Spring mantel decor ideas – 10 ways to embrace seasonal style

Spring mantel decor ideas are a wonderful way to celebrate the delights of the new season. For those of us that have cold and dark winters, a beautifully styled mantelpiece filled with spring flowers, pretty pastel accessories and cherished positions is the perfect antidote which is guaranteed to bring hope and cheer to our homes. 

If you're itching to inject some spring decor ideas into your home then the mantelpiece is a brilliant place to start. Often the central focus of a living room, the mantel above a fireplace makes the perfect spot to create a beautiful seasonal display which can be re-styled throughout the year. To get you inspired we've rounded up an array of different mantelpiece looks.

Spring mantel decor ideas

Spring mantel decor ideas are a growing trend at the moment as they are a fabulous way to inject personality into our homes. Once an activity reserved for Christmas-time, decorating the mantelpiece with a themed display – or mantelscaping, as it's sometimes referred to – is becoming increasingly popular among stylists, instagrammers and homeowners alike as a way to celebrate the joys of each season, vacation and even individual days throughout the calendar, from valentines to Halloween. 

If you're a budding interior stylist and really want to tap into the trend you could completely overhaul your mantel decor with a new theme from season to season. However for many, the mantelpiece is about showcasing the things you love which bring you joy, whether they be family photographs, cherished antiques or artworks. In this case just a few carefully selected pieces or one beautifully arranged floral display is enough to give our mantelpieces a pop of spring magic.

1. Showcase a fresh floral mantel display

For mantel decor with wow-factor that really celebrates the arrival of Spring what could be more magical and uplifting than a fabulous fresh floral display? Cascading with colorful blooms, this arrangement by florist Philippa Craddock is the perfect way to breathe life into neutral living room ideas or to a dining room fireplace, and is guaranteed to turn heads.

'This design is simple to create and offers strong impact, I love creating mantel designs, bringing to life the existing architecture and interior derails,' explains Philippa Craddock. 

'For mantel designs, I use only sustainable methods, which involves a reusable trays and chicken wire. In this design I started out with a mass of dark sultry tones in deep pinks, lilac and aubergine but transformed the design with the addition of the golden butterfly ranunculus, Icelandic poppies and bright orange ranunculus.'

2. Fill your mantel with spring flowers 

If creating a fresh garland is too ambitious, a mantelpiece filled with multiple flower-filled vases is a simpler alternative which is just as joyful. Dotted with floral displays at different heights, this mantelpiece styled by Amara proves that you can never have too many flowers. To add interest and texture be sure to use a variety of vessels in different materials and shapes.

'Styling a mantelpiece for spring is a great opportunity to introduce colour and a sense of freshness into a room,' says Sam Hood, chief creative director at Amara. 'Gather some flowers and foliage to drape over your mantelpiece and dot candles amongst it to create ambient lighting in the evening. You could even create a focal point in the center of your mantelpiece by hanging a spring wreath.'

3. Style with spring greens

If you have a beautiful wallpaper above your mantelpiece then this can make a brilliant starting point for your mantel decor. Perfect for spring, as the trees begin to come into leaf, this botanical wallpaper idea is beautifully complemented by a pared-back display of artisan ceramics and sculptural foliage. 

When looking to style a mantelpiece with a busy wall decor ideas, choose ornaments with simple silhouettes and hold back on the large bouquets which could get lost amid ornate wallpaper designs – instead opt for simple single stems.

4. Think about your color palette

Nothing brightens a room like a vase of vibrant spring blooms and a mantelpiece is the perfect spot to display them. Any floral flourish is always guaranteed to lift spirits, but if you are heading out to buy a bunch then think about what colors and shapes will complement the existing shades and pieces in your room. 

A mix of purple lilac stems and zesty green viburnum, this floral display really shines in this yellow room idea, but it also cleverly picks up the colors in the overmantel painting, too.

5. Create an Easter display

Often the natural focal point of a living room, the mantelpiece above a fireplace makes the perfect place to style a seasonal display. For a pretty Easter-themed display you can't go wrong with styling up your mantelpiece with Easter decorations and plenty of spring bulbs – old books painted in pastel colors are a brilliant way to bring height to your display. Take the opportunity to take out some of your favorite floral ceramics from the cupboard or dressed and use the wall space above the shelf to pin up bunting or hang an Easter wreath.

6. Embrace a coastal theme

If you're never happier than when by the sea why not create a mantel décor that conjures happy memories of family holidays by the seaside? Vintage model yachts make beautiful decorative objects for finishing coastal living room ideas, as they often display beautiful aged patinas, and you can't go wrong with vases and mason jars filled with carefully collected shells. 

When arranging mantel décor, grouping three objects of different heights is a styling trick that will help displays look visually pleasing, so finish the arrangement with a pop of greenery – sprigs of scented rosemary will add greenery and a lovely fragrance, too. 

7. Keep it simple

A mantelpiece is a brilliant space for decorating with mirrors, especially if your fireplace is set opposite a window, as demonstrated here, as this will help reflect light back into the room. If space allows, you could add in little details around your over-mantel mirror to soften the look. Just a few mini vintage earthenware bottles filled with single sprigs of eucalyptus is all you need to bring a little life to a simple mantelpiece. 

8. Decorate with dainty blossom stems

If anything signals the coming of spring, and the promise of warm days to come, its the blooming of the first blossom branches – just a few sculptural stems can really bring a room to life and they look particularly effective set against colorful paint ideas. 

For a touch of Eastern opulence pop them in a Chinoisierie vase and pair them with elegant glass candlesticks and colorful glassware. A growing decor trend, colorful glassware is perfect for popping in front of a mantel mirror as the reflected light will light up pieces like shining jewels. 

9. Channel an elegant French look

If you're looking to add some finishing touches to your French country decor ideas, then you can't go wrong with urns filled with seasonal bulbs. Conjuring the romance of Parisian interiors, French-style urns will instantly bring elegance to interiors – for a spring feel plant them with delicate paperwhites topped with moss, or use them to display sculptural blossom and magnolia branches. For a timeless feel embrace symmetry and place one at each end of the mantelpiece. 

10. Showcase your favorite antiques and artworks

If you love artwork and antiques then a mantelpiece makes the perfect spot to display some of your cherished works and pieces from treasured paintings to ceramics and candlesticks. Leaning artworks rather than hanging them can means that painting can easily be changed from season to season to bring a fresh feel to a space, plus it lends a relaxed feel. It also prevents damage to the wall. 

How do you decorate a spring mantel?

Decorating a mantel for spring is a beautiful way to bring the delights of the season into your home, whether its through beautiful flowers, spring colors or with Easter decorations. There's plenty of things you can use to style a spring mantel but nothing breathes life into a space like fresh seasonal blooms – scented narcissus, pastel-colored tulips and potted bulbs such as crocus, iris and hyacinth are guaranteed to inject Spring magic to your living space. 

'Spring flowers bring incredible positive energy to every space,' says Philippa Craddock. 'Their fragrances are clean and fresh, their delicacy and intricate detail is beautiful and inspiring and they have an intrinsic optimism for the days ahead.  After the long, dark days of winter, bringing spring flowers into your home completely changes the feel of a room to offer positivity and potential.'