If your house has a mantelpiece, it is doing half your Halloween decorating for you — it is the natural focal point of the room, and guests' eyes go straight to it. The trick is to style it so it looks full without looking cluttered. Little ghost candles are our favourite starting point: they are cute rather than creepy, they glow beautifully, and they are cheap enough to buy a few. Our ghost candles are £10.00, and they are currently 10% off until 1 November.
Clear the mantel first
Start with an empty shelf. It is tempting to just add Halloween bits around your everyday ornaments, but a clear base makes everything look intentional. Wipe it down, then build your display from the middle outwards: the tallest or largest piece in the centre, then work down in height towards each end. Symmetry is your friend on a mantel — matching pairs at either end instantly look tidy.
Odd numbers and varied heights
Decorators swear by odd numbers, and it really does work: three ghost candles of slightly different heights look better than two or four. Stand them on different levels — a stack of old books, a small wooden box, an upturned bowl — to build height cheaply. Tuck dried autumn leaves, eucalyptus or wheat stems between them to fill the gaps and add that October texture.
Add layers behind
A mantel display looks flat if everything sits in one line. Lean a mirror, a framed print or even a piece of dark fabric against the wall behind the candles to give the display depth. Fairy lights woven through the whole thing tie it together and make the ghost candles glow even when they are not lit. If you love scented cosiness too, our autumn home fragrance guide pairs nicely with this look.
Day look versus evening look
Here is the lovely thing about a candle-based mantel: it has two personalities. In daylight you get the cute shapes and autumn textures; in the evening, with the candles lit, it turns properly atmospheric. Just remember the usual candle rules — stable surface, away from anything flammable, never left alone. See the full range in our Halloween & Cosy Nights collection.