How to Decorate Your Fireplace for Halloween: Two Ways

Feel that crisp, cool fall air? Halloween is just around the corner. While you might not use your fireplace to keep warm this fall, it's the perfect spot for holiday decorating. And, if you have a mantel but don’t use it for decorating, get ready for that to change. We’ve got two ways to make over your mantel and fireplace for Halloween — one dark and moody and the other light and neutral. Which side will you choose?

Clear Your Mantel

Start by clearing away whatever’s on your mantel so you can start the decorating process with a clean, blank slate.

Step Into the Light

Give your mantel a light and airy overhaul that leans into a fresher fall aesthetic.

Set a Neutral Tone With Large Art

Large neutral artwork hanging above the mantel creates the perfect light backdrop. Can't find a large enough piece? Opt for two.

Add Height With Ceramics and Fall Foliage

Neutral ceramics in varying shapes and sizes add height and drama. Start at the edges, then fill in the middle. Don’t forget to add a few fall foliage picks. Dried grasses are easy to source at your craft store or head outdoors with some clippers for fresh-cut foliage instead.

Add Texture With Stacks of Books

Stacks of neutral books add texture while creating a foundation for smaller decorations. Short on neutral books? Spin them around to show the pages rather than the bindings.

Give It a Glow With Luminaries

Scattered luminaries will give this lighthearted display a golden glow. Opt for delicate gold lanterns filled with white pillar candles to match the theme.

Fill the Firebox

Finish off the look by filling the firebox with white pumpkins. To cut down the amount needed for a bountiful, flowing look, stack crates and other bulky items beneath the pumpkins.

Venture to the Dark Side

In search of a moodier mantel? A darker display is sure to usher in all the haunted Halloween vibes.

Start With Elegant Black and White Art

Dramatic art will add to the boldness of your mantel display while creating a focal point.

Up The Drama With Dark Accessories

Dark decorations like black ceramics, black Halloween fabric, black taper candles and candlesticks and other sinister accessories will give this display some serious drama (Images 1 & 2). Fill your ceramics with sculptural bare branches (Image 3).

Add Layers and Height With Vintage Books

Use dark vintage books to add layers and height around the ceramics, then scatter small white pumpkins around the display for a pop of contrast (Images 1 & 2).

Don’t Forget the Spots Below the Mantel

Beneath the mantel, fill the firebox with a pile of orange and white pumpkins and surround the hearth with black lanterns and creepy crawlers (Images 1 & 2).

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