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Sunny Summer Ideas for Mantel Decor with Thrifted Finds

By Rachel

published 06/19/2025

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Give your home a summer refresh with sunny ideas for mantel decor with thrifted finds! You’ll love these budget-friendly and unique vintage vibes.

Summer is finally here and it’s time to give your mantel a fresh look to match the sunny season! But, before you head to the home decor store, have you considered using thrifted finds to spruce up your mantel? Not only will this method of decorating save you money but it’s also an eco-friendly and creative way to add unique touches to your home. In this post, we’ll explore some budget-friendly and stylish ideas for mantel decor with thrifted finds. Let’s dive in and give your mantel the summer makeover it deserves!

Welcoming Summer Charm to Your Mantel with Vintage and Thrifted Decor

A mantel, whether in a living room, dining room, or bedroom, can be a centralized focal point, especially when transitioning decor to the breezy feel of summer.

Table of Contents

In this post, I’ll cover areas such as why to thrift for seasonal decor, key pieces to use for mantel decor, and styling tips.

With the endless possibilities of thrifted treasures, you can transform your mantel into a charming summer vignette. Thrifting truly offers a sustainable way to achieve summer mantel decor that is personalized to you and reflects your own style.

Come along as I share my mantel all decorated for summer with some of my very favorite secondhand finds.
So, grab a re-useable shopping bag and let’s get thrifting!

Thrifting with the Gals

I’m thrilled to be taking part in a blog hop series with four amazingly talented bloggers today. ‘Thrifting with the Gals’ is hosted by a group of women who love to thrift and share their tips, tricks, styling ideas, and thrifty hauls along the way.

The thrifting gals live in all different parts of the U.S. but share a mutual love for thrifting, vintage, and the thrill of the hunt.

If you have found your way here from the uber talented Rachel at The Pond’s Farmhouse, welcome! I love Rachel’s vintage style. Her beautiful vintage vignettes always blow my mind!

You can check out each gal and their thrifty decorating ideas at the bottom of this post.

Why Thrift Your Summer Mantel Decor? Sustainable Style on a Budget

When people ask me why I love to thrift so much, I always respond with “well, why not?!”

Honestly, I don’t see one downside to thrifting…only positives! Whether thrifting for clothing, home goods, decor, or something else, below is a list of just some of the reasons as to why I thrift!

Affordability

To put it simply, thrifting is SO affordable. There are such significant cost savings to be had at thrift stores compared to buying brand new seasonal decor. Having a beautiful home, or a lovely summer mantel, doesn’t require a large budget. In fact, I spent less than $20 total on my mantel this season!

Uniqueness & Character

Styling a home, or mantel, with thrifted finds over mass-produced items adds personality to your space. These one-of-a-kind items help to tell your story in a way that new items can’t.

Sustainability

Thrifting is the most sustainable way I know of to purchase goods. Choosing to buy summer decor secondhand supports eco-friendly living by reducing waste and promoting the premise of re-using.

The Thrill of the Hunt

This is my most favorite reason…you just NEVER know what you are going to find!! The excitement that fills my soul each time I walk into a thrift store never gets old. What could be awaiting me around the next turn or next aisle for just a few dollars?! THAT’S what keeps me coming back again and again.

Shop the Cheery Summer Mantel Look!

Sunny Summer Ideas for Mantel Decor with Thrifted Finds

When we first purchased our townhome back in 2016, the fireplace mantel was my least favorite part of the entire house. It’s on an angled wall with two disconnected angled ‘shelves’. To me, it felt disjointed and annoying. Well, fast forward to now, nine years later, and, besides my hutch, the mantel is my very favorite nook in my home to decorate now!

Over the years, I’ve learned how to work with it instead of against it. Through much trial and error and lots of practice, I now know which decor works best on the mantel and how to style it with ease. I’m hoping to pass along some tips to you in case you have ever felt the same way!

Essential Thrift Finds for Your Summer Mantel

Below, I’ll walk you through which thrifted and vintage pieces I chose to use on the mantel for summer. Many of these finds are some favorites and decor items that I use all year long!

Vintage Glassware

Of course, the first decor item on the list is milk glass!

My deep affection for this white glass has no bounds. I’ve sourced quite the collection of milk glass over the years, much of it being hobnail, and use those collected pieces in different ways for each season.

On the left side of the mantel, I styled a handful of my favorites. The lidded dish is the most recent addition, found for just $5.00! On the mantel for summer, it acts as a bookend of sorts for the row of blue books. To give the dish some dimension, I tied a yellow gingham ribbon around the lid.

The tall hobnail jar in the back holds a stem of lemons and ferns.

Placed on top of a vintage cheese box, the jar acts as a statement piece, anchoring the whole display together.

On the right side, a mid-century milk glass vase holds a stem of faux ferns. This vase is such a good size for a mantel because it can add quite a bit of height to the space.

Other milk glass accessories used on the mantel for summer include cups, creamers, and small bowls.

If milk glass isn’t your thing, there are various glass pieces that you could use on a summer mantel display including blue, green, or clear in the form of jars, bowls, or vases. I suggest sourcing glass in different shapes and sizes to help provide the display with as much height and depth as possible.

Secondhand Summer Art, Mirrors, & Frames

Vintage art is always a must when styling a mantel for any season. It’s the perfect item for adding color to a small space and can be found thrifted for just a few dollars!

Art, whether it be a painting, sketch, a print, or something else, helps your mantel space to tell a story.

The vintage barn print I used in the background adds color and texture as well as gives off the feeling of a care-free summer in the country, which is one of my favorite places.

