3 Must Haves for the Perfect Fall Mantle

Whether you’re a vintage girl or modern girl or somewhere in between we all can agree that a perfectly styled fall mantle is the key to transforming your space from summer to oh so cozy!

I’ve researched (aka insta-stalked) the feeds of my favorite designers to share with you my absolute favorite fall mantles. My thorough study of all things fall concluded that only three items are needed to create the perfect fall mantlescape no matter your style or budget. Not only have I gathered the mantle decor inspirations I have included links to re-create the look (some affiliate links included but don’t worry it costs you nothing but helps me turn this blog into a paycheck). Lastly, before the big fall mantle reveal each interior stylists’ account is linked so that you can discover all of the other lovely things they design beyond the mantle.

Nothing says it’s cozy like candles so of course the first fall mantle must have is a bunch of candle sticks.

I hope you feel as inspired as I was by all of these beautiful fall mantles. For more mantle decor inspiration make sure to follow me on Instagram and follow the hashtag #anothermantlemonday and also check out my mantlescape Pinterest board. Please like, share, pin and comment to let me know what you think about this post.

To shop my favorite mantle decor from Amazon clock HERE and for all handmade and custom home decor visit my etsy shop!

7Apr2018

Magic in her dreams + a head filled with whimsy

Posted in Bedroom by thedottedbow

Our little girl just celebrated her first birthday! I cannot believe how fast the first year of motherhood went and how much growth happens in the first year of life. It is truly an amazing experience seeing a newborn turn into a tiny human. I began decorating our spare room/ guest room when I was pregnant but didn’t make it past the rug and painting the walls. After Avri was born we decided cosleeping was the perfect fit for our family so “her” room just became a space to store her clothes. (Read this post for my Mommy must have for cosleeping). So a year later we have a more complete space for Avri to play in and eventually call her own but it is still functioning as a guest room too.

THE INSPIRATION

I started the inspiration for the space with this rug from Urban Outfitters. I originally saw it on one of my favorite IG friends feeds @Roozen.abode

I designed the entire space off of the rug. I wanted it to be playful, whimsical, boho and modern.

What I love most about the rug is it has washed so well! I’ve washed it at least 20 times because it’s a hot spot for our fur babies to puke on. The colors haven’t faded, it’s maintained it’s shape and size and it still looks new.

THE DETAILS

We started off painting the walls a light gray so that it would be a neutral color allowing me to change the decor easily without having to paint again. This was the first time I used the Valspar VOC paint and I’m hooked! There is little to no odor, paints textured walls easily and in most cases only needs two coats.

I majorly struggled deciding on and finding window coverings with such a bold printed rug. The plain drapes were too plain and the fringe drapes I loved were just way to expensive. I decided to do the dropcloth curtain DIY I’d seen all over Instagram and Pinterest as a temporary solution until I really knew what I wanted. All you need to do is pick up some drop cloths from your local hardware store (grabbed these from Lowe’s) and these curtain clips from Target. So easy!

Above the bed I hung a macrame garland from a local maker, Macramania. This added texture to the wall and gives the boho vibe I was wanting in the space. The stuffed unicorn head adds in the whimsy while the acrylic signs keep it sleek and modern.

THE BED

We purchased the IKEA daybed many years ago as a space saving way to have a guest room in a small space. When the bed is pulled out it fits two twin mattresses and is equivalent to a king size bed. It’s great for visiting guests. The one thing I don’t like is that the mattresses have to stack on top of each other rather than one being hidden while it’s not in use. The other kind of annoying thing is it’s difficult to pull out by yourself. I have a few different ideas on hacking this IKEA piece I hope to complete over summer break.

The bedding we received from Beddys is hands down genius! I personally want nothing to do with making any bed so getting Beddys for the guest room and future “big girl” room has made my life so much easier. The entire bedding is one piece that’s fits onto the mattress like a fitted sheet! Seriously amazing! It took me seconds to make the bed!!! Not only is it super convenient the fabric is such high quality and so soft. I love the bold black and white dash print mixed with complementary dotted pillow cover. Learn more about Beddys beds here.

The cover zips open kind of like a sleeping bag except it can be detached and used like a regular comforter. Then just zip it all back together for made the bed look!

The dash print is playful for a little girls room but still sophisticated enough to welcome our guests. It’s really tied the room together and made it feel finished. Plus it’s only one piece to throw in the washer and put back on the bed!

