Pumpkin spice lattes, changing leaves, sweater weather, and other signs that fall is coming mean it’s time for some fresh fall decorating ideas. Whether you like a new look every year or you want to change things up for the first time in a while, we have some fabulous ideas for you.
If you want fall flowers or dried flower bouquets to add to your decor, check out The Bouqs’ stunning fall arrangements to bring the autumn vibes into any space!
Fall Style Tips
What are some things associated with fall style you should consider adding to your fall decor? Here are some general tips to keep in mind as you peruse our decorating ideas:
- Fall colors include red, orange, yellow, and brown. Any of these hues can be mixed with each other, black, white, or both to create a look that’s fall-inspired and uniquely yours.
- Autumn leaves – whether you press ones you find outside or purchase fake ones – make excellent decorations.
- Real or fake, pumpkins, squash, and other gourds can be incorporated into fall designs in a myriad of ways.
Pumpkin Power
Pumpkins don’t have to be carved into spooky jack-o-lanterns to be beautiful. With a little creativity, you can incorporate pumpkins into your fall decor anywhere inside or outside of your home. Here are a few ideas:
- Decorate pumpkins with flowers. You can carve out the inside of a pumpkin and use it as a unique, seasonally appropriate vase. (Don’t forget to roast the seeds for a delicious treat.)
- Paint pumpkins. Painted white, pumpkins will match any decor you want. Paint a bunch of pumpkins with different colors to create a rainbow going across your front porch or up your front stairs. Use stencils to paint patterns or even words on pumpkins. Let your imagination run wild!
- Pile pumpkins inside or in front of your fireplace. If you can’t (or just don’t) use your fireplace, you can take advantage of the extra space by filling it with pumpkins in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties. If you do build the occasional fire, you can put the pumpkins in front of the fireplace (far enough away they can’t catch a stray spark).
- Put pumpkins in unexpected places. While jack-o-lanterns are best left outdoors, intact pumpkins can be used to decorate indoors. Put mini pumpkins in your bathroom, put them in jars to use as a table centerpiece, or even stick them on a bookcase.
- Carve non-spooky themes. If you love carving pumpkins, you can put them out earlier and keep them out later than Halloween if you choose more neutral patterns, like stars, diamonds, or leaves.
- Decorate your staircase by lining it with small pumpkins in a variety of natural or painted colors.
Spread Softness
Fall is for feeling cozy, so spread the softness with these ideas:
- Create a reading nook in the corner of your living room with some throw pillows and fluffy blankets.
- Add a plaid flannel blanket to your bed to incorporate both the warm colors and the warm fabrics of fall into your bedroom.
- Try a tablecloth or runners. Who says tablecloths are just for special occasions? Find a tablecloth in fall colors and use it throughout the season, or repurpose an autumn-toned scarf and use it as a table runner. You can even use thin blankets as unique tablecloths, especially outdoors.
- Get creative with cloth napkins. Use red, brown, orange, yellow, or plaid cloth napkins on your fireplace mantel, side tables, bar cart, coffee table, or anywhere else you can think of for bright pops of fall color.
- Replace your rugs. You don’t need to keep the same rugs down all year round. Experiment with putting out different rugs for each season.
- Make blankets look chic. Why keep your blankets packed away in a box, drawer, or closet, when you can stack them in a nice, colorful pile topped with a basket or other decoration? Not only does this provide ambiance, but the blankets are handier to grab when it gets chilly.
- Refresh your throw pillows. Whether you buy new throw pillows or DIY your own pillow covers, autumn-hued throw pillows can really change the look of your bedroom or living room.
Fall for Flowers
Flowers aren’t just for spring and summer. Here are some ways to incorporate flowers into your fall decor:
- Window boxes are the perfect place to plant fall-blooming flowers like mums, pansies, asters, African daisies, bidens, cosmos, marigolds, and more.
- Dried flower arrangements typically last longer than fresh flowers, so you can decorate an entire room based on the colors from one bouquet. Alternatively, you can use dried flowers to add color to wood, grapevine, or other non-perishable wreaths.
- Create a striking centerpiece using either fresh or dried blooms and a unique vase – maybe one you made from a pumpkin?
- Container flowers can bring a pop of color to your patio. Toss annuals when they die and save the container or plant perennials and bring them inside when the temperature drops.
Flip for Foliage
Turn some of the hassle of raking leaves into DIY decorations or buy realistic fake leaves from a craft store and tackle some of these unique harvest season ideas:
- Create a wreath for your front door or to hang in your dining room using a wreath frame, florist wire, and orange ribbon. For best results, cut branches off the trees before they drop their leaves and soak the branches in a glycerin-water mixture for a few days to help preserve the leaves.
- Use the leaves as stencils or stamps. On what? Just about anything! Trace their shape on paper lunch bags, cut out the shapes, fill the bags with sand, and add a votive candle to create inviting luminaries. Coat leaves with a layer of fabric paint and press them onto a white tablecloth or runner to create a unique autumn design. Think outside the box.
- Arrange them in a vase. Best done with fake foliage, you can fill vases with branches of autumn leaves rather than – or even along with – flowers for a unique look.
- Press and frame leaves to create wall art. Frame one or frame a dozen – autumn leaves make stunning artwork.
- Make a garland by tying the stems to a length of hemp cord. Perfect for decorating your fireplace mantel.
Consider Candles
Between all the different shapes and sizes available and the variety of candleholders to choose from, candles are a small item that can have a big impact on your decor. Here are our fave fall candle ideas:
- Try dark candle color combos. Mahogany red, burnt orange, or even jet black candles can set a proper fall tone on your dining table, especially when combined with gold or brass candleholders.
- Create unique candleholders out of apples, small pumpkins, or other seasonally appropriate items you might not usually think of using as a candleholder.
- Make dip-dye candles by dipping white taper candles into a melted mixture of candle wax and crayon shavings. Just make sure they’re completely dry before you try lighting them.
- Use a mirror to double their impact. If you have a mirror above your mantel or a side table, placing candles in front of it provides twice the impact with half the flames.
- Combine candles with other elements – like pumpkins, vases, or flowers – for a more complete look.
