18 Simple DIY Thanksgiving Fireplace Decor Ideas for Warm, Real Life Mantels

18 Simple DIY Thanksgiving Fireplace Decor Ideas That Actually Fit Real Mantels

Many Thanksgiving fireplace displays look crowded in a real living room, especially with a TV above the hearth. These simple DIY Thanksgiving mantel decor ideas use pumpkins, black accents, and natural textures for a warm look that fits narrow shelves, brick, stone, or a non working fireplace.

For planning help, see Thanksgiving printables that will save your fall sanity, and for more ideas, see DIY Thanksgiving mantel decor ideas.

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1. DIY Framed Thanksgiving Typography Sign

A homemade Give Thanks board fills a blank wall without a costly store sign. It can sit beside a mounted TV or lean against brick, with a stain matched to your wood furniture in under an hour.

Supplies You Need

• Canvas board, pine strips, acrylic paint, stencils
• Walnut stain, wood glue, staple gun, foam dabber

Step by Step Crafting Instructions

Paint two white coats, let the board dry, then stencil Give Thanks in black in the center. Cut and stain the pine strips, then glue and staple the frame around the canvas edges.

2. Stacked Vintage Book Pedestals

Decorations at one height can look flat, so old hardcover books make useful risers. Thrifted books cost little, and twine bundles lift pillar candles while adding warm, aged texture.

Materials Required

• Thrifted hardcover books, jute twine, craft scissors
• Hot glue gun, dried amber leaves, cinnamon sticks

How to Assemble the Risers

Remove the dust jackets and stack three books largest to smallest, spines inward and page edges out. Wrap twine three times, tie a double knot, then tuck in a leaf and two cinnamon sticks with hot glue.

3. Faux Pumpkin and Berry Mantel Garland

Ready made garlands can look thin across a wide ledge, so wiring foam pumpkins and berry picks onto grapevine makes a fuller garland. Weight one side more so it drapes down the stonework edge, and it lasts year after year. See simple Thanksgiving fireplace decorating tips.

Craft Supplies Needed

• Grapevine garland, leaf strands, foam pumpkins, berry sprigs
• Green floral wire, wire cutters, hot glue

How to Build the Garland

Weave leaf strands through the grapevine, wire each foam pumpkin at the bottom, and attach gourds in clusters of three. Press hot glued berry sprigs deep into gaps between the leaves.

4. Grapevine Leaf Wreath Focal Piece

A heavy mirror is not practical for renters or crumbly brick, so a custom autumn wreath gives a circular focal point without heavy wall anchors. With a TV over the hearth, hang two smaller wreaths on either side.

What You Will Need

• Grapevine wreath form, silk leaves, mini dried gourds
• Floral wire cutters, hot glue sticks

Wreath Crafting Steps

Cut leaf bundles into five inch stems and insert them into the grapevine, all angled clockwise. Leave the lower right quarter bare, then glue five mini gourds along that area.

5. Rustic Metal Lantern Insert Displays

Empty floor lanterns can collect dust after summer, so fill black iron lanterns with fairy lights and fabric leaves for glowing hearth anchors in ten minutes. Place one on the hearth stone and a smaller one on the mantel shelf.

Supplies for This Project

• Black metal lanterns, battery powered fairy lights, tape
• Faux acorns, fabric leaves, small foam gourds

How to Style the Lanterns

Clean the glass with rubbing alcohol and tape each battery pack under the top roof. Add a two inch layer of faux acorns, then swirl lights with leaves and mini gourds inside and close the latch.

6. Mason Jar Autumn Leaf Luminary Set

Decoupaged leaves on plain glass jars are a low cost alternative to expensive amber candle holders, and they still give a warm glow. With battery tea lights inside, light shines through the leaf veins.

Craft Materials Needed

• Quart mason jars, matte Mod Podge, foam brush, leaves
• Raffia ribbon, battery operated tea light candles

Step by Step Instructions

Clean each jar with rubbing alcohol, apply Mod Podge in small sections, and press leaves flat with slight overlaps. Seal the surface with another coat, dry until clear, tie raffia around the necks, and add tea lights.