1Feb2018

SCANDI MODERN FARMHOUSE BEDROOM MAKEOVER :: Phase One

Posted in Bedroom, Home Sweet Home by thedottedbow

B E D R O O M M A K E O V E R ::: PHASE ONE 🖤 We finally made my black accent wall dreams come true and I’m dying I love it so much!! We used Dark Kettle Black Valspar Signature paint from Lowe’s. After becoming new parents and our bedroom being taken over by a tiny human cosleeper and the furniture graveyard from baby proofing our living room it was time to take back our favorite space!

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The bedding from City Scene (find exact set here) is the perfect balance of modern clean lines but also blends well with the touches of farmhouse in the space.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I strongly believe that when you design your personal living spaces they should be a reflection of you – your style, your vibe and what you need the space to function as. There shouldn’t be rules about mixing different styles of decor as long as you are able to balance colors, size, pattern, texture whatever. So even though the Scandinavian and Nordic design influences are creeping into my modern farmhouse bedroom I used common elements to tie them together like the natural wood and a lot of white.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Choosing a simple color pallete also helps blend styles together. The buffalo check pillows (find in my Etsy shop here) keep the farmhouse country charm while the modern Ikea candle holder (find here) stays true to Scandi style.

I still have more to do to “finish” the room (you and I both know a space is never actually done it just keeps evolving haha!) I am very happy with our progress from the before pictures.

<<<<<<<<<<<<

In the next phase I will be finishing up the other half of the room and wall decor. Until then I’ll be snuggled up in my cozy bed!

XOXO

Jen

18Jan2018

The BLANKET LADDER

Posted in Hump Day Home Decor Hunt by thedottedbow

Oh my where to start on my love of blanket ladders. Well, they are versatile! They can be used in many different spaces and serve many different functions. A blanket ladder can be rustic or it can be modern depending on materials, colors and shape. A blanket ladder is so much more than a fixture to hold blankets. Check out some of my favorite blanket ladder inspos below for the first HUMP DAY HOME DECOR HUNT of the year!

How to style your BLANKET LADDERS in the living room…

How to style your BLANKET LADDERS in the bathroom…

How to style your BLANKET LADDER in the kitchen…

How to style your BLANKET LADDER in the bedroom…

How to style your BLANKET LADDER throughout your home…

I hope this inspires you to find a blanket ladder and make it your own in one of your spaces. Fine more styling inspiration and blanket ladder DIYs {HERE} on my Blanket ladder Pinterest board.

If you see an awesome blanket ladder or post a photo of your own on Instagram or Pinterest add the hashie #thedottedbowlovesblanketladders so I can see and share 🖤🖤🖤

Happy 🐪 day!

Xoxo

Jen

2Jan2018

Sweet endings lead to fresh beginnings #anothermantlemonday

Posted in #anothermantlemonday by thedottedbow

Happy 2018! Looking back on 2017 my heart is full. It was the best year welcoming our baby girl and finally tying the knot. So many wonderful adventures and time spent with loved ones. This business is getting bigger and continues to evolve…. its a beautiful thing.

Somehow it went from November to January in a blink of an eye. I know I’m always a bit sad to take down the holiday decor but as soon as I start it’s super cathartic ….just the clean simplicity and blankness left behind. I decided to keep the mantle slightly wintery since in most places it’s still cold and well, winter. So even though it’s in the 70’s here in the desert I kept a greenery color scheme using some of the leftover faux eucalyptus from our wedding. I spread out my Hearth and Home by Magnolia nesting houses and Ikea candles in between the leaves. I love the warm light the led candles give off in the evening to replace the magical Christmas tree lights that make the space so cozy.

I really love dressing up my mantle with garlands. I kept the natural wood bead garland from my Christmas mantle and added the silver metal “peace on earth” garland I picked up last holiday from Target. I found a faux evergreen wreath on super clearance at Joanns so I just stuck in some of the eucalyptus stems in it and voila! I didn’t even take the time to secure them with floral wire I just wove them in so I can easily pull them out later on.

I’m always excited looking forward to another year. It’s like a new chapter with 365 new pages yet to be written. 2017 was the year I got everything I ever wanted so here we go 2018 I’m ready for more🖤

XOXO

Jen

21Dec2017

Carrara Marble: Home Style X Mommy Must-Have

Posted in Home Style Tour by thedottedbow

Carrara marble countertops with a waterfall edge… um yes please! The beautiful white and grayish marble we’ve been seeing on HGTV, Instagram and Pinterest has a lot of us swooning for those sparkling white or high contrast modern kitchens. But this marble trend is popping up in more than just the kitchen you can find marble print textiles to enjoy that same luxurious vibe.

Our daughter, Avri, just received her upgraded big girl bed from Dockatot in their new Carrara Marble print.

It’s super stylish, super functional and literally hands down my personal number one mommy must have.

