Our Favorite Fall Decorating Ideas
Seasons change; so should your decor. Welcome the arrival of fall and Thanksgiving guests with gorgeous decorations both indoors and out.
Welcome Guests Abundantly
Fall = guests, family and get-togethers. Get your front porch ready for fall festivities with a pair of planters surrounded by an abundance of mums and real or faux pumpkins and gourds. Mix in a few lanterns to add a welcoming glow to evening gatherings.
Cue the Copper
Copper has continued to grow in popularity, making the glowing material the metal of the moment. Handcrafted of solid copper, this pretty pail turns fresh-cut flowers or a bunch of branches into an eye-catching arrangement. Occasionally polish the copper to maintain its new-penny shine or allow the metal to take on a rich, verdigris patina over time. Learn how to craft your own rustic, hand-lettered tray, below.
Add a Farmhouse Feel
Freshen up your front porch for fall with our 11 ideas for making it a cozy, welcoming place to hang out and enjoy autumn's cooler weather and colorful scenery.
Create a Grand Entrance
Fall marks the start of the holiday entertaining season making it a great time to spruce up areas of your home where guests gather, like the foyer. Touch-up scuffs on stair risers and add an entry table large enough to display a few decorative accessories. A pair of occasional chairs or long bench provides a spot for guests to remove boots or just sit for a chat. Image courtesy of Thibaut.
(Safely) Fire Up the Fireplace
Honestly, who doesn't love to curl up next to a roaring fire on a chilly day? As inviting as it is — put safety first. Before lighting the season's first log, have the chimney and fire box inspected and cleaned by a professional chimney sweep. Get 15 more fireplace safety tips, below. Design by Sarah Richardson.
Set the Table With Seasonal Style
Fall's favorite fabric is an easy way to cozy up your Thanksgiving table. No need to buy a new tablecloth — wardrobe essentials like a plaid blanket scarf or even a throw are perfect stand-ins for more traditional table linens.
And, Break Out the Good China
Setting the table with heirloom dishes and glassware makes even an everyday meal feel like a special occasion. So, dust off those hand-me-down plates and glasses to set a guest-impressing scene. (Your mom will be so proud!)
Take the Celebration Outside
Weather permitting, move fall suppers or even Thanksgiving dinner outdoors. A backdrop of fall-colored leaves and crisp air will provide the perfect setting for the feast. Image courtesy of Stanley Furniture.
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Warm Up Your Walls
Move over cool gray, there's a new neutral that's warming up today's hottest interiors. Say hello (again) to warm wall tones, like beige and greige, that are once again designers' top pick when it comes to paint colors. Take a cue from designer Sarah Richardson and paint your walls in a soft, wheaty shade that'll make even a soaring space feel warm and cozy, year round.
Freshen Up the Front Porch
Get front porch planters ready for fall by swapping out summer blooms or ferns for mums paired with ornamental grasses and sweet potato vine. Add a plaid coir door mat for both a cheery pop of pattern and to prevent cold-weather muck from entering the house.
And, Perk Up the Patio
Fall is the perfect time to kick back in your backyard. Get your patio ready for some serious hang time with a cozy throw blanket or outdoor pillows. And, don't just limit your fall decorations to indoors or the front porch: show your patio a little love with a small grouping of pumpkins and a vase filled with freshly clipped blooms.
Pop In Some Plaid
Looks like lumberjacks were onto something as plaid's popularity has crossed over from fall's favorite casual shirts to fabrics that'll add cozy charm to any room of your home.
And, Don't Limit It to a Throw
Buffalo plaid may be fall's of-the-moment fabric but this pattern has a centuries-old history which equals timeless staying power. So, sprinkle it around. Don't stop at just a throw — drapery, upholstery, wallpaper and even tile are other great ways to incorporate this classic pattern. Learn more about this plaid's storied history, below.
Spice Up the Guest Room
If cooler fall weather also means hosting weekend guests, swap out lightweight summer bedding for heavier linens in rich fall shades, like pumpkin, russet or gold, as design diva Candice Olsen did here. Changing just a few key pieces is an easy way to refresh a bedroom's look, plus your guests will appreciate bunking in such a well-appointed and cozy room. Get more tips for readying a guest bedroom for company, below.