7. Burlap THANKFUL Pennant Banner

A handmade burlap banner across the front edge softens heavy brick or stone. Burlap has an open weave that avoids a stiff paper look, and bold black letters stand out across a crowded dining room.

Project Supplies

• Craft burlap, rotary cutter, triangle template, fabric paint, stencils
• Jute twine, hole punch, removable command hooks

How to Make the Banner

Trace and cut eight triangles, stencil one letter on each to spell THANKFUL in black paint. After the paint dries, punch holes in the top corners, thread twine with flags two inches apart, and hang the banner.

8. Wood Slice Pumpkin Cutouts

Flat birch or pine log slices painted as pumpkins are a sturdy alternative to identical plastic gourds, and scrap firewood works well. Sand one edge flat so the slice stands without rolling on a narrow ledge.

Materials You Will Need

• Wood slices with bark, chalk paint, sandpaper, brush
• Short dry twigs, wood glue, green raffia ribbon

Crafting Steps

Sand the front smooth and a flat spot on the bottom, paint the surface burnt orange, and leave the bark ring unpainted. Dry brush cream lines for ribs, glue a twig stem on top, and tie curled green raffia around it.

9. Cinnamon Stick Pillar Candle Wraps

Gluing whole cinnamon sticks around plain white pillar candles adds texture and a warm spice scent. As a candle warms slightly, the bark gives a subtle natural aroma, and the finished candles look like tiny bundles of firewood.

Supplies Required

• Ivory pillar candles, cinnamon sticks, low temperature glue gun
• Elastic rubber bands, rust velvet ribbon or hemp twine

How to Wrap the Candles

Stretch a rubber band around the candle middle, slide sticks vertically under it until the wax is hidden, and secure each with a dot of low temperature glue. Tie ribbon over the band, then snip and remove the band.

10. Dried Indian Corn Mantel Swag

A vertical bundle of colorful heirloom Indian corn draws attention on a plain wall, with kernels in deep red, blue, and gold. It is a simple ten minute idea: peel back the husks, add a bow, and hang it from a small brass hook.

Materials Needed

• Dried Indian corn, floral wire, wide plaid ribbon
• Damp paper towel, clear matte sealer spray

Step by Step Assembly

Soften husks in a damp paper towel for five minutes, peel them back, and twist them tightly at the top of each cob. Wire three cobs together, repeat with the other three, wire the bundles at staggered heights, spray sealer, and hide the wire with a big plaid bow.

11. Pinecone and Acorn Garland

Gathered pinecones and acorns strung on thick hemp rope make a chunky woodland garland that suits stone or brick and decorates a large fireplace without spending money. Dipping half the acorns in white or black paint adds modern contrast.

What You Need to Gather

• Pinecones, large acorns with caps, drill, super glue
• Thick hemp twine, darning needle, matte white paint

How to String the Garland

Bake pinecones and acorns on a foil lined sheet at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for thirty minutes. Glue the acorn caps, paint half the acorn tips white, drill small holes, then string pieces alternately and knot beside each one.

12. Painted Ombre Concrete Pumpkins

Concrete pumpkins molded in old nylon socks make custom sculptures for contemporary homes, where bright orange can clash with gray couches and neutral rugs. A black to metallic gold ombre finish gives a high end pottery look, and the weight keeps them steady.

Supplies for Concrete Moulding

• Craft concrete mix, water, bucket, nylon stockings, rubber bands
• Black and gold spray paint, curved dry branches

How to Cast and Paint

Mix concrete to a thick oatmeal like consistency and spoon it into a stocking toe. Wrap four rubber bands tightly to indent creases, press a curved stick into the top, cure for 24 hours, then paint matte black with a light gold mist from the bottom up.

13. Felt Leaf Fireplace Runner

A flat runner of stitched thick wool felt leaves is a clean, tailored alternative to a plastic leaf garland. The felt has a soft matte texture that does not shed or crumble, and because it lies flat, it will not block a TV screen or knock over candlesticks.

