Spring Mantel Ideas

Spring Mantel Ideas: inspired by spring picnics this mantel is decorated with vintage picnic baskets, and picnic art.

Perhaps because we’ve all been home so long, or perhaps because it’s spring and I can’t wait for warmer weather to enjoy the outdoors, this mantel was inspired by the idea of a picnic. I hope it fills you with lots of spring mantel ideas.

I’m joining in with some of my favourite bloggers for the Seasonal Simplicity Spring Series. Be sure to check out lots more spring mantel ideas at the end of this post.

A Picnic Inspired Mantel

I love picnics. What’s not to love? Delicious food, beautiful outdoor setting, and great friends, who doesn’t love a picnic? Well it’s not quite picnic weather here, but it will be coming soon. And we can always start with a little inspiration indoors like this. I thought this was a fun idea for a mantel, and something a little bit different.

Story telling in decorating is always a great starting point, so I’m definitely thinking of picnic days with this decor. I was inspired by my picnic basket collection. These picnic baskets get used often when I’m styling picnics for the blog –check out all our past picnic posts here. I recently made over my storage area, and where they had been scattered around in any spot I could find for them in the past, in the makeover they were all grouped together. They looked so great, I thought they should be on display somewhere.

Vintage Picnic Baskets

Since I have a corner fireplace, I always have to use something like a backdrop for the large mantel. I usually use a mirror, or piece of art, but I thought it would be fun to stack up the baskets as a backdrop. They’re beautiful and full of texture. That was my picnic inspired mantel starting point.

Picnic Art

I thought it would be fun to include some images of picnics. There is actually so much picnic inspired art. I found a few beautiful ones on-line.

Monet’s Luncheon on the Grass is a beautiful one, and now public domain so you can download and print it. The beautiful greens are so pretty for spring too.

I also found this vintage black and white print called “A Picnic In The Park” from 1942. Their outfits and the setting is so charming. It looks great in a black and white frame. I loved looking at picnic art some much, that I will definitely be on the look for it in the future, especially at antique stores, and the thrift store.

More Picnic Inspired Decor

I actually fussed with this simple mantel for days, trying different versions of it. The picnic baskets and the texture they bring, are probably my favourite part. I also added in a vintage carboy in a wicker basket as well.

It made me think of homemade wine at a European picnic. I also added in some plants for the feeling of spring. All the plants are in grey containers to help tie them together.

Which Version Do You Like Best?

I tried layering the pictures, but they seemed like too much that way.

I added a green wine bottle to tie in with the wine at the picnic in the Monet painting.

Then, I tried a lighter bottle thinking there was too much green And, I thought the vintage trophy was a nice nod to picnic games of the past. I even switched out the plants, thinking the vine was pretty, but the crocus felt more like spring.

I’m not sure if I’ve landed on the final version yet, but I love the idea of a picnic inspired mantel to help me usher in picnic season. Part of decorating should always be playing, and giving ourselves permission to try different things. Which version do you like?

More Spring Mantel Ideas

This week I’m joining some of my talented blogging friends for the Spring Seasonal Simplicity Series! We’re all sharing some inspiring mantel decorating ideas with you! You can see each mantel in more detail by clicking on the links below each image.