Trying to decorate a mantel for summer? Use these simple tips of color, texture, and accessories for that breezy summer feel that anyone can do. Keep reading for some of my favorite summer decor elements and how they can best work as you decorate a summer mantel.
Summer break is coming soon and even though “Maycember” is as crazy of a month as any, I still love taking a few moments here and there to transition our home decor from spring to summer. Since the vintage mantel in our family room is a focal point for our entire living space, it is one of the first things I like to decorate. As we chat today about easy ideas to decorate a mantel for summer, you’ll see a variety of summer mantel decor ideas that I’ve used over the years. I hope that some of these ideas will give you inspiration as you plan your own transition from a spring mantel to summer mantel style!
You probably think I’m joking, but I’m actually totally serious! Until a few years ago, I had never tried to decorate a summer mantel before. Actually, we didn’t even have one until a few years ago. However, I have had so much fun with summer mantel decor ideas and hopefully my experimenting will inspire you as well!
Summer decorating, in general, is so fun because of its casual, laid-back nature. I love the light colors, soft textures, and natural elements to decorate a mantel for summer!
Most of all, I love that summer is really a time that you can do as much or as little with your décor as you want! You don’t have to have a lot of new decor to decorate a mantel for summer and subtle changes go along way to creating a fresh look for the new season. A mantel is the perfect place to use coastal colors and textures, even if you don’t go all out with seashells and nautical styles.
Switching around décor is really my “play time” and I love looking for new ways to get creative with it. With living in a small, coastal town, I think I especially love bringing in a bit of that coastal vibe to our “summer house” and it all starts with a simple summer mantel to set the tone for the decor in our living space!
Personally, I get so much inspiration from the earthy colors at the beach. Mixed with the salty air, ocean breeze, and sounds of the waves, the beach offers a full sensory experience of relaxation and the family room is a great place to bring that cozy, summer vibe!
Because, let’s be honest…I really don’t follow the Florida rules for decorating…at all! I pretty much stick with the northern decorating cycles, even when that means decorating with pumpkins in 90 degree weather. Haha! The summer season is my one chance to be a real Floridian!
What if you want to decorate a mantel for summer and you don’t live in a coastal town? Well, the summer season is your chance to have fun with your personal style and to pretend you live on an island resort. You don’t have to live on the coast to totally get away with a coastal themed mantel!
I love mixing these coastal elements with my vintage and cottage home décor pieces to decorate a mantel for summer. It’s just further proof that chippy white goes with everything!
How do you decorate a plain mantel?
We are going to look at all of these ten aspects to decorate a mantel for summer with beautiful vintage style:
- Start with a focal point or statement piece.
- Consider soft, light colors such as blue-gray, creams and whites, and sea foam green.
- Use natural elements, such as shells and wood.
- Add woven textures with rattan and wicker accents.
- Use an odd number of items for the best vignette.
- Incorporate accents such as vintage books and architectural salvage for visual interest.
- Feature a collection as statement pieces.
- Incorporate gallery wall style art into mantel decor.
- Include the hearth in your decor plan with woven elements.
- Consider adding faux greenery, fresh plants, or flowers.
Looking to decorate a mantel for other seasons? Check out these posts:
- Create Simple Fall Mantel Decor with These 3 Unique Home Accessories
- How to Make Beautiful After Christmas Winter Mantel Decor
- Simple Spring Mantel Decor Ideas for Easy Decorating
- Easy Ideas to Decorate an Easter Mantel for Spring Decor
How to Decorate a Mantel for Summer with Beautiful Style
How do I decorate a summer mantel?
The first thing I do when decorating any space is to completely clear it off and deep clean. I find that when I clear a space, I can get more creative. A clean slate is good for my brain!
While most of my décor pieces are things that I use year-round, I still like to get a clean slate, clean it really well, and start fresh. I also use this as a time to rotate some of my décor around the house. Shopping my own home is always my go-to! Also, it is a great way to create budget-friendly decor too!
