11 simple ways to decorate your mantle for Halloween

One of the easiest and most impactful ways to celebrate spooky season is by decorating your mantle. This focal point of your living room can be transformed into a hauntingly beautiful display that sets the mood for all your Halloween gatherings. Whether you prefer cute and whimsical or dark and haunted, our list of 11 simple decorating ideas will help you craft the perfect mantle to welcome October in style.

Layer your garlands

Now you don’t have to choose just one. Using multiple garlands creates depth and dimension, making your mantle more visually appealing. Vary the lengths, shapes, colors, and textures and let your personality shine through.

A stone fireplace painted white and decorated for Halloween. There are two overlapping garland. The first one is white fabric with black letters that says "Trick or Treat". Behind it is a paper tassel garland in alternating colors of orange, black, and white. There are paper bats attached above the fireplace. Four pumpkins and a lantern sit in front of the fireplace.

^{Image: Instagram/2340westnewton}

Add a wreath

Bring the natural world inside with a wreath made from branches.

There is a large mirror that sits on the white mantle. Above the mantle is a flock of bats. Hanging from the mirror is a wreath made of dead branches with more bats attached to it. On the mantle ledge sits decorative raves, a brass pumpkin, and a black candle. There is a garland of white beads and black bats hanging from it.

^{Image: Instagram/lifewithjesnicole}

Make it cute

Forget gothic and haunted… we want pink bats and charming ghosts!

A white marble fireplace with an intricately carved mantle is decorated with two garlands. One garland is made of yarn tassels in orange, light purple, and cranberry. The other garland is shorter and made of black stars. On the mantle ledge are three framed pictures of cartoon ghosts in costume jewelry. In front of the pictures are eight small fake pumpkins in a variety of colors and textures. Above the pumpkins and picture frames are a swarm of pink and black paper bats.

^{Image: Instagram/heycutedesign}

Keep it black and white

On a white wooden mantle sits a collection of black and white Halloween decorations. There are two framed prints of paper bats, a collection of black haunted houses, and some sticks with paper bats attached. There are garlands of black gauze, bats, and striped ribbons. There is also a garland that says "trick or treat" in cursive writing.

^{Image: Instagram/12timbers}

Or insert pops of gold

There is a gold frame circular mirror that sits above a white wooden mantle. The mantle is decorated with a row of gold skulls between two candles in spider holders. At the base of the fireplace sits a gold skeleton next to a collection of black and white pumpkins with witty sayings on them. Examples include "Straight outta coffin" and "Restin Witch Face". There is a collection of fake spiders of different sizes attached to the fireplace area.

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Cover in tiny pumpkins

On a white wooden mantle sits a collection of small fake pumpkins in various shades of fall. Above the mantle hangs a circular mirror with cobwebs and fake spiders on it. Witches hats hang from the ceiling. A garland of felt ghosts and balls hangs from the mantle.

^{Image: Instagram/tiffanymamone}

Dangle spiders

Two garlands hang from a white wooden mantle. One garland is of black bats, the other garland is a strand of orange, pink, white, and black beads. On top of the mantle sits a black cut out of a spider web and some framed halloween graphics. Homemade paper spiders are attached to the wall and surrounded by black cotton spider webs.

^{Image: Instagram/glittlerpartyco}

Design haunted houses

Can you believe these houses are made from upcycled cereal boxes?

On top of the white mantle sits three intricately cut black haunted houses. Above them is a flock of bats in a circular pattern. Hanging from the mantle is a strand of orange, white, and red beads and a banner that says "Hocus Pocus"

^{Image: Instagram/pennyhousedesignstudio}

Inflate balloons

On the wall above the mantle are black letter balloons that spell "Boo". There are two garlands of black bats hanging from the mantle. Sitting on the mantle are a collection of real and fake pumpkins in colors of orange, gold, white, and green. There is a letterboard that says "Spooky" and a skeleton next to some maroon flowers.

^{Image: Instagram/mybohemianhouse}

Go monochromatic

Use your favorite can of spray paint to add cohesion among your collection of pumpkins.

On a rustic wooden farmhouse style mantle there are a collection of metal jack-o-lanterns that have been spray painted white. White candle sticks with gold candle holders are interspersed.

^{Image: Instagram/insta_lizmariegalvan}

Don’t forget the fireplace

A fireplace decorated to look like a scary face with two scary black and orange eyes and triangle cardboard cut outs for teeth

^{Image: Instagram/4theloveoftoys}