30 Halloween Mantel Ideas to Prepare You for Scary Season

Halloween decor isn't just for your home's exterior anymore—it can also fit in well inside the home, with cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, mini pumpkins atop a coffee table, and, of course, a mantel decked out in spooky accoutrement. Here are some of our favorite Halloween mantel ideas to get your home ready for October 31st.

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Add in Flowers

@my_interior_motive / Instagram

Who says that spooky style can't have a few flowers in it? We love this mantel makeover fro My Interior Motive—the golden sunflowers and the gilded pumpkins give it the perfect festive seasonal touch.

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Make It Matte Black

Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Matte black decor makes a great seasonal accent to the Halloween mantel. Look for candlesticks, ravens, and spiders in this finish.

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Use Your Candy Buckets and Bowls

@homestead.city.dwelling / Instagram

Don't let your Halloween candy bowls (or your kids' candy buckets) hide in the closet until the night of the 31st. Instead, use them in your mantel decor for a bold seasonal statement. You can keep some candy in them too.

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Use the Same Texture

@jcdesign1.1 / Instagram

For a unique take on the classic Halloween look, pick seasonal decor that's all in the same texture (like the wicker JC Design chose in her living room above) and place it atop your mantel.

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Add a Sign (or Two)

@bohofrisco / Instagram

Add a seasonal sign to your mantel for some fun Halloween theming, like Boho Frisco did in the space above. You can often find signs like these at craft stores, or they can be DIYed.

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Add a Dried Bouquet

Ashley Montgomery Design

A big and bold dried bouquet with red and orange tones can be the perfect addition to your Halloween mantel. The ethereal look of the dried flowers brings an out-of-this-world look, and the fall colors brings lots of seasonality.

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Stack Pumpkins

@kristen.diane / Instagram

Is the fireplace below your mantel decorative? Take advantage of this extra wall space by placing some picture-perfect pumpkins (or any other fun and spooky pieces of decor) in front of it.

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Keep It Simple

@wildrosecountryhome / Instagram

Sometimes, you don't need much to create a mantel that's ready for Halloween. Take a page out of Wild Rose Country Home's book and simply place a decorative pumpkin on top of your mantel for an easy seasonal look.

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Use Colorful Candles

Finding Lovely

Colorful candles are a great way to bring color to your mantel in a subtle way, and a few carefully placed orange and black taper candles can create the perfect Halloween look. These 22 Amazon finds for your fall mantel are peppered with candles.

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Layer Decor

@homestead.city.dwelling / Instagram

Layering decor can create a rich, visually interesting look, no matter the season. We love this layered Halloween mantel look from Homestead City Dwelling.

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Bring in Some Christmas Decor

@homestead.city.dwelling / Instagram

Break out the Christmas decor—we won't tell. Black bottle brush trees are great additions to the Christmas mantel, but their dark hues make them seasonally appropriate additions to the Halloween one too.

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Have Fun With Color

Casa Watkins Living

Don't be afraid to have fun with color when creating a Halloween-ready mantel. We love the bold color Casa Watkins Living used on her fall mantel, and it's a great reminder that October colors can be so much more than just orange and black.

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Add a Halloween Village

Finding Lovely

Christmas isn't the only holiday that can boast "tiny house" decor—Halloween can too. Add a spooky and cute Halloween village to your mantel for the perfect amount of seasonal fun.

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Use Lots of Warm Colors

Ashley Montgomery Design

For a subtler seasonal approach, use lots of warm colors, like orange, red, and brown, on and around your mantel to create a fall feel that still feels understated.

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Empty Out Your Frames

Ashley Montgomery Design

Emptied-out picture frames are another subtle way to give your mantel an eerie look. This works especially well for medium-sized gilded or vintage frames.

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Fill Up Your Fireplace

@kristen.diane / Instagram

For the ultimate cozy Halloween-core, fill up your empty fireplace with stacks of logs and decorate the surrounding space with bats or pumpkins. This will give your fireplace a look that can even extend into winter.

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Pair Wood With Faded Pink

Finding Lovely

For a more delicate Halloween look, pair light wood finishes with faded pink decor. The faded pink will give your mantel a slightly eerie look, while the wood makes sure it still feels cozy.

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Hang Some Faux Cobwebs

Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Just a little faux cobweb netting goes a long way—and it's easy to apply to your mantel—making it a great addition to your themed fireplace. We love the cobweb "trim" in the living room above by Emily Henderson Design.

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Pair Brass Finishes With Pumpkins

Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

For a more understated fall touch, pair decor in a brassy finish with a tiny pumpkin or two. To keep your mantel from looking too cluttered, look for pumpkins in similar colors as your wall and fireplace.

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Add Felted Decor

Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Felted decor brings a unique and cozy look to your ready-for-Halloween mantel. Look for felted birds, pumpkins, and spiders to add to your own fireplace.

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Add Black Decor

Ashley Montgomery Design

Black decor is another easy way to give your mantel that Halloween-ready look. Look for black ceramics and baskets, along with black floral arrangements and wall art, to complete this spooky-yet-elegant display.

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Look for Vintage Decor

Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

For a more vintage-inspired approach to Halloween decor, head to the thrift store or antique market. Search for old, faded prints of animals or vintage taxidermy to add to that eerie and spooky look.

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Dress Up Your Art

Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

To make your Halloween decor extra easy this year, use the art or figurines you already have on your mantel—all you need to do is place a little paper hat or extra-small costume on them to dress them up.

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Make a Spiderweb

Finding Lovely

We love this arachnid approach to Halloween decor from Finding Lovely. A DIY stick spiderweb adds the ideal amount of whimsy and spooky fun to your Halloween mantel.

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Hang a Banner

Oh My Edwardian

Halloween banners are another easy hack to getting the perfect spooky look for your mantel. But if your fireplace is functional, make sure you don't hang any banners too low, as they can catch fire.

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Hang Some Bats

@heysarahdarling / Instagram

A string of bats across the fireplace or mantel adds a fun and festive visual effect that isn't too busy, making it a great fit for homes that are full of minimalist style.

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Spray Paint Your Old Decor

Finding Lovely

Want to add some black foliage or decor to your mantel without having to buy new stuff? Try spray-painting your existing items. Hardy dried foliage can handle a light coat of black spray paint, as can most wooden or plastic decor.

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Make It Rainbow-Colored

Pop of Gold

We love this pastel rainbow Halloween mantel look from Pop of Gold. It's a unique take that will fit right in with color-loving homes, or in living rooms with lots of natural light.

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Use Houseplants

Cathie Hong Interiors

Houseplants with colorful red leaves, like the one in the space above by Cathie Hong Interiors, can add a great dash of seasonal fall (and Halloween) color.

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Use These Ideas on Other Flat Surfaces

@jcdesign1.1 / Instagram

All of these Halloween mantel ideas can also be applied to mantel-like surfaces throughout your home if you don't have a fireplace, like the top of your entertainment center or buffet.