And, the Breakfast Nook
Terra cotta-hued toss pillows and a coordinating pitcher, filled with fall blooms, give this petite dining nook big fall style cred.
Deck Out the Mantel
A fireplace is your living room's focal point so give it its due by styling it for the season. Here, we mixed faux and fresh pumpkins, seed pods and votive candles with birch-wrapped vases filled with freshly clipped fall greenery. The hand-painted sign is the star. Learn how to make your own, below.
Warm Things Up Indoors
Take a cue from designer Sarah Richardson and give an open, soaring space (even one as massive as her living room) a snug, welcoming feel by swapping out pillows in lightweight summer fabrics, like linen and cotton, for luxe velvet ones in rich, fall shades. Add a few coordinating throws and get ready to cozy up by the fire.
Mix Rustic With Refined
One rule that designers always follow: contrast is key. Mixing inexpensive (aka free!), earthy elements, like this wood slice charger, with delicate, vintage china makes the woodsy element feel more organic while, by contrast, the hand-etched details and gilt edges of the heirloom dishes take on a new level of sophistication.
Get Ready to Rock
Get your porch, deck or patio ready for fall's slower pace of life with a pair of rocking chairs, arranged with lazy weekend convos and leaf-peeping in mind. Place a table between for a handy place to stash your hot cocoa or favorite read.
Pumpkins: Fall for Faux
Lightweight, durable and sure to last for many years to come, faux pumpkins are every fall decorator's best friend. Display them as they are or give them a crafty spin with a DIY glittered leaf design. Learn how with our step-by-step instructions, below.
And, Make Centerpieces Gourd-geous
Mix fresh with faux to create a bountiful centerpiece for your fall table. Faux gourds and pumpkins are great because you can display them year after year while fresh varieties are also a winner because you can roast them and toast the (delicious!) seeds so nothing goes to waste. For the best of both worlds, mix the two and throw in a few dried seed pods, apples and silk sunflowers for added color and contrast.
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Put Memories on Display
With the imminent arrival of friends and family for the holidays, fall is the perfect time to root through boxes of old family photos, pop them in a frame and create a gallery wall so everyone can enjoy a sentimental stroll down memory lane. See more images of this home, featured in HGTV Magazine, below.
Prep for Cold-Weather Guests
The holiday season means lots of visiting family and friends; providing dedicated space to store their cold-weather gear is key. Designer Sarah Richardson added bumpout closets for stashing big items, like coats and boots, and an antique press for gloves and hats.
And, Beautify the Bath
Fall, and the imminent arrival of holiday guests, is the perfect time to ensure your guest bath is squeaky clean. Treat yourself to a day off from cleaning; hire a professional service to do the dirty work. Then, get it ready for guests by stocking the shelves with everything they'll need to freshen up on arrival, like towels and soap. Really make them feel at home by stocking the bath with little amentities they may have forgotten to pack, like cotton balls, toothpaste, a toothbrush and a razor.
Fall for Faux Fur
Faux fur throws are a great choice for cozying up hard surfaces, like this long wooden bench, while complementing the table setting's warm color palette and woodsy vibe. See more of this rustic-meets-refined fall table setting, below.
Or, Swap in a Basket
The quick succession of fall and winter holidays — Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas — can make decking out your front door feel like a chore. Simplify with a single slim basket or straw tote you can use again and again to easily create beautiful looks customized to each holiday.
Add Fresh Flowers
Nothing brightens up your home for the season like vases filled with fall flowers. Sunflowers and alstromeria are great choices because they'll remain beautiful for up to a week. The trick to keeping blooms fresh is to remove all leaves below the water line and change out the water every few days.
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Or, Cut Greenery
For an easy centerpiece that requires absolutely zero flower-arranging skills, head outdoors to clip a few low tree branches, cut the ends at a 45-degree angle so they can easily absorb water, and plop in a wide-mouth container, hurricane or pitcher.
Incorporate Vintage Accents
Antiques, like this beautifully patinated pitcher, look right at home as part of a fall display. To preserve the copper's timeworn finish, slide a water-filled container inside the pitcher before adding fresh flowers, like these PeeGee hydrangeas.
