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Simple Fall Mantel (thoughts on less is more in home decor)

Sep 11

A simple fall mantel that embraces less is more for autumn decorating… and a discussion on how less decor has helped my sanity!

Simple Fall Mantel Decor... and thoughts on less is more in home decor!

We’re having a few rainy days here and it’s like magic, all of a sudden I’m in the fall mood. I was hanging on to summer. Wanting a few more weeks of slow mornings and long nights but school is back in, I’m dressing the kids in sweaters and I decorated my house for fall. Just like that, friends. 

Today I’m excited to be sharing my fall mantel decor with you guys and with a bunch of other amazing bloggers for the Seasonal Simplicity fall mantel hop hosted by my friend Krista from The Happy Housie! Every time I do these hops, we get the images ahead of time so we can share it at the bottom of our posts. And most of the time I’m really confident in what I create. I love to create, craft, and decorate and I feel like I’ve really found my own style over the past couple of years. But sometimes I look at all those beautiful pictures and I feel like what I’ve put together is lacking.

Simple Fall Mantel Decor with black, white and natural details

I mean… it’s certainly not over the top! But more than that, I feel like I didn’t do enough to be inspiring. Does that make sense? Like… when you’re hopping around looking at mantels, you want it to be full of ideas and this mantel is not FULL. But that’s also what I’m so drawn to lately. This is what works for our family and I don’t want to put on a show for you either.

I actually shot this mantel twice. I shot it once with a floral arrangement in that large vase (see it below). But I walked by it all day and it bugged me. It felt too fancy for our family. So while dinner was on the stove, I pulled it apart, ran into my yard and snipped some more branches and made it a wild foliage arrangement. I gifted the flowers that were in there to a friend that night.

Fall Mantel with earthy floral arrangement and wooden pumpkins!

This is it with the flowers. They were honestly super pretty. Just not our jam!

I’ve just been drawn to LESS for a while now. I think you can see it in the way I ‘decorate’ almost every space. There’s less and less stuff on surfaces. When I get ready to photograph a space or when the house is being cleaned, I clear everything out. I only put back what I feel like is missing. Shane walks in and says that it feels so good to have things clear. We have enough chaos in life! I’m sure any of you with young families (or older families, I just don’t know what that’s like yet!) can relate. They are everywhere, all the time and building forts and launching legos and if I want to be okay with them sprawled on the floor with all their books and stuffed animals and blankets, I need to have order and calm on the surfaces that I get to control. And really, a clear space for me to pop my coffee when the toddler charges me is not just nice but necessary.

Simple fall foliage arrangement for autumn mantel decor!

These are just my thoughts on how my style is evolving to have less style in a way. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed with life right now (because fall is the time that it ALL starts up again!) why not try clear some of your decor as well and see if it helps you out mentally? It’s a game changer for me!

Hitting home-ish? Want some resources? If you’re looking for more inspiration on doing less/having less/ decorating with less, my friend Kala from My Breezy Room talks about minimalism (and plants) all the time in a totally relatable way over on Instagram, so does my friend Bridgett (who’s aesthetic is freaking amazing, but I will never ever be as clean as her), and then for super practical resources- I really love listening to Allie Cassazza (you’ve just got to be okay with a little cheese/pump up to go with it!). 

Mother Teresa Quote on a brush lettered canvas- beautiful focus of this fall mantel

Okay let’s talk about decor, friends! Lately, I’ve been getting so much love for this canvas over my mantel and I’m totally flattered and excited to hear that. I’m obsessed with this quote. It’s such a good reminder and I love having it in my living room as one of the first things I see when I walk out every day. I know that I spelled Mother Teresa wrong. No need to tell me ;) But I’ve been thinking it would be fun to do a tutorial on how to get that brushy look with paint so I bought all the things and have it waiting for when my studio office reno is complete and I can get crafty again! 

Simple fall foliage arrangement for autumn mantel decor!

Since the canvas is pretty busy, I like to keep everything else simple on here. I love this large vase I snagged from HomeSense last winter and if you’ve seen my mantels before… it’s been in this exact spot since I got it! Ha! It balances out the stub wall on the opposite side of the fire place to me. I just swap out seasonal greenery and the mantel is instantly seasonal!

Wooden look pumpkin for autumn mantel decor- stacked on books to add height

On the other side, I have tried a few different things since moving here last year. I like to try and balance the height of the tall vase and foliage so I stacked a couple books and a taller pumpkin. I usually try to avoid buying seasonal decor of any kind (except for real pumpkins because OF COURSE. But this year, I didn’t realize that our fall/autumn decor box was packed away in my inlaws basement until I had cleaned my house top to bottom to photograph it and went to get my hand lettered autumn pumpkin (see it in this tour) to pop up here. *sigh* But one trip to HomeSense and I picked up this lovely wood look pumpkin and the funky heirloom looking green pumpkin on my magazine stack on the hearth. 

