIY Mommy

    Check out this spooky Victorian vignette cleverly designed from dollar store finds. This macabre creation is the ideal design for crafty DIYers or anyone looking to go big with a small budget.

    6. Mix Fall and Halloween Fireplace Decor

    Fall Halloween mantle with giant clock, old books, and scarf garland.
    Source: Mixing Fall and Halloween Decor

    Although we’ve become well-known in our neighborhood for our elaborate Halloween outdoor witch display, I tend to do something slightly more subtle inside. This mantle design blends fall & Halloween decor for a spooky yet chic effect. Pumpkins provide festive pops of color to an understated palette.

    7. Crafty Layered Halloween Display

    Farmhouse Halloween decor with DIY crafts like a rag wreath, portraits, and garland.
    Source | Pocket of Posies

    If you’ve got it, haunt it! This Edgar Allen Poe inspired mantel proves that scary can still be stylish. Multiple levels of fun DIY projects like sweater pumpkins and crow wall art create a visual feast for the eyes.

    8. Modern Farmhouse Halloween Mantel

    Wooden SPOOKY letters with cobwebs, black antique books, orange pumpkins, and black & white pumpkins.
    Source | Grandin Road

    Spell out Halloween fun with these SPOOKY letters adorned with spider webs. This beautifully textured farmhouse hearth highlights a neutral palette paired with cheery seasonal greenery and bright bursts of orange and gold. It’s colorful and feels like a cozy old bookstore that may be a tad haunted.

    9. Easy Wood Signs

    Modern black, white, and orange Halloween mantel with pumpkin garland, polka dot palette art, and framed spider web print.
    Source | Landeeseelandeedo

    A classic color scheme and clean lines provide a contemporary spin to traditional Halloween styling. This mantel is too cute to spook with a printable pumpkin garland and playful polka dots & stripes.

    10. Classic Orange, Black, and Gold Mantel

    Spooky mantle with bats, birds, and pumpkins.
    Source | 2 Ladies and a Chair

    Touches of glitter and gold make for a truly fa-boo-lous design. Haunted houses, macabre masks, and an ominous owl cast a southern gothic style spell with a hint of glam.

    11. Eerie Glam Skeletons

    Spooky skull wreath flanked by skeleton bust and metallic textured pumpkins lit by candlelight.
    Source | Grandin Road

    No bones about it- a haunted Garden Wreath featuring silver skulls and black roses is a focal point that won’t soon be forgotten! The spray-painted metallic backdrop is especially fun. Flanked by the spookiest pumpkins in the patch and draped in black tulle, this mantel design manages to walk the line between fanciful and frightful.

    12. Black Branches for Height

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Charity Hawkins (@houseonlouisemeadow)

    This ghostly mantel has real spirit. An antique candelabra and ghosts anchor this cleverly layered design which pays homage to haunted houses and the things that go bump in the night. Note the use of three garlands to create a strong foundation of texture.

    More Halloween Decor Ideas for Your Mantel

    • Brooding Color schemes such as burgundy, purple, orange, and black.
    • Bold combinations such as lime green, purple, and orange (ala Beetlejuice!)
    • Framed antique portraits
    • Old books or book pages
    • Black creatures like cats, bats, ravens, spiders, bugs, and crows, birdcages
    • Large Candelabras
    • Halloween Candles
    • Skulls and skeletons
    • Ghosts and ghouls
    • Halloween garlands or Scarves
    • Pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns
    • Apothecary jars

    Feeling inspired to haul out the Halloween decor? Which spooky scene cast a spell on you? Share your favorite Halloween hearth designs with us!

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    More Halloween Ideas

    Halloween yard sign with witch's apothecary shop motif hanging on a frame.
    How To make Outdoor Signs
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    Best Halloween Front Porches
    Collage of DIY halloween decorating ideas with title Easy Halloween Decorations.
    Easy Halloween Decorations
    Halloween luminaries back and front made for outdoors.
    DIY Halloween Lanterns

    PS I love seeing your creations! Be sure to take a photo and tag #cravingcreative on Instagram! You can also stay in touch with me through following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and subscribing to the newsletter!

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