When I start to decorate a summer mantel, I start with these elements:
1. Create a focal point to decorate a mantel for summer
A great summer mantel can become the perfect focal point for any living space. When I decorate a mantel for summer in our family room, it often kicks off the mantel decoration style that I end up going with for the rest of the house!
Since a fireplace mantle is often literally the centerpiece of a living space, it is a natural focal point to the room. At the same time, a beautiful mantel is usually one of the largest permanent fixtures in a space, meaning that you don’t have a choice but to work with it! In that case, it makes sense to create a beautiful summer mantel that sets the decor style, color palette, and overall look of the room.
How do I make my fireplace a focal point?
Here are just a few ways that you can accent a fireplace mantel to make it the focal point as you decorate a mantel for summer:
- Hang favorite artwork over the fireplace.
- Incorporate your TV over the fireplace (or do both with our favorite, a Frame TV! I love changing my artwork for the seasons!)
- Add a mantel if your fireplace doesn’t have one.
- Accessorize with curated decor that you want to feature.
- Resist the temptation to fill the mantel with lots of small things. Instead, opt for groupings or clusters of objects that have repeated color, texture, style and/or pattern.
- Make an accent wall behind/around the fireplace mantel with paint, wood, tile, or stone.
- Add accent lighting, such as my favorite battery operated sconces (no hard-wiring needed!)
- Hang a large decorative piece over the mantel, such as a large mirror, architectural salvage, vintage sign, or oversized artwork.
2. Decorate a Mantel for Summer with a Coastal Color Palette
One of the next things I do is to determine the color palette that I want to use, not only to decorate a mantel for summer, but also to accent the rest of the space.
I love that summer colors can range from bright and vibrant to very cool and soft to a monochromatic, neutral color scheme. This is another area when you can really make a statement and express your own creativity when you decorate a mantel for summer! There are no “summer specific” colors this time of year, as we think of color for the other seasons. It’s truly a free-for-all!
In past years, I brought in more earthy tones with some light rust and tans. (Think of the inside of a conch shell!). Even just a few pops of color make a great statement and set the tone as I decorate a summer mantel with coastal style.
This spring and summer, I’ve been consistently drawn to the light blue and gray tones, inspired from the combination of a favorite spot…the sand and sea. So I kept some of those same elements around with throw pillows, vintage books, architectural salvage, and a little bit of vintage art. Even changing just a few pieces created an entirely different look for my summer décor!
If you prefer bright colors, you may choose to lean into more of a nautical look, which is also so fun and adds a perfect coastal seaside town vibe! For more of a nautical look, consider brighter and deeper shades of navy blue. Some accents of red and even yellow are also fun for nautical decor.
You can find more simple ideas for easy summer decorating with a casual, coastal decor style on THIS post.
Here are a few easy ways you can add breezy summer color to your living room:
- Comfy blue striped chair
- Curated collection of pillow covers inspired by sand and sea colors
- Coziest, light weight throw blanket in light gray or oatmeal
- Curated gallery wall art of seascapes under $16!
- Sea glass colored vase trio
3. Decorate a Mantel for Summer with Natural Elements
What is found around you in nature? Or…what do you WISH was around you in nature? Depending on where you live, this will vary your décor.
If you live in a tropical climate like me, free palm branches (or you can get very realistic faux ones HERE!) are abundant and there are seashell shops in every town where you can get coastal elements to decorate a summer mantel. Or even free seashells from vacation beach adventures! If you live in the mountains, these might be more lake-related items or an abundance of wildflowers!
The fun thing with décor is that you can make it what you want, so even if you live in the Midwest, feel free to break out a few natural elements found in a coastal region! This is your one chance in the year to get away with starfish in Oklahoma!
You also don’t have to create a full-on coastal theme! Just bringing in a bowl of shells on the coffee table or a fresh palm tree from your local nursery in the corner can add the perfect touch of “summer” to your space!