When thrifting for art to use in your home, especially for summer, I suggest looking for landscapes, seascapes, botanical prints, or even abstract art in light, airy colors.

For a slightly different look, you can also source pretty frames at the thrift store that can be painted, left as-is, filled with a favorite print, or left empty. Frames are one of those fun items that can be stacked one in front of the other for a dramatic mantel display!

Thrifted Candle Holders & Lanterns

Another fun way to infuse that breezy summer aesthetic onto a mantel is through the use of lanterns or candle holders!

The galvanized metal lantern seen on the right side was actually the whole inspiration for my mantel this season. My MIL gifted it to me for my birthday and the very first thing I thought of was to put faux lemons in it for summer….so that’s just what I did!

I love how the lantern looks up against the black chimney. The yellow lemons really pop!

When using a lantern or thrifted candle holders on a mantel, here are a few helpful tips:

use summer-y materials such as metal, glass, light-toned wood, or ceramic
group at different heights for visual interest
opt to use faux candles or vase villers
use outdoor-friendly lanterns if possible for more versatility

Natural Elements in Thrifted Containers

Another element that I love to use for mantel displays are items such as unique bowls, trays, small jars, or baskets. These are easily found at thrift stores for a dollar two and are versatile decor options to hold natural summer elements such as shells, pebbles, faux corals, or dried botanicals.

Alternatively, for a simple yet impactful vignette, you could use jars with lids and tie a ribbon around the top.

Small Vintage Objects & Figurines

When I’m styling a mantel display, these small objects, figurines, and ‘filler’ items are truly my favorites. It’s all in the details for me and these small, found objects help to complete the display, making sure that each space is filled with something meaningful.

On my mantel, these include items such as flower frogs, butter pats, decorative jars, spritzers, and vintage linens.

For summer specific mantel vignettes, other small decorative thrifted items that can work include:

ceramic birds
ironstone tureens
small boats
antique buoys or glass floats
conch shells or starfish
decorative glass animals such as turtles, fish, or swans

Vintage and Antique Books

Finally, I would be remised if I didn’t include vintage books in the list!

I started incorporating vintage and antique books into my mantel vignettes a few years ago and honestly don’t know what I did without them! Old books carry such character, patina, and old-world charm, making them the perfect decor choice for any seasonal display.

Since the chimney breaks the mantel right in half, I placed five books on the left, then continued the row of books with three more on the right. To me, this is more pleasing to the eye and visually looks like the row simultaneously keeps going.

For summer, here are a few tips that I suggest for decorating with vintage books:

choose book colors such as green, blue, yellow, or cream. If you are into warm tones, red and orange vintage books are also lovely.
use an odd number of books
incorporate books throughout the entire display. If you use three on the left side, use five on the right.
vary the sizes and thicknesses of books

Styling Principles for a Balanced Summer Mantel

Now that you have an idea of some pretty decor options for a summer fireplace mantel, let’s briefly chat about how to style a mantel display. Sometimes this can get a bit tricky or feel overwhelming, but no fear! I’ve got some handy tips to share.

Creating Vignettes
- When creating a display within your main display, also known as a vignette, I use the “rule of odds”. This essentially means grouping items in 3’s or 5’s. An odd number of things is, for whatever reason, more pleasing to the eyes than even numbers.
- Vary the heights and depths of objects within a display. This method creates contrast and interesting movement throughout.
Layering Decor
- Layering decor is SO MUCH FUN! Try first placing a few linens or hankies as a base, then layering framed art or mirrors against the wall, then adding taller objects, and finally smaller items in front.
- If something needs more height or contrast, you can place the item on top of books or wooden risers.
Establishing a Color Palette
- You’ll want to choose some type of color palette. Some classic summer palettes include coastal blues and bright whites, citrus tones such as yellow or orange, or vivid greens combined with earthy beige or cream.
- When sourcing decor from thrift stores, you can hand-pick the items that best introduce your chosen color scheme.
Balancing Elements
- It’s important to create visual weight and balance within a mantel display. This can be done either symmetrically or asymmetrically…whatever feels best to you when you look at it.
- I also like to leave a bit of negative space (meaning a few empty or open areas without decor) to prevent the display from feeling too cluttered.

Closing Tidbits on Sunny Summer Ideas for Mantel Decor with Thrifted Finds: Your Perfectly Curated Summer Mantel Awaits!

I hope you can see, or at least start to see, the many amazing benefits of thrifting for decor. Thrift store shopping allows you to source unique finds that are affordable and that align with your personal style. Thrifting is also such a sustainable way of shopping for home decor.

You can totally create an entire seasonal display, from a handful of thrifted finds, for under $20 while taking care of the environment. I can’t think of anything better!

Through these sunny summer ideas for mantel decor with thrifted finds, it’s my sincere hope that you are inspired to check out your local thrift shops in search of meaningful decor to turn your mantel into a delightful summer focal point.

Be encouraged to create a home filled with charm and personality, one beautiful, thrifted find at a time.

Leave me a comment! Do you like to style your home with thrifted finds for summer? I love hearing from you!

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If you are new here, I’m Rachel, the writer and content creator here at The Antiqued Journey. I’m so happy to have you! I encourage you to stop by the ‘about me’ page to get to know me a little more.

Here on the blog, you will find loads of inspiration for decorating with vintage and antique decor, simple DIY crafts and many thrifting adventures. If that interests you, I invite you to sign up for my e-mail. You will receive a free digital download as a thank you!