Create a simple fall mantel with a DIY farmhouse sign — an easy, budget-friendly way to bring seasonal character to your home. With a little creativity, some DIY elbow grease, and a few faux florals, you can pull together a cozy, stylish fall mantel in no time.
Lately I’ve been focused on one large statement piece for the mantel each season. This year I pictured a simple wooden farmhouse sign made from particle board and 1 x 2’s. I love how a bold sign anchors the mantel and sets a warm, welcoming tone for fall — it’s my favorite mantel so far.
I wanted to keep the look big and simple this year. Minimal fuss, maximum impact — that was my goal.
Simple is practical — and who doesn’t appreciate decor that’s easy to maintain?
Here’s how I decorated my home for fall this year. I reused a lot of items from past seasons and invested in a few versatile pieces that will last.
How I Decorated My Home for Fall
The first step was choosing a color palette. I moved away from the traditional orange-heavy palette and leaned into blues, greens, and neutrals that felt fresher for my space.
When I opened my fall decor boxes, I focused on the pieces I loved — blues, soft greens, white, and natural textures — and left the brighter orange tones behind. From there I worked with what I already had and layered in a few new accents.
Fall color tip: A cohesive palette of muted blues, greens, and creams makes decorating simpler and results in a serene, modern farmhouse feel.
I repurposed galvanized metal olive buckets I had used in the summer. I swapped out lavender for cotton stems, and I kept eucalyptus and lamb’s ear stems, rearranging them for a fall look.
The wooden box on the mantel is a DIY centerpiece box I built in spring. It’s a simple project that adds texture and height to the mantel; I plan to share an easy tutorial soon for anyone who wants to recreate it.
A major update this year was investing in high-quality faux pumpkins. I like using white, blue, and green pumpkins in my decor; in the past I’d buy real pumpkins, but faux options in these colors are durable and reusable. I stocked up so I can reuse them for many seasons rather than buying new ones each year.
The wheat bundles framing the wooden box came from a local shop and were a great, natural touch; they were already tied with green grosgrain ribbon, which made styling effortless.
I filled the DIY box with faux pumpkin foliage, lamb’s ear, and eucalyptus to create a textured, layered centerpiece. Then I placed faux pumpkins in coordinating greens, blues, and whites around the room — some on the mantel, some stacked on the floor — to carry the theme through the space.
Because most of these elements are faux and sturdy, they are toddler-friendly in our home. My 2-year-old leaves them alone, which means I can leave the display up for the whole season without stress.
I also added a few pumpkins to the console table beneath my gallery wall and placed a fall printable in a rustic frame to tie the vignette together. Printables are an easy, low-cost way to refresh artwork for the season.
Enjoy decorating! Keep your scheme cohesive, reuse what you already own, and invest in a few quality faux pieces to simplify future seasons.
Sources:
- DIY Wooden Farmhouse Sign – full tutorial
- DIY Wooden Centerpiece Box – full tutorial
- Tall Galvanized Olive Bucket
- Lamb’s Ear Stems
- Cotton Stems
- Eucalyptus Stems
- Faux pumpkin foliage picks
- Faux green, blue & white pumpkins
- Birch logs
- Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig and similar faux plants
- DIY Blanket Ladder – full tutorial
- “Be Grateful” sign
- Faux potted lamb’s ear plant
- Faux floral arrangement
- Slipcovered Sofa
- Leather armchair
- Buffalo check pillows
- Console table
- Tiered tray
- DIY Abstract Turquoise Art – full tutorial
- Magnolia Wreath
- Oversized Wall Clock
More posts you will love:
- 25 Amazing DIY Fall Wreaths
- Fall Doormats You Will Love
- 25+ FREE Fall Printables to Decorate Your Home