My very favorite natural elements that I love to use are sea fans, sponges, and coral. Through the spring last year, I did a lot of coral hunting around antique shops, knowing I wanted to use these with my cloches and ironstone for summer! I’ve also added some amazing real coral from thrift stores, yard sales, and vintage markets. It is something I watch for year-round because I know I’ll always enjoy using it with my summer decorations.
Here are some great pieces you can find online to incorporate these natural elements:
- Large faux coral piece that is SO realistic; in fact, I mix it with my real coral and you’d have to really look to tell the difference!
- Small decorative sea coral
- Grape wood vine branch that looks like driftwood
- The MOST realistic palm branches, only $9.99 for 8
- Large natural sea shell
4. Decorate a Mantel for Summer with Different Textures
Besides the more obvious, seasonal elements, texture is one of my favorite ways to change my décor for the seasons. During summer, I like to think about natural elements and decorative items that would be found in a coastal retreat or beach environment.
Some of my favorite textures to decorate a summer mantel are:
- Woven items (baskets and jute)
- Linen
- Chippy patina, as if it is naturally worn by the sun and saltwater
You may incorporate woven texture with super simple decorations, such as a pretty wicker basket on the fireplace hearth with cozy throw blankets for movie nights. My favorite vase for spring and summer also has a woven texture and is perfect for a coffee table or side table vignette! You could add a rattan picture frame to a side table for a touch of woven texture.
Bonus: print out a favorite beach vacation picture to put in the frame for the summer!
Natural elements are some of the easiest ways to add coastal style and texture when you decorate a mantel for summer. Coral and sea shells are sculptural and add tons of texture to a mantel shelf or table vignette.
Pro Tip: Fill a bowl with smaller pieces of sea shells for a statement piece on your coffee table! This is a good way to use even broken pieces and the perfect place to add in the kids’ beach treasures!
Add coastal elements for texture to decorate a mantel for summer.
You don’t have to have a full-on coastal style to bring in just a couple of pieces to your summer mantel and decor! In fact, just a piece or two is all it takes to give a sweet nod to summertime beach vacations!
Coral can get a little expensive, but I always watch for it at flea markets and vintage shops. It is so fun to style for summer!
For example, I love to lay a piece of coral on a stack of books, under a cloche, or in a bowl, like I did with this summer mantel decor. Coral, or any kind of shells, add so much texture to a space.
Pro Tip: Try using coral in one or two spots where you would typically put a plant. For example, I love to use plants in my mortar and pestles. Adding the coral, instead, gave some extra dimension and a touch of summer fun to this mantel decor!
You can browse my summer decor favorites, carefully curated HERE on my storefront!
5. To decorate a mantel for summer, use an odd number of items for the best vignette.
What looks best on a fireplace mantel?
Next, it’s often a good idea to use an odd number of items when you create a vignette. That triangle kind of pattern allows each object to be seen. At the same time, however, the decorative items can really work together as a singular focal point of your living room.
Whether indoor or even outdoor decor, odd numbers are a great way to create a kind of “imperfect”, lived-in decor style. When nothing is buttoned up too tightly or too perfect in a living room space, family and guests can feel more relaxed and at ease. There is something psychological about asymmetry that helps create that casual, inviting atmosphere. Working with odd numbers is a great way to focus on a relaxed style of decorating.
On my mantel, for example, I often use a combination of vintage books stacks and architectural salvage, mixed with larger pieces of coral. One of my favorite times to decorate a mantel for summer was with this beautiful, pine arch piece. In front of it, I added 3 large pieces of coral – talk about texture! As part of the gallery wall, odd numbers of thrifted straw hats carried the woven texture up the wall. You can see how odd numbers worked in my favor for this styling!
6. Incorporate vintage accents such as old books and architectural salvage for visual interest.
Vintage Books
Vintage books are always one of my go-to items to decorate a mantel for summer. Actually, no matter the season, I love decorating with vintage items. While most of vintage books are thrifted, having a great book stack with your summer accent color is a great way to decorate a mantel for summer. Thrifted books are a great way to incorporate your accent color into your summer mantel decor, or anywhere in your home, for that matter!