Craft Materials Required

• Wool blend felt sheets, fabric scissors, leaf templates, chalk pencil
• Sewing machine with gold thread, or hot glue gun

How to Make the Felt Runner

Trace and cut 36 leaf shapes, stitch a gold thread vein down the center of each one, and lay them in a five foot strip with overlapping stems and edges. Sew or hot glue the overlapping points to form a sturdy, flexible runner.

14. Wheat Sheaf Bundles with Velvet Ribbon

Tall wheat bundles lift flat corners of a fireplace shelf and add height without heavy vases. Dried golden stalks bring a classic farm harvest texture, and wide black velvet ribbon tied tightly in the middle keeps the arrangement from looking messy.

What You Will Need

• Dried wheat stalks, thick rubber bands, pruning shears
• Black velvet ribbon, floral pins

How to Bundle the Sheaves

Combine two wheat bunches, tap the stem ends flat, and secure the bundle with a rubber band below the heads and a second band four inches from the bottom. Twist gently into a slight spiral, wrap velvet ribbon three times, tie a long tailed bow, and trim the stems level.

15. Clay Wishbone Mantel Sculptures

Sculpted wishbones are an unexpected Thanksgiving symbol beyond leaves and gourds. Air dry clay is inexpensive, rolls easily on a kitchen counter, and dries sturdy without a kiln. A giant gold wishbone can lean against stacked books or hang inside an empty frame.

Supplies Needed

• White air dry modeling clay, water, sanding sponge, wax paper
• Gold or black spray paint, clear satin varnish

Sculpting Instructions

Roll two clay ropes about ten inches long, thicker in the center and tapered at the ends. Bend them slightly, pinch the upper ends together, add a small flattened knob at the joint, smooth with water, dry flat for 48 hours, sand lightly, and apply two thin coats of gold spray paint.

16. Flannel Fabric Wrapped Pumpkins

Old plaid flannel shirts from a donation pile can cover inexpensive foam gourds. The brushed cotton softens a cold stone fireplace, no sewing is needed for a clean finish, and red buffalo plaid with neutral tan flannels stays cozy without looking overly rustic.

Materials Required

• Worn plaid flannel shirts, hollow foam pumpkins, hot glue gun, fabric scissors
• Butter knife or popsicle stick, woody twigs, brown felt scraps

How to Wrap the Gourds

Remove the plastic stem and carve a one inch deep hole in the center top. Cut a flannel circle about three times wider than the gourd, place the gourd in the center, draw the fabric up, tuck the edges into the hole, pleat along the ribs, and glue a twig stem in place.

17. Chalkboard Fireplace Screen Insert

For a fireplace that does not work, or when it is still sixty degrees outside on Thanksgiving Day, a plywood insert painted with black chalkboard paint fills a dark, empty firebox. It becomes a menu or gratitude board, and children can write what they are thankful for in white chalk while dinner cooks.

Project Supplies Needed

• Birch plywood, black chalkboard paint, foam roller
• Wooden blocks, white chalk markers, damp rag, eucalyptus garland

How to Build the Insert

Sand the cut edges smooth and roll two even coats of chalkboard paint on the front. Glue two wooden blocks to the back bottom corners for support, season the surface by rubbing white chalk across it and wiping it off, then hand letter Gather Here With Grateful Hearts in the center.

18. Paper Kraft Leaf Garlands

This last minute garland takes less than 20 minutes and costs almost nothing, using brown shipping paper cut and creased into simple leaf silhouettes for a crisp, architectural look. Folding each leaf down the center helps it catch shadows, and two strands can layer over a mirror or tape along the mantel bottom lip.

Materials for This Craft

• Brown kraft shipping paper, white gel pen or copper marker
• Paper scissors, bone folder or metal spoon, baker twine, glue dots

Step by Step Instructions

Fold a long strip of kraft paper accordion style and cut 20 oak and maple leaf shapes at once. Add vein lines to half the leaves, crease each leaf sharply in half, pinch two diagonal pleats for a 3D effect, and glue dot each stem to twine spaced three inches apart.

Keep the mantel light, low, and clear of the TV, and let one or two natural textures do most of the work.

When guests arrive, a simple mantel with a flat runner, two wrapped pumpkins, and warm battery light can feel finished in about 30 minutes. For a sweet finish to the table, see Warm homemade cinnamon rolls.