Cozy Up Dining Chairs
Sometimes style wins out over comfort when selecting dining chairs. With Thanksgiving (and then Christmas) entertaining on the horizon, fall is a great time to tackle that uncomfortable chair issue once and for all by adding a comfy pad and coordinating pillow. If your chair seats are a standard size, check online decor sites and catalogs for readymade cushions that match your decor. If your seats are an unusual size, DIY or having them custom-made are your best bets.
Fall-ify Your Bar Cart
Even small touches, like a DIY banner and a few small pumpkins, will get your home bar ready to toast the season in festive fall style. Get more seasonal tips from our friends at HGTV Magazine, below.
Create a Wall Grouping With Fall Flair
Shop thrift stores and garage sales for assorted small frames then fill them with fall sentiments, black-and-white photos and pressed leaves. Design by Layla Palmer.
Or, Hang a Single Statement Piece
A rug is a one-and-done way to fill a wall, and makes a good conversation piece. Lightweight kilims and dhurries are best for hanging. The Velcro method is sturdy: Attach a strip of the hook side of Velcro to a piece of wood the width of the rug. Sew the looped side of the Velcro strip to the rug. Mount the wood to the wall, then stick on the rug. HGTV Magazine shares more creative design tricks, below.
Make Place Settings Pop
Fall table settings don't have to be fussy. To give your table a big dose of seasonal style, rely on fall's favorite pattern — plaid — and top each place setting with a single colorful fall leaf.
Add Woodsy Charm With Firewood
That's right, firewood isn't just functional, it's also decorative, as Fixer Upper designer and host Joanna Gaines proved in this rustic living room. Be sure to remove any leaves or small twigs and give the cut branches a quick brush-off with a broom to eliminate any bugs or spiders before bringing the firewood indoors.
Skirt the Issue
Your dining room is ground central for fall festivities. Help it look its best by upgrading your existing dining chairs with charming skirted slipcovers. Wide ribbon ties ensure they're removable so keeping them clean is a breeze. Learn how to stitch up your own slipcovers, below.
Get Crafty With Dollar Store Finds
Yep! What looks like high-end gold lanterns is actually just dollar store frames glued together to create an open box. To create a sturdy base, cut a piece of scrap wood to size, then glue onto the open framework. Fill with candles and fall greenery, moss or acorns to beautifully light up the night.
Cozy Up the Outdoors
Make the most of fall's crisp evenings by creating a small conversation area around a fire pit and add lots of pillows and throws to really boost the coziness factor. Keep a large basket handy so you can easily transport the linens indoors when inclement weather threatens.
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Use Containers to Spread Fall Color
Container gardening is a great way to add interest to all areas of your landscape any time of the year but is especially beautiful in fall when Mother Nature puts on her last hurrah. Pairing a hardy perennial, like this ornamental grass, with a show-stopping annual like calibrachoa, is a sure recipe for container gardening success.
Stack a Chic Topiary
Hit the craft store for faux white pumpkins and greenery to craft this stunning topiary that'll brighten up your front porch from the start of fall till it's time to swap it out for holiday decorations. Best of all: The faux materials ensure that this topiary will keep its good looks for many falls to come.
Or, Glitz Up Your Pumpkins
Pretty enough to display from Halloween until Thanksgiving, these glitzy pumpkins are a snap to make using just leaves from the backyard, glue and metallic glitter.
Add Some Layers
Fall's crisp weather calls for layering up your wardrobe — put the same idea to work in your home and toss cozy wool, cotton, chenille or even luxurious cashmere throws over furniture in rooms where your family or guests gather. Design by Sarah Richardson.
Try a Twist on Tradition
Piles of pumpkins and gourds along with potted croton and mums give this cheery front porch, featured in HGTV Magazine, maximum curb appeal. Copy a few of their clever ideas — like adding vinyl house numbers to a tall pumpkin — for a similarly festive look for your home's entry.
Warm Up to New Hues
Don't limit bright colors to spring and summer. Fall's hues can be playful too — rely on Mother Nature's shifting shades to help you pick your palette. Try a splash of pumpkin orange, mellowed gourd green or the saturated blue evident in fall's clear skies. No need to swap out (or repaint) your furniture for the season, just work in a few colorful accessories to get the look. Image courtesy of HGTV Magazine.