She’s been co-sleeping with us in her Dockatot Deluxe since she’s come home from the hospital. Our Dockatot was exactly what our family needed for convenient nighttime feedings, bonding and peace of mind.

Avri also loves it! She has slept through the night since she was 3 months old. It is also very convenient to take to Grandma’s house while I am at work during the week. She can have the same comforts of sleeping in her bed anywhere she goes. It was great for traveling we were able to fit it in a suitcase and slept soundly with our little one wherever we were.

As a mom I wanted my baby to be safe and comfortable when I was choosing a bed. My initial plan was more traditional, a bassinet followed by a crib. When my husband and I talked about sleeping arrangements his view was he wanted to keep the baby in our room for as long as possible. So although I was hesitant about co-sleeping at first it turned out to be the perfect fit for our family. Being right next to my newborn baby and seeing all her silly sleeping faces was priceless.

Having her Mom and Dad right next to her has given her so much love and comfort. I wouldn’t change a thing about co-sleeping except maybe a bigger bed… can you really ever have too much bed!

The other benefit for me about Dockatot was the covers for the bed. They are washable and very high quality. Our cover has been washed numerous times over 9 months and still looks like new.

The prints and colors available in the covers are beautiful. I am a mom who likes baby things to not be an eyesore in my house. I try to keep the gear as neutral as possible because inevitably it’s going to be all over the house. So for me it was important that her bed was also aesthetically appealing and matched our home style in a neutral color pallete.

Now all that’s left is a DIY toddler bed frame to fit the new Dockatot Grand and to figure out which fur sibling will win the fight for the old Dockatot.

Avri is so excited about her big girl bed and so are her Mommy & Daddy!

Click the photo below to get $10 off your Dockatot purchase or click here.

5Dec2017

The DIY Mantle #anothermantlemonday

Posted in #anothermantlemonday by thedottedbow

When you live in Arizona fireplaces are not too common as you’d imagine but I absolutely love mantles and the endless options to decorate them. My style started off very Fixer Upper Farmhouse inspired but as trends change I incorporate and evolve my style to what speaks to me. I find that if I stick with a neutral palette it’s easy to add in trendy pieces.

I’m really into mixing modern elements like the gold and greenery as well as the boho trend of mudcloth and macrame with my core farmhouse style. This mantlescape captures a lot of home decor trends at once.

The DIY mantle shelf

I found the two corbels on one of my junking adventures and knew they would be exactly what I needed to create the mantle I dreamed of. I enlisted my Dad to build a floating shelf inspired by one of Shanty to Chic’s diy projects I found on Pinterest for floating shelves. The plan was that it would rest on top of the corbels to complete the faux mantle. I gave everything a coat of Annie Sloan Pure White Chalk Paint to make it look like one piece and voila!

Decorating the mantle

I’m one of those people that just buys things I like and then figures out where it’s going once I get home. A lot of times I decorate my space by shopping in my house and moving furniture around. Decorating truly is my cardio! This photo captures my mantle dressed in a neutral year round look. The pieces are a mix of new, vintage, small shops and DIY projects.

Natural Rug-Overstock

Kilim Rug- Target

Bench- DIY project

Pillows- the dotted bow

Lamp- Target

Rattan Floor Seats- Ikea

Mudcloth Throw- Vintage Market find

Black Basket- Target

Knit Blanket- Artizen Home

Macrame garland- Macramania

Mantle- DIY project

Woven Baskets- Target

Metal wall basket- Hobby Lobby

Plants- Ikea

Wreath- Hobby Lobby

Hi Poster- Hobby Lobby

Sugar Mold- Vintage Market find

Window- Vintage Market find

Tobacco Basket- Decor Steals

White Vase- West Elm

Helpful tips for creating your own DIY mantle

Search local vintage markets, small shops, flea markets, wood shops or etsy to find old original, ornate, chippy corbels for an authentic Joanna Gaines farmhouse feel.
Get creative with “corbels” make your own from reclaimed wood or think outside the farmhouse box and use leather straps to hang your mantle shelf or metal piping for an industrial look. See some ideas on my Pinterest board
Make sure the corbels and the shelf are the same depth to make it look like one piece.
Plan ahead to ensure the shelf is deep enough and strong enough to hold all of your layered decor pieces.
Check out Pinterest for DIYs and inspo for mantle styles and then afterwards for decor ideas.
Choose a wall for your faux mantle that will be a focal point since you’ll be decorating and mantlescaping as seasons change or just because.
HAVE FUN! It’s your mantle it’s your decorating rules do what makes you happy- simple- overfilled-whatever makes your heart happy!

