Spring is in the air, and I couldn’t wait to give my home a fresh, festive touch with some Easter mantel decor! I love creating seasonal displays, but I also love a good budget-friendly DIY. With a little creativity, I was able to transform my mantel into a stunning Easter centerpiece without spending a fortune.

Using thrifted flowers, a simple Dollar Store egg garland, and a homemade Happy Easter banner, I pulled together a charming and elegant look that feels high-end—but at a fraction of the cost!

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year—the world is coming to life again with blooming flowers, longer days, and fresh possibilities. Easter holds an extra special place in my heart since I was actually born on Easter Sunday! Maybe that’s why I love this holiday so much—or maybe it’s the pastel colors, sweet traditions, and excuse to decorate with all things soft and cheerful.

easter mantel decor

DIY Dollar Store Egg Garland

I love finding ways to take inexpensive materials and make them look high-end. For this project, I used plastic Easter eggs from the Dollar Store and gave them a completely new look with paper mache and hand-painted designs.

Instructions:

Paper Mache the Eggs – Mix 1 part flour and 2 parts water into a paste, dip newspaper strips, and cover each egg. Let dry completely. I put mine on skewers and had them stuck in a cardboard box so they could dry “floating” in the air.
Baking Soda Paint– Mix 1 part baking soda and 1 part craft paint to create a thick paint. This goes over the paper mache to smooth it out a bit and add some really pretty texture.
Paint the Eggs – Use pastel shades to create a soft, vintage look.
Add Patterns – Hand-paint floral designs, stripes, or polka dots for a designer-inspired touch.
String the Garland – Glue or thread the eggs onto yarn or twine, spacing them evenly. Note, I started out with bows on the top of the eggs, but it was too much so I later tore them off.

I also bought a smaller garland from the Dollar store that I painted in rainbow colors with latex paint. To paint them, I tied up the garland so the eggs could dry without leaning on something. It took two coats of paint and was a little tedious, but was totally worth it!

To be honest, I think the big eggs are cute, but were too much work. If I was to do it again, I’d probably just start with the baking soda paint and then paint each one rainbow colors and add the patterns. That way they wouldn’t look plastic, but it’d save a few hours of DIY. Still, I think the garlands look really cute. Just in hindsight it was more effort than it was worth.

Note, to make the bow garland, I hot glued these hair bows together end to end. It was super fast and easy!

Thrifted Floral Mantel Arrangement

I knew I wanted a floral moment on top of my mantel, but faux flowers can be so expensive! Instead of splurging on all-new florals, I started by thrifting $3 worth of faux flowers—and that created the base of my arrangement. Two of the thrifted flowers even came with oasis (floral foam), which made it easy to build a structured, balanced display.

To fill it out, I purchased $27 worth of faux flowers from the craft store and layered them into the foam, arranging some to cascade toward the center of the mantel for a natural, overflowing effect. A few loose flowers were placed on top of the fireplace to soften the look.

In the middle of the flowers, I put some vintage bunnies I got at a flea market on top of cake stands as the focal point for the display. I layered on some painted Easter eggs and twine carrots (also from the Dollar Store) to complete the look.

This approach gave me a high-end floral display for just $30, a fraction of what a pre-made arrangement would cost! It adds so much charm to my Easter mantel decor and brings in those dreamy springtime vibes.

DIY Happy Easter Banner

To complete the mantel (and cover up the hooks from my Christmas stockings), I wanted to add a Happy Easter banner—but instead of buying one, I used materials I already had to make something unique and custom. For this, I was going for the look of a banner from a fairytale. This is a look that is a little classier than bunting, but has a similar effect.

How to Make It:

Cut the Fabric – I cut a 9” x 48” rectangle of fabric and trimmed the ends at an angle to give the banner some movement. I used the same fabric as the big bow I originally made for Valentine’s Day
Sew & Turn It Right Side Out – Folding the fabric in half lengthwise, I sewed all the edges except for a 8″ opening in the center. Then, I turned it right side out and ironed it flat.
Add Structure – To give the banner shape, I stuffed it with interfacing and wired ribbon, which helps it hold its form beautifully.
Create the Lettering – Using my Cricut, I cut out “Happy Easter” in gold iron-on vinyl and ironed the letters onto the fabric.
Attach to the Mantel – I clipped the banner to the front of my mantel (right onto the hooks for my stockings), completing my Easter mantel decor with the perfect finishing touch!

REVEAL AND final thoughts

LOVE how the mantel turned out! The colors are soft and pastel—perfect for Easter. I layered on garlands along the front of the fireplace to create interest. I even re-used my bow garland from Valentine’s Day, and I think the colors and bow shape are so sweet!

The big floral moment is the statement piece, and since it’s faux, I can re-use it year after year! I chose spring flowers, and the arrangement feels so bright and happy—just what I needed after these long winter months.

The banner really is the perfect finishing touch! Not only does it add a fun, graphic element, but it also covers up the hooks I use for Christmas stockings, making the mantel look polished and complete.

Price Breakdown

I spent $30 on flowers and $4.50 on eggs from the Dollar Store. Everything else was re-used from past holidays or items I already had on hand. That means this entire huge statement Easter mantel cost me less than $35—and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out!

What do you think? Let me know in the comment section below.