Monstera Leaf & Palm Tree Tropical Mantel

Monstera leaf decor is everywhere these days and it’s great for summer! With just a few leaves, (real or faux) create a tropical mantel from this inspiring post.

In our master bedroom we have a mantel that is opposite the bed. I love to keep this room light, bright and airy because it’s a haven to retreat to at the end of the day. See more of the bedroom itself in THIS POST. Oftentimes there is nothing on the mantel and with the antique white mirror flanked by a pair of French sconces, it hold’s it’s own decor wise. I’m joining some talented friends in a blog hop today, hosted by my friend Krista of The Happy Housie.

While we can’t grow roses, peonies or hydrangeas down this far south our gardens are rich with tropical species.

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Below is the view from the bedroom bay window and you’ll see palm trees, plumeria and southern live oak.

It’s difficult to imagine the size of the monstera leaf cuttings here, but one leaf alone dwarfs any of our dogs! My inspiration for this tropical mantel setting were definitely the monsteras and I cut just three and placed them in a large stoneware crock with some water.

These are real monstera (split leaf philodendron) leaves, so as in nature they are not perfect. A faux monstera leaf would be more so, and there are many places to find them these days. We are basically mimicking the outdoors here, where palm trees grow and it’s verdant year round. In mixing greenery with a basically white background, I’m suggesting these tips:

• Add Depth – layer your greenery for a rich effect
• Odd Numbers – one, three, five, seven, nine…add your leaves in odds. They simply look better this way!
• Texture Is King – in neutral decorating add texture for interest. Woven baskets, crystal lighting, metallic accents, and the richness of a velvet drape goes a long way in bringing elegance to any room.

Monstera Leaf And & Palm Tree Tropical Mantel

I used a trio of tropicals from my garden, but there are many others that you can use on a tropical mantel as well (real or faux).

• Monstera leaves
• Plumeria
• Lady Palm

Our plumeria (frangipani) tree is very hearty and it is the one tree in our garden that has withstood some devastating hurricanes that wiped everything else out! It’s a deciduous tree and looks a little funky in the winter, but well worth it for the beautiful summer blooms! This is the flower that Hawaiian leis are made with. Again, I could have easily touched up the leaves but chose not to.

We have a huge abundance of lady palms (rhapis excelsa) in the garden, and they display well inside for weeks without needing water. To add some more interest I arranged a large white sea shell and some Moroccan candles on the tropical mantel.

The bonus for this mantel is that it was definitely budget friendly for me. I spent nothing on the greenery and used what I already had for the other elements. Take a look around your garden if you have one and see what you can use to green up your displays. Shop your home for a few easy pieces and create your very own summer mantel or vignette!

If you love tropical artwork, I have some FREE PRINTABLES that you can download as a subscriber to the blog!

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Today I’m joined by a fabulous group of blogging friends who are also sharing their Summer Mantel or Vignette Styling Ideas as part of the Seasonal Simplicity Summer Series…

The Happy Housie // Shabbyfufu // Lolly Jane //
Rooms FOR Rent // Modern Glam

The Turquoise Home // Taryn Whiteaker // The Handmade Home //
Jenna Kate at Home // Zevy Joy

She Gave it a Go // Town and Country Living // Tatertots and Jello //
Southern State of Mind // Tauni Everett

All Things With Purpose // This is Our Bliss // Setting For Four //
Life is a Party // Sincerely, Marie Designs // Finding Silver Pennies