Pumpkin and Ilex Mantle

Warm, Stylish & Classic

I love when a design moves you through its simplicity.

It all started with collecting some ugly pumpkins.

When the early days of autumn strike, I am on the hunt for the unusual and visually appealing textural gourds and pumpkins. Stems, bumps, warting and texture are top of the list. The small “Baby Pam” variety are a favorite too as they are a petite version of the larger cousins we use for carving.

To keep things simple I began arranging the mantle first with the large central pumpkin on its side and displaying its best features. Also, the mantle was too shallow so this was a great way to overcome the challenging depth.

Varying heights creates a bit of playfulness. So the metals vessels, which were in a black-bronze finish, came next. The black-bronze “disappeared” within the mantle and background color. Try glass cylinders, petite patisserie pedestal dishes or shallow compotes to help this design assimilate in your home.

The smaller “warty” pumpkins were next followed by the “Baby Pams” on the vessels and placed at the ends.

The orange ilex berry or winterberry as it’s commonly known was gently nestled between the pumpkins to add drama and a bit of whimsy. The berries make the entire design and elevate it to the next level.

All the textures are smooth and the colors are monochromatic creating a mantle design that is simplistic yet inspiring. Try your hand at varying the palette of colors. Unusual autumn palettes are a favorite of mine. If you like a more feminine approach to fall, review my article Uncommon Autumn Feminine Fall Palette. Lovely muted shades of mauve and earth tones are the central colors.

Living Beautifully will be selling packs of the orange branches this season. So be sure to check our shop for these natural beauties. One tip they need hydration, so this design, as shown, is wonderful for an evening of entertaining or Thanksgiving. The berries will last just a day out of water and 5 to 7 days in a vase of fresh water.

Tell me what you think about this mantle design below. I’d love to hear from you.

Have a beautiful autumn season.

In love & style,

Petah

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