Heirloom faux pumpkin on stack of magazines

Simple Fall Mantel Decor with black, white and natural details

That’s it, you guys! It is honestly hard for me not to feel like I should be adding more in. A garland, a floral bouquet, a stack of mini pumpkins… but this is what makes me enjoy my home the most! 

But if you’re wanting MORE fall decor ideas… well I have you covered with this Seasonal Simplicities hop! Look at all these amazing fall mantels and vignettes from some of my fave bloggers!

And today I’ve been joined by some of my blogging friends who are also sharing their Fall decor ideas through their Fall mantel decor or Fall Vignette. Just click on the links below the images to see more…

The Happy Housie
Rooms FOR Rent
The Turquoise Home
Jennifer Rizzo
Craftberry Bush

The Handmade Home
So Much Better With Age
Modern Glam
Grace in My Space
House by Hoff

The DIY Mommy
Jenna Kate at Home
Home Made Lovely
Maison de Cinq
Clean & Scentsible

Tatertots and Jello
A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
All Things With Purpose
Town and Country Living
She Gave it a Go

Hallstrom Home
Sincerely, Marie Designs
Life is a Party
Cherished Bliss
Lolly Jane

This is Our Bliss
Lemon Thistle
My Sweet Savannah
Summer Adams
Taryn Whiteaker

Zevy Joy
Southern State of Mind
Rambling Renovators

Category: Home DecorTag: Autumn, Collaboration, Mantel
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rhonda Hallstrom

    Sep 11 at 8:34 am

    The simplicity of this is so gorgeous! I love that sign

    Reply
    • Colleen Pastoor

      Oct 11 at 12:00 pm

      Thank you Rhonda!

      Reply
  2. Krista

    Sep 11 at 8:12 pm

    I love that quote and the brushy look. I look forward to that tutorial! Less is more and your mantel is beautiful. Thanks for sharing on the blog hop!

    Reply
    • Colleen Pastoor

      Oct 11 at 12:01 pm

      Thanks so much Krista!

      Reply
  3. Ashley Stringfellow

    Sep 12 at 1:19 am

    perfectly styled. simple yet beautiful! pinned to my fall group board

    Reply
    • Colleen Pastoor

      Oct 11 at 12:07 pm

      Thank you so much Ashley, I appreciate the pin :)

      Reply
  4. Jeba

    Sep 12 at 2:43 am

    I’v also been feeling less is more, through the years I also love & displayed it all, mantle lights, fall garland, pumpkins, candles, fall flowers, etc. I loved it!!! Now when I look around, I see clutter, maybe it’s my age, “65” kids are long gone, but grandkids come by often, & I still love for the home to look festive!!!
    So I’v been battling with myself not to rebuy all that “stuff”, mine has long been giving away, I have one large ceramic orange lite up pumpkin I put out every year!!!?The mantle has a tall vase with fall eucalyptus, grandkids photos, “looking for a few “add in”?? maybe just tiny pumpkins!!! Plain for me, so I appreciated your post….love your mantle…..Thank You!!!

    Reply
  5. Jennifer S. Hadfield

    Sep 12 at 11:51 am

    I’m in love with that sign! So pretty! Pinned!

    xoxo

    Reply
  6. Jamie

    Sep 13 at 2:27 pm

    I loved reading your post, Colleen, and totally relate! When forts are being made, you just want everything uncluttered everywhere else. Loved this and feel inspired!
    Hugs, Jamie

    Reply
  7. Rachael @ This is our Bliss

    Sep 15 at 8:09 pm

    I’ve been feeling the same way lately. I want all the “stuff” outta here! I love your simple styling. To me, it is VERY inspiring. Its a beautiful mantel!

    Reply
  8. Jo-Anna

    Sep 19 at 5:27 pm

    I really really understand what you mean. Sometimes I just want to get rid of everything…but then the next thing I know I’ve put pumpkins everywhere hahaha! I really love your style…it’s classic and timeless and really gorgeous.

    Reply

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I’m Colleen: wife; mom to 4 wild ones; and DIY blogger behind Lemon Thistle. You can expect to see rad DIY, modern home decor, renovations, hand lettering and the occasional party on Lemon Thistle. Read More…

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All this to say that home takes time and sometimes getting it right might take a couple tries. Also- the spaces we don’t really think about (hallways) can totally help a house feel like home with some love (and family photos 🥰)
ps. I partnered with #mymitzi to create a tiktok for This makeover... are you following me over there yet?! I’d love if you popped over and said hi!
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Like this rolling storage system I made for my office, that rad dollhouse and the gorgeous bath toy storage. All of these projects are things that I’d personally love to buy for our family and look like they’d be a great return on your time making them! And yes, all of them use #Kreg tools to make them easy to assemble and quick to make! Plus, they’re having a great sale on right now with deals on their K4 and K5 jigs, Rip-Cut and even a hardware jig bundle! There’s never been a better time to get your workshop set up!  #sponsored
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