Bring the Outdoors In
For most of us, fall is the last hoorah before winter's blustery weather truly sets in, so enjoy a walk in the crisp air to gather clippings of flowering plants and colorful foliage. Fill small vases with your finds and place them throughout the house. If you're expecting overnight visitors, don't forget the guest room. Image courtesy of Blackberry Farm.
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And, the Indoors Out
Front porches are a natural gathering spot for chatting with neighbors or just relaxing with a warm cuppa while soaking in the season's shifting hues. If your front porch is sheltered from the elements, like ours, get it ready to sit a spell by bringing an indoor throw and pillows out to cozy up a bench or chair. Get more tips for creating a warm welcome in the link below.
Make Your Own Marquee Letters
Theater-style marquee letters are trending (read: expensive) but using a few craft-store supplies and globe string lights, you can make your own. Get crafting with our step-by-step instructions, below.
Make a Ribbon Rose Wreath
Craft a cheery touch of fall for your front door with a moss-covered wreath form and autumnal ribbon roses that look complicated but are actually a snap to make. Get our how-to tips, below.
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Wreaths Are for Indoors, Too
An inexpensive wreath form, moss and our free printable templates are all you need to create this rustic fall wreath that's a festive finishing touch when displayed indoors. The paper flowers and banner are cute but definitely not weather-resistant so hang the completed wreath over a mirror in your entry or on a kitchen cupboard to bring a fall touch indoors.
Give It a White Wash
Scandinavian decor, which predominantly features the color white in both furniture and accessories, continues to be a trendy look worth trying. White pumpkins and mums are a natural; pair them with a thrifted chair painted bright white for a crisp, clean grouping for your indoor or outdoor space.
Give Mums Their Time in the Sun
Mounds of bright yellow mums bring a happy touch of fall color to any outdoor space. These hanging baskets were created by lining the wire frames with sheets of coco mat, which allows the plants to properly drain between waterings. Mums require plenty of direct sunlight; their location hanging from this front porch provides the minimum three hours a day they need to look their best.
Fall for Trendy Fabrics
Menswear fabrics, like this tone-on-tone houndstooth, are hot for fall. Reupholstering your antique dining chairs to keep pace with trends may sound a little extreme but you can always bring in touches of fashionable fabrics with toss pillows or slipcovers. Image courtesy of Thibaut.
Incorporate Candles
Fill lanterns or tall glass hurricanes with pillar candles surrounded by coffee beans, acorns or candy corn to easily create a charming display for your entryway or front porch. Note: Be sure to keep an eye on the burning candles to ensure the wick doesn't burn below the level of the filler.
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Ready Your Entryway
For many of us, autumn means both the beginning of wintry weather and a rotating door of holiday guests. Protect your foyer's floors from muddy or snowy boots with an easy-to-clean area rug. Position an umbrella stand near the door so guests know where to stash wet rain gear as soon as they come in. Design by Sarah Richardson.
Craft a Mini "Pumpkin" Wreath
Although the tiny orange shapes covering this wreath look like diminutive pumpkins, they're actually putka pods. A great stand-in for mini pumpkins, the dried organic seed pods don't deteriorate, so your wreath can be displayed year after year. Craft your own with our tips, below.
Pick Plants Carefully
Variegated croton in saturated shades of green, gold and red surrounded by vibrant mums and pumpkins give HGTV fan gdiveris' front entry a colorful fall pick-me-up. Both plants are perennials and can either be brought indoors to weather the winter or, if you live in a warm climate, planted to add color to your landscape.
Opt for Saturated Shades
This trio of small glass votives filled with bright orange ranunculus and rich red pomegranate seeds adds a cheery pop of fall color to an otherwise dark mantel. Small arrangements, like these, are a great way to spread fall color throughout your home.
Glam Up Plain Lanterns
Give plain glass hurricanes a glitzy makeover with sheets of copper leaf you can pick up at your local craft store. Learn how to apply leaf like a pro with our tips, below.
Turn an Empty Frame Into a Menu Board
With just a few supplies from the hardware and craft stores, you can upcycle an unused frame into an elegant chalkboard to display wherever holiday guests gather. Use your finished chalkboard to display a Thanksgiving or holiday dinner menu or just to jot down notes to family.