Here are some of my other favorite DIY faux mantle inspirations decorated for the holidays!

My farmhouse Christmas mantle

Mantle- DIY

Family Tree Farm Sign- the dotted bow

Christmas Barn- Heather.thewhitefarmhouse

Olive Wall Buckets- Decor Steals

Nesting Houses- Hearth & Home Collection Target

Natural Rug-Overstock

Berber Beige Washable Rug- Lorena Canals

Pillows- the dotted bow & Decor Steals

Blanket Ladder- DIY

Rattan Floor Seats- Ikea

Ana White has this awesome DIY faux fireplace mantle with storage project.

I love so many things about this faux mantle from Thrifty & Chic. It’s so simple to start … just a stained wood floating box shelf and using molding and trim the faux fireplace is created.

A free standing mantle is a great heirloom piece that will get everyone talking like this one from The Rustic Life Blog. There are DIYs and store purchased free standing mantles or if you are a junking antiqueing thrifting Queen like one of my faves, Liz Marie Galvan you could have something gorgeous like this (gasp!)

An original farmhouse all the chippy goodness mantle!!! Read here how she styled it for Christmas with Target dollar section finds.

Until next Monday find more Mantle inspo and DIYs on my Pinterest account . Make sure to follow me on insta and post your mantlescapes with the hashtag #anothermantlemonday

Happy Monday!

XOXO

JEN

Whether you’re a vintage girl or modern girl or somewhere in between we all can agree that a perfectly styled fall mantle is the key to transforming your space from summer to oh so cozy!

Nothing says it’s cozy like candles so of course the first fall mantle must have is a bunch of candle sticks.

Now, there are so many style to choose from when it comes to candle sticks. It’s important to match the candlesticks to your home style, the other decor elements on and around your mantle and always always work with odd number groupings.

The beauty of candlesticks on mantles is the simplicity they can offer as well as the height variation.

I love how these are super ornate and mixed together with a cohesive colored candle to tie it all together.

Round mirrors are always a great addition to any mantlescape design. They add a focal point and anchor to the rest of the decor elements. Adding a touch of greenery will give your mantle a more natural and organic touch.

In these images the candlesticks can be used alone or in combination with other decor elements. They can be evenly spread across the mantle for symmetry or clumped to one side for an asymmetrical design balance.

Tobacco baskets are another farmhouse mantle staple kind of like the round mirror mentioned above.

Using warm, medium woods with traditional pumpkins gives your room a more rustic, country touch.

Adding in blues and creams over traditional fall colors keeps a space contemporary and relaxed.

I love how Jessica layered pumpkins on pumpkins with the greenery across her fall mantlescape. The large fall sign and two glass vases anchor the wall space giving it oh so much drama!

There is so much goodness happening here! I love the faux fireplace and the use of the scroll in the middle. I don’t think it’s possible to over do the pumpkins after seeing this mantle. The silver pewter candlestick dance between the pumpkins and greens with that gorgeous wood sign above.

Besides being way too obsessed with the faux exposed brick and gorgeous floors I love the tall black candlesticks she mixed in with the traditional orange pumpkins.

Another beautiful faux mantle just goes to show you do not need a real fireplace to enjoy styling a mantle.

Pumpkins offer an organic natural feel to the other design elements. They can be used to add color or texture among the backdrop of your mantle wall.

This dining plays on contrasts. Dark and light. Relaxed and traditional. I enjoy seeing spaces like this that really speak to a person’s authentic style.

Proof that everything really is bigger in a Texas! The contrast of the black mantle with all the whites and creams is genius and it also takes the attention away from the tv. This space is perfect for gathering with family and friends.

If thrifting, junking or vintage shopping is your middle name you will be so inspired by this account. She effortlessly blends old and new to create a unique fall mantle every guest will talk about.

A perfect fall mantle can be an understated whisper that fall has arrived or a loud colorful punch in the face that FALL IS HERE! Prepare yourself for a punch of autumn color.

The ambers, oranges and creams of autumn bring an ease of comfort and coziness.

Dont be afraid to break out your own fall color scheme like these accounts! Hot pink, turquoise… why not?!

And the last fall mantle must have is T E X T U R E. You can add texture with vintage books, woven baskets or leafy foliage. Texture makes the eyes bounce around and creates more visually interesting vignettes.

Share this:

Like this:

THE INSPIRATION

THE DETAILS

THE BED

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

The DIY mantle shelf

Decorating the mantle

Helpful tips for creating your own DIY mantle

Here are some of my other favorite DIY faux mantle inspirations decorated for the holidays!

Share this:

Like this: