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
the dotted bow 
legalrc onion – hydra, legal