I’m sure there are many of you, like myself, who are in the midst of last-minute home decorating for your holiday guests next week. My mantle was one of those projects.  I have known for a while I needed to do something, but I just hadn’t devoted any time to it.  Today I decided to gather some things from around my house to give my mantle a neutral, but fall-inspired look.  What I came up with surprised me, because it didn’t take much time and I really didn’t need to buy anything.

My ceiling slopes upward so I felt the arrangement needed more height on the right side versus in the center like most fireplaces.  I tried to keep the colors in the beige, white, and brown family to unify all the items.  First, I got some candles and candle sticks that had previously been on my table and varied their heights with some extra books.

Then I added a matching urn filled with dried branches on the opposite side to continue drawing the eye up and over.

The walls still looked a little bare, so I filled up some space with three empty frames.  I love how that looks; it’s geometric and simple but makes a bold accent.  The frames weren’t all the same color so I spray painted them black and dry brushed them with golden metallic paint for a warmer, more unified look.

This look can easily transition into other seasons, which is what I like most about it.  For Christmas some added greenery, sparkle, and stockings would do the trick…for Spring / Summer I could easily exchange the dried branches for flowers and add more live plants.

Basically I think anyone could do this; most people have candles they aren’t using, plants hiding in various rooms, branches in their yard, and old picture frames. Choosing items of varying heights and sizes with a unified theme / color is all I really did. I simply started with a central focal point (my rustic sign) and found things that looked rustic and natural to compliment it.  When time is of the essence sometimes it’s easier to get creative and use what you already have.