I used vintage books in neutral and light blue tones (HERE and HERE) to bring in some additional texture and color, as well as a layered look to decorate a summer mantel. The thrifted books also provide some height variation for small plants. On one stack of books, I placed a vintage mortar and pestle from my collection with a piece of coral. I love how the white of the coral makes such a subtle coastal statement, while adding lots of organic texture.
In addition to your preferred color palette, keep an eye out for books that have fun titles too when you’re out thrifting! If I see a vintage book with the word “sea”, “ocean”, or “vacation” in the title and it is in lighter blue shades, I grab it for my summer decor collection!
You can see my favorite ways to decorate with books over on THIS POST!
Pro Tip: Lay some books down in stacks and stand some up. This is a great way to give extra dimension and also add height to decor pieces!
Architectural Salvage
I love architectural salvage and how it can add so much character to any space. Architectural salvage is always a favorite way to add texture and character to any room and I use it all over our house! Over on THIS POST, I shared my favorite ways to use architectural salvage around my home!
One way is by incorporating it into vignettes.
The other statement piece I used to decorate a summer mantel is an architectural salvage piece that I found at a vintage market. It has the perfect shade of light blue-gray with lots of chippy patina. I love how the curved style reminds me of something that could’ve been on an old boat at some point! (I don’t know that it ever was, more likely from a round window or arch, but I like the idea!). Most importantly, I think the chippy patina and unique shape add a lot of interest and character to this mantel styling!
Pro Tip: Work on building a collection of smaller architectural salvage pieces that you can style in different ways and places throughout your home! They are fun to use and always add a lot of interest to any decor!
Wood tones are a great way to add interest and depth to decorate a summer mantel, especially if you have a more neutral color palette with a lot of whites.
To decorate a summer mantel styling simple and light, while still getting a full look with the use of texture, try some of these accessories:
- Architectural salvage
- Vintage books
- Piece of driftwood
- Ironstone jelly mold with fresh plant
- Vintage mortar and pestle with coral
7. Decorate a mantel for summer by featuring a collection.
What looks good on a summer mantel?
No matter the season, a mantel is a great spot to style your favorite collection! Most any item, grouped with other like items, can make a beautiful statement when you decorate a mantel for summer.
Vintage clocks, milk glass vases with fresh fern stems, mortar and pestles with coral, grouping of favorite candlesticks, a row of vintage bottles with patriotic flags…these are all great ways to decorate a mantel for summer while showcasing your favorite collection pieces!
I think “collections” can sometimes get shoved in a corner or stuck on a shelf. I like to keep my collections moving around the house, sometimes styled together, sometimes split up over a few rooms, which ties the décor together and gives a nice flow to the rooms. Get creative with how you style those collection pieces and really enjoy them as you decorate a mantel for summer!
Pull out those favorite pieces and use them! You might be surprised at how much money you save on décor simply by shopping your home and re-thinking how you can use the pieces you already own. I love how collections tell a story, not only about your home, but also about yourself! You can count on a styled collection to be a conversation starter!
Add a Vintage Touch with White Ironstone
No matter the season, ironstone is a great collector’s item. However, in the summer, I especially love to use white accessories on my mantel. For this styling, a small ironstone bowl and a porcelain mortar and pestle work perfectly to layer with vintage books and coral. A pretty plant would be a great addition too!
When styling your mantel, look for opportunities to connect with other decor elements throughout your home. For example, I am using mortar and pestles and ironstone bowls in vignettes throughout our living spaces. Also using them on my mantel makes a naturally cohesive look!
Pro Tip: Look for ways to use your collections in different ways throughout your home. You can make a statement by combining them into one setting or get a cohesive look by styling them throughout a few rooms!
8. Incorporate gallery wall style art to decorate a mantel for summer.
How can I make my mantle look nice?
Because my mantel is really part of a larger gallery wall, I take into account how I want to style the gallery wall when I decorate a summer mantel. I centered everything on my gallery wall and mantel styling around this vintage, French lavabo. You can find a wonderful reproduction HERE!
