Budget ways to decorate your faux mantle
I had always been fascinated with a fireplace, since childhood. Maybe reading too much English classics does that to you. Fire crackling on a dreary day, book in one hand and hot chocolate in another, cooped up in a chalet....I hope you get my point. I used to visualise myself in that scenario. Growing up, I always dreamt of having a fireplace at home. While I have experienced several working ones while vacationing in the Himalayas and then in European towns later on, it's not feasible in normal homes, unless you build one yourself, with a chimney.
Long story short, I decided to build a faux mantle once we bought our apartment, 8 years back. It was a big hassle back then, with the husband and my parents discouraging me, but it has been our best decor investment.
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Over the years, there have been a lot of permutations and combinations in decorating it. I would love to dig up some old photos to show how different it was back then, with a patterned brick wall behind it, but I got the bricks painted white back in 2022, when we did our marathon home renovation. I like it this way more, because it provides a clean backdrop and the rest items can stand out.
Our mantle serves as a decor backdrop for every celebration..I love setting up the Christmas Tree beside it, and hang stockings on the mantle. Last year, I fell for the viral bow garland trend. It might look over cluttered for many, but it felt very festive to me.
I love to decorate it all over during birthday parties. Be it balloons or ornaments or banners, it surely does the job. Our faux mantle is the first talking point of every guest who walks into our home.
It was one of my creative goals of 2025 to give it a facelift. While I am far from it, I have managed to make it to my liking on my budget.
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If money wasn't a factor, I would love to get a real LED fireplace to fit here. The dimensions we require goes for 50 k INR plus and I am not in a place to spend that much right now. So I settled for a big picture of fire. I am unsure how I am going to look at it during Delhi summers. So far, it's been cozy!
I also learnt that proportions are everything. I have been looking for a huge branch that would sit perfectly on the mantle piece. Till then, my plants are doing the job.
Earlier we had a big mirror, but then I swapped it with our family picture. Again, I tried playing with proportions.
I love plants and I guess that's very apparent. I adore how much warmth they infuse to a place. And of course lamps. Tonnes and tonnes of them. My husband gets irritated by the number of bulbs he has to swap on a regular basis. Anyways, plants, lamps and rugs bring a place together according to me.
Home decor is purely a personal choice. You need to feel content in the place you live. It can be a pristine minimalistic area or a cluttered maximalist home, choose whatever makes you happy.
Decorating my home is one of my greatest passions. Are you a decor person? Are you a minimalist or a maximalist?
16 comments
As someone who doesn’t have a real fireplace but still wants that cozy, styled-up corner, this was such a fun read. I really liked how you used budget-friendly items to create such a warm, festive look. The fairy lights and framed art? Total game-changers! ✨ Also, your idea of using old décor in creative new ways is so smart—it made me want to go rummage through my storage boxes ASAP. The photos added so much charm too.
ReplyDeleteI like fireplaces too. Your mantle is certainly inviting. I like the lamps and the plants around it. Adding your pictures does give it a homey look. It's bright and cheerful, much like your personality.
ReplyDeleteThe faux mantle does not look faux at all. It's great that you have taken decorating your house as a passion. Your effort shows through.
ReplyDeleteI love your faux mantle place :). Even i grew up dreaming of a fireplace, although I was born and lived my life in South India! It is freaking hot here. But a faux mantle place is a good idea and I like how you have added to it over the years.
ReplyDeleteI like your decor. In Indian house there is no mantle. I love to decor my house before I became mom. Now I choose minimalist approach.
ReplyDeleteEverytime you impress me with your creative sense and now what I want from you is an invitation to visit your house and get a close view of your decorative ideas and the way you decorated your interior. When you are inviting me Mandira?
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I am aware of your love for the classics and the Fireplace in your home.I agree with you - we decorate our home to suit our personality and our comfort.Some may need to to be lively , vibrant and colourful, some other may need it to be ana oasis of peace and tranquility.As long as it make you happy go for it !
ReplyDeleteYour ideas really prove that one doesn't need to break their bank balance to create a cozy, stylish space. The tips, like using ‘natural elements like greenery and candles,’ are simple yet so effective. The idea of layering textures also really stood out to me—it adds so much warmth and personality to a room. I’m definitely going to try some of these ideas for my own home
ReplyDeleteI've seen the photos from the birthday party, and yes, your faux mantle is truly the centerpiece—rightfully so! You’ve done an incredible job decorating it. I also have a passion for home decor, as I believe it should reflect one's personality and create a meaningful connection.
ReplyDeleteLove how you used budget-friendly pieces to create such a cozy, celebration vibe. The fairy lights and framed artwork were such clever touches. The idea of repurposing old décor in fresh ways is brilliant—it definitely made me want to dig through my storage boxes right away. The photos brought so much character to the space too.
ReplyDelete- Anjali/Messymom
Your passion for home decor truly shines through your words! Your faux mantle sounds like a cozy centerpiece for celebrations, from Christmas trees to birthday parties—it's clearly a beloved part of your home. Finding that balance between personal warmth and decor style seems like a rewarding journey. As for me, I appreciate both minimalist elegance and the charm of a well-curated maximalist space, depending on the mood!
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a lovely aesthetics you have built there!
ReplyDeleteI love what did you your living room.
ReplyDeleteI love to decorate the house, but sadly my husband doesn't share the passion, and hence I never really get to invest in it. Yet, I love it when I go to people's houses and see how beautifully they do their homes; it's one of the things I like to look around in detail. Your idea of a faux fireplace is so cool, and it looks amazing at different times of the year with different kinds of decorations to match the festive season.
ReplyDeleteyes, isnt there something magical about fireplaces! In Almaty our house had a faux electric fireplace but can't imagine having one in India given our most hot climate.
ReplyDeleteFireplaces instantly give a warmth (pun unintended) to a living room. I love how beautifully you decorate your space and effortlessly make it the centre of attention.
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