Are you looking to spruce up your mantel decor for the season? Today I am sharing how I decorated our living room fireplace mantel using the color yellow as the main inspiration with a vintage twist. Decorating a mantel doesn’t have to be intimidating or complicated. On the contrary, it can be so much fun! Join me as I share a mantel styling using vintage yellow decor.
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Inspiration for the Mantel Styling with Vintage Yellow Decor
The color yellow is a favorite of mine and vintage decor always speaks my language. Combining these two motifs created a mantel display with whimsical, rustic and nostalgic vibes. Two components were the main motivation behind this mantel styling, and everything else fell into place after that.
I recently shared a super cute button flower bouquet DIY here {How to Make a Button Flower Bouquet DIY} in a vintage tea cup with yellow flowers. I knew I wanted to create a decor styling around it once I completed the project. The vintage yellow hankies, which I thrifted not too long ago and shared a sneak peek in the last thrifted goodies installment, inspired the tea cup bouquet DIY. It all brings us to today, and this vintage yellow decor mantle styling. Let’s get busy decorating.
All the Details of the Yellow Vintage Inspired Mantel Styling
Background Mirror and Frames
A gilded gold mirror hangs over the mantel year around. I add frames layered on the mirror here and there depending on the styling and time of year. Layering the frames adds interest and movement from front to back. The large oversized matted gilded frame usually sits on the mantel to create a bit of drama,
Vintage yellow flower printables fill a collection of metal filigree frames. The Graphics fairy is my go to resource for these type of images. Decorating with thrifted vintage frames is a technique I use often, which can be filled with many seasonal and themed motifs.
Alongside the filigree metal frames, a small yellow flower painting sits front and center. Not only do the yellow flowers in the painting fit the theme, but the frame coordinates with the others. All the different components add different textures and contrast, which also coordinate with each other.
Hankie Mantel Shelf Scarf
The mirror and frames anchor the background, while a collection of vintage hankies ground the styling on the mantel shelf. The hankies are all adorned with embroidered yellow blooms. I love that they are all slightly different, but the theme ties them all together.
The hankies are layered across the mantel creating a garland type of effect. The draped hankies allow for all the different details on each linen to be fully appreciated. I found these vintage hankies at a sale last fall at a local thrift shop. There was a big pile, and I went through them by designs and colors. The yellow jumped out at me and it was the only color way that had a varied collection like this. I chose my favorite five and was pleased they were reasonably priced.
The hankies soften the mantel display, which otherwise has hard surfaces and lines in all the other framed elements. The linens not only add texture, but they also accentuate the yellow flower motif with all the delicate embroidered details.
Finishing Decor Accents
Once the back and bottom foundations are set, I started layering smaller decor pieces. The star of the show sits on one side of the mantel, anchoring that section. The flower bouquet tea cup is accompanied with a couple of brown transferware plates, adding to the vintage vibes. The smallest plate has a yellow rose, which coordinates with the theme.
On the other side of the mantel a dainty bud vase sits with a felt flower peeking out. The flower tea cup bouquet and felt flower vase balance each other out on each side alongside farmhouse lanterns. The lanterns ground each side of the display, completing the framework of the mantel styling.
There’s only a few decor accents since the mantel shelf is monopolized by the scattered frames. The frames give a background structure while the hankies provide the bottom foundation and the lanterns anchor both ends. And although there are many components they are all grounded and anchored within the display.
Don’t Forget the Hearth
The hearth is the area on the ground around the fireplace and should not be overlooked. Hearths are typically made of stone, brick, or concrete and surround the firebox. We have a raised hearth which creates somewhat of a stage situation.
Hearth decor will bring the eye down, creating a bigger decor impact. To further extend the styling space, decorate the hearth adding more detail, interest and completing the entire fireplace area. By creating cohesive movement from top to bottom gives a mantel and fireplace surrounding a completed look.
Included in the hearth decor are more yellow flowers and a basket full of lemons from our yard. Not too long ago I shared this table styling {Spring Foraged Tablescape}, which featured our lemons. Well the season is coming to an end and this is the last of them. They fit the theme so here they are. Great cost savings plus incredible personalization is achieved by using organic elements from our yards and properties.
Tips & Recommendations
Include Interest & Contrast
When creating a decor display or vignette, it’s important to keep it varied and interesting at different levels. Mixed and matched textures, styles and colors create a unique look. Using pieces with different scale and footprints maintains the variety, but the pieces should also coordinate with each other, avoiding a piece being dwarfed or over shadowed by others.
Trust the Process
When I planned and brainstormed for this mantel project, I had additional decor pieces and effects in mind but the mantel shelf filled up quickly. Work through the process and only use what completes the desired composition. Start with the foundation items and work out and in from there. Don’t be afraid to remove pieces and add others as you reach the desired effect.
Stay True to your Style
I’m a vintage loving soul, but if you prefer a more contemporary and clean look, I totally appreciate that. You can follow the same techniques, just use plain frames rather than ornate ones and select artwork that speaks to your aesthetic. Switch things up to coordinate with your style and home design. You can create a mantel with your “look”; I’m simply sharing my process here with a vintage twist.
Maintain Focus
The vintage yellow flower motif is reinforced a few times in the styling, including the framed prints, the painting, the tea cup, the transfer-ware plate, the flower buttons, the embroidered hankies and the felted flower. All the different flowers dance across the mantel shelf and bounce off of each other, creating a wild field of flowers effect, if you will.
I really can’t get enough of these yellow flower hankies. It’s the silliest thing, really. There’s a post scheduled dedicated solely to these pretties, which you don’t want to miss. If you would like to receive new content straight to your in-box you can sign up below. We would love for you to join the Masterpiece community.
Closing Thoughts
Do you decorate your mantel for different seasons and holidays? If you do, I hope this inspired you in some way. If you don’t, I hope it helps you decorate another area in your home. A sideboard or a shelving unit or curio cabinet can be styled using the same concept and ideas shown here. The most important thing is that you enjoy yourself and create a happy home.
Spring vibes are all around and summer is knocking on the door. We’ve had some weird weather patterns around here this year, so I’m not sure what summer will look like. I am ready for Miss Masterpiece to come home from college for summer break. I enjoy having my whole family together under one roof. I know these days are numbered so I try to soak them up. I hope to see you again soon friends. Au revoir!
Get the Vintage Yellow Mantel Styling Look
- Gold Vintage Wall Mirror
- Antique Gold Baroque Mirror
- 16×20 Canvas Frame
- 11×14 Frame
- Bronze 8×10 Picture Frame
- 8×10 Vintage Embossed Frame
- 5×7 Ornate Tabletop Frame
- 4×6 Oval Frame
- Vintage Floral Wall Decor
- Decor French Country Wall Art
- Vintage Cotton Handkerchiefs
- Embroidery Women Cotton Handkerchiefs
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Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.”
Luther Burbank