Again, the lavabo is something I’d never styled for summer before, but I was picturing the sea fans, sponges, and palms and wanted to give it a try. I set a glass of water down in the lavabo and was able to arrange fresh palms, along with some realistic faux ferns and coastal elements.
With having larger art pieces and a vintage sign on the wall above the mantel, I kept the mantelpiece décor more simple and a lower profile.
You can browse some of my favorite vintage-style art at super budget-friendly prices HERE!
9. Include the hearth in your decor plan with woven elements.
How do I decorate a hearth for summer?
With having our decorative mantel behind our sofa, I obviously am not decorating a hearth. However, the décor I use on my sofa has the same effect as if you are decorating a hearth when you decorate a summer mantel. I like to use lots of comfy and cozy pillows on our sofa. They are a great way to bring in lots of texture, pattern, and color.
Some of my favorites are made from vintage fabrics and grain sacks, but there are so many gorgeous options out there for summer pillows. You can add texture with these and these and some summer color with these. I also like to add a cozy throw and this gauzy one is my favorite for summer!
If you have a hearth, a vintage inspired basket with summer throw blankets and soft pillows is a great way to soften the hard lines of the fireplace as you decorate a summer mantel.
It also helps tell the story of a soft place to get cozy after a long day of summer fun! While you may add a basket of logs for the winter, consider replacing the logs with a lush, green plant for the summer months!
10. Consider adding faux greenery, fresh plants, or flowers to decorate a mantel for summer.
Greenery is just kind of a “must-have” for my summer decor! While I use some flowers in the spring, I especially love simple greenery in the summer.
Often, I cut fresh palm branches (yay for free decor!) from my yard. I also love using faux greenery.
For example, in this arrangement on my summer mantel, I mixed fresh palm branches from my yard, finger sponges, coral, and faux ferns.
I love these ferns because they have such a realistic look and feel to them. The size is really easy to work with too! Whether adding a large arrangement in a vintage lavabo as a focal point or small, baby plants as accents, greenery is always a great choice for your summer mantel!
What else could I use to decorate my summer mantel?
Here are other things that I like to keep on hand for mantel decorating:
- Architectural salvage, corbels, unique salvage pieces
- Vintage piece of art (find a gorgeous curated set HERE for under $20!)
- Vintage books
- Lanterns
- Bottles or jars for greenery and flowers
- Candle holders (love the texture on these!)
- Vintage wall fountain/lavabo filled with greenery, plants, or coastal elements
- Vintage style brass candlesticks
- Large mirror
- Photo frames
- Realistic faux flowers that look like fresh flowers
- Candle lantern (I love using THESE battery-operated candles for safety on the mantel.)
- Straw hat
- Fairy lights
- American flags
- A little flag tucked into a small pot or plant
How can I decorate my house for summer?
Starting with a focal point, like a mantel, is a perfect way to get inspiration for the rest of your space. In fact, now that I have a mantel, it is almost always the first thing I decorate! Then, it seems like the inspiration starts flowing out of this focal point!
I hope this post gives you some ideas to decorate a summer mantel as your own focal point. Plus, it can spark some creativity for you as you have fun decorating your home and especially your summer mantel!
You can browse some of my favorite summer home decor, carefully curated HERE on my storefront!
Just by changing your mantel and fireplace décor…even if you leave everything else exactly the same…you can give an entirely new and fresh feel to your entire room!
Here are more ideas to help you decorate your house for the summer season:
- Easy Ideas to Decorate a Glass Cloche for Summer
- 31 Easy Ideas to Decorate a Patio or Porch for Summer
- 25 Best Ideas for Easy Summer Home Decorating
- How to Decorate for Summer: 34 Ideas to Thrift for Summer Decor
- How to Use Coastal Bedroom Decor Ideas for a Serene Retreat
- 21 Ways to Decorate a Living Room with Coastal Beach Decor
- 7 Best Ideas for a Coastal Kitchen Decor Refresh