Get Guest-Ready
Thanksgiving means gathering with your nearest and dearest to enjoy time together lingering over a well-set table. Ready your dining room for fall festivities by polishing the silver and breaking out the good china and crystal. Design by Sarah Richardson.
Try a Luxe-Meets-Lodge Look
The rustic lodge look is a perfect fit for fall. Blending rustic textures with sophisticated finishes, it's the best of both worlds and can be as formal or informal as you like. This cottage at celebrity hideaway Blackberry Farm perfectly exemplifies the style with a custom-painted wall treatment that resembles sun-bleached pine and luxurious fabrics throughout. Image courtesy of Blackberry Farm.
Easily Craft a Rustic Tray
Air-dry clay and paint are all you need to make a rustic tray that's perfect for corraling candles and fall accents or as part of your Thanksgiving table setting. It's an easy and inexpensive craft project for adults and kids alike.
Slipcover Past-Their-Prime Chairs
If you're handy with a sewing machine, "new" dining chairs could be yours with just the cost of a few yards of natural linen. A flirty skirt adds a stylish finishing touch. This project is a great way to unify mismatched chairs or give dated chairs a quick update. Sew like a pro with our tips, below.
Create Outdoor Living Space
Turn an underused porch or patio into a welcoming spot to kick back and enjoy the outdoors. Add a weather-resistant rug for comfort underfoot and to visually define the living area. Plants bring any indoor or outdoor space to life so mix in a few containers planted with a mix of hardy perennials and annuals for a splash of color.
Craft a Rustic Woven Runner
Turn trendy upholstery webbing into an oversized table runner than can be rolled up, stored away and used to add an organic touch to your Thanksgiving table year after year. Get crafting with our step-by-step instructions, below.
Make It Easy for Guests to Get Comfy
In the living room or den, fill a deep woven basket with plush pillows and cozy throws so guests can grab one if an achy back or chill strikes.
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Make Over Your Mantel
Get crafty to give your living room's focal point a fresh update. For this look, the editors at HGTV Magazine put paint and paper to work to create kicky lanterns and decoupaged pumpkins. For the colorful centerpiece, they simply glued card stock leaves to (free!) bare branches.
Craft a Glittery Banner
Remind friends and family how lucky they are with this easy, do-it-yourself decoration. Pick up chipboard letters at your local craft store, then cover them in copper glitter. Attach letters to twine with hot glue and hang above a buffet, mantel, entry table or anywhere your home could use a bit of seasonal sparkle.
Decorate With Fall Foliage
Give bookshelves, a mantel or any flat surface a quick fall fix with a sprinkling of autumn leaves. Gather pretty specimens from your own backyard or pick up a pack of the silk variety at your local craft store. Design by Layla Palmer.
Make a Magnolia Leaf Wreath
Wrap fresh-cut magnolia leaves around an inexpensive foam wreath form to craft a streamlined, modern take on a traditional fall wreath. The leaves will dry in place and turn a gorgeous coppery hue. No need to take this wreath down when you swap out your Thanksgiving decorations for Christmas — just change the ribbon to match your holiday decor.
Whip Up a Felt Acorn Pillow
Basic sewing skills are all you need to turn linen, felt and jute twine into a cute throw pillow for fall. Get crafting with our step-by-step instructions, below.
Decoupage Faux Pumpkins
Give faux pumpkins a fashion-forward makeover by covering them with strips of trendy fabric. Large decoupage pumpkins are a stylish addition to fall front porch displays while small pumpkins will add a graphic pop to your Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Fall for Autumn's Hues
With its rusty palette and laid-back look, this dining room is dressed for casual fall entertaining. Designer Lauren Liess created the layered tablecloth by topping a linen drapery panel with a vintage russet and orange quilt. Gourds, candles, fresh herbs and a stoneware urn filled with vermillion branches create a fuss-free centerpiece that works equally well for Thanksgiving dinner or any fall get-together.
Seasonalize Your Decor
Give a plain lampshade autumnal appeal by stenciling it with fall leaves. Our free printable template, below, makes this project is a snap, even for beginning crafters.
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