The simplest approach to fall decor is to pick two or three seasonal shades, layer in warm fabrics and add a few natural touches like branches, dried blooms or pumpkins. Begin in the room your family uses most, then repeat a few of those colors and textures in other rooms.
Many people love fall for its cozy sweaters, warm drinks and gorgeous changing leaves. It's also a fun time to refresh your home so it matches the crisp air and autumn mood.
Whether you decorate for fall every year or are just getting started, this post is full of inspiring ideas and trends to lift your home decor this season.
Over the years I've gathered plenty of tips from decorating for fall and Thanksgiving, and I want to help you style every room in your house.
Since fall comes right before the holidays, you don't need to go overboard. Swap a few throw pillows, add some pretty faux pumpkins, change the printable art and you're finished! I've also included a simple starter guide below if you're not sure where to begin.
When to Start Decorating for Fall
You can decorate whenever you like, though September 1 is a good time to begin. Some parts of the country stay warm well into the fall, so go with whatever feels right where you live.
Fall Decor Starter Kit
Whether you're buying your first home, setting out on your own or simply want to start decorating for the seasons, this fall starter kit has the basics you'll need!
After years of decorating my home for every season, I've noticed there are certain "essentials" I swap out each time. I've pulled together a few of those for you so you can build a "capsule wardrobe" for your decor.
SOURCES: Blue Throw Pillow | Yellow Throw Pillow | Green Plaid Throw Pillow | FrameTV Art | Fall Foliage Wreath | Faux Pumpkins | Harvest Bird Plates | Large Round Tray | Doormat | Plaid Throw Blanket | Large Earthy Vase | Faux Fall Stems | Candlesticks | Candles
Decorate for Fall on a Budget
Gather leaves and branches from outside to decorate for fall without overspending! Here are a few ways to dress up your home on a budget.
- Cut dried limelight hydrangeas and set them in a vase as a centerpiece. (Keep the vase dry, no water!)
- Collect leaves and acorns and fill a vase or bowl with them!
- Compost your pumpkins at the end of the season and watch new ones sprout up in the same spot the following year.
- Arrange apples on a tray or in a bowl for a splash of fall color, or line them down the middle of a table for an inexpensive centerpiece.
Best Fall Decorating Ideas by Room
Changing Fall Decor in the Living Room
1. Swap the Pillow Covers
The first thing I do each season is switch the pillow covers on my sofa. Keep the large neutral cushions and simply change the smaller accent pillows for each season.
2. Add Fall Stems and Flowers
Autumn stems and foliage bring color and texture into your home. I've been using the same stems for years and bring them out every fall!
3. Warm and Earthy Colors
Fall is all about warm, earthy tones that make a room feel cozy. Bring in ochre, rust, deep browns and olive greens through your decor. Drape a rust-colored throw or some pillows over your couch or bed, or choose curtains or table linens in a richer shade.
4. Mad About Plaid
Plaid says fall to me, so I keep a couple of plaid throws in autumn colors around the living room. Since the first thing you see from my front door is the back of my sofa, I drape a plaid throw over it.
5. Fill a Bookshelf with Pumpkins
The living room is simple to update for fall. Swap the sofa pillow covers, add some faux leaf stems to a vase and drape a plaid blanket over the back of the couch for a bright accent. Then add a few pumpkins to your built-in bookshelves.
6. Change Up Your Art
One of the easiest ways to refresh your living room for fall is to change the art on your Frame TV. Seasonal art is an inexpensive way to add fall to your living room or family room! Read my Frame TV Review.
I also have plenty of free fall art printables to choose from:
- Navy & Orange Free Fall Printables
- Fall Favorites Free Printable
- Greenery & Pumpkins: Free Fall Printables
- Come Thou Fount Free Printable
- 25+ Free Fall Printables to Dress Up Your Home
- Be Joyful Always Free Fall Printable
- More Free Fall Printables for Your Home!
7. Update the Mantel
If there's no TV over your fireplace mantel, it's fun to switch up the decor with the seasons. I used to build a big display, but you can keep it simple and just add some pumpkins to what you already have!
Fall Dining Table Decor
Dressing a table with a lovely fall centerpiece is an easy, budget-friendly way to make your home feel cozy! Try one of these Thanksgiving tablescape ideas and grab the free conversation printables, too!
8. Faux Fall Foliage Centerpiece
Fall centerpieces can be as simple or as fancy as you like. One of my favorites is the hydrangea and pumpkin dough bowl centerpiece. It's lovely, easy to make and can be reused year after year!
For a Thanksgiving tablescape or any gathering at home, keep it simple: stack a few pumpkins in the middle with a bundle of wheat and/or some candles. Or use a floral arrangement with jewel-toned blooms.
9. Add Dried Flowers to a Vase
Cut some hydrangea stems and let them dry in a vase for a gorgeous, natural fall centerpiece on the table. It's the simplest and cheapest way to dress up any space for autumn!
10. Swap Out the Salad Plates
One of the quickest, easiest and least expensive ways to dress up a table for the new season is a seasonal salad plate! Keep everything else on the table neutral and basic, and swapping the salad plates gives you a whole new look.
11. Cover Pumpkins in Fall Patterns
Use a simple paper napkin in a fall pattern to recover some cheap pumpkins for a quick DIY fall look! Group several in a bowl or long tray for a beautiful centerpiece or display.
12. Bring Conversation Starters to Thanksgiving
If you're seated with distant family, or you just need to get the conversation going, use these conversation starters at the holiday table.
Fall Decorating Ideas for Outdoors
The simplest way to decorate the outside of your home for fall is a foliage wreath on the front door and some pumpkins and mums on the porch. You can go bigger, but a few simple pieces go a long way!
13. Add a Fall Wreath to the Front Door
Every time the season changes, it's time to swap the front door wreath. I've made a lovely hydrangea wreath for fall, but recently bought this gorgeous one with autumn foliage. I love it!
14. Welcome Guests with a Fall Doormat
Changing the front porch doormat with each new season is so much fun. I like a playful saying or a pretty design for autumn!
15. Bring Pumpkins and Mums to the Porch
For a classic look, arrange pumpkins, gourds and hydrangeas on the front porch or cascading down the front steps. I'm starting to collect faux pumpkins that work outdoors and can be reused every year. Mums are a fall staple, too.
Mix green, orange and white pumpkins for an interesting vignette!
Fall Decor in the Kitchen and Dining Room
16. Vase with Fall Stems on the Island
An easy way to decorate the kitchen without getting in the way is to build a vignette on a tray. This simple tray with a vase, stems and pumpkins slides off my island whenever I'm ready to cook!
Yet it adds so much to the look and feel of the room when I'm not cooking!
17. Make Fall and Thanksgiving Recipes
This time of year is all about comfort food. Food isn't decor, but it fills the kitchen with cozy smells and feelings! A charcuterie board is both beautiful and delicious, right?
Some of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes are pecan pie, hashbrown casserole and cornbread dressing.
More fall recipes you'll love:
- Homemade Carrot Cake
- Easy Scalloped Potatoes
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Where to Buy Fall Decor?
Here are the shops that carry what we've been talking about! I shop all of these stores for my fall decor.
- Target
- Walmart
- Kirkland's
- Pottery Barn
- Ballard Designs
- Michael's
Closing Thoughts
You don't have to decorate every room to make your home feel cozy for fall. Start with one spot you enjoy every day, like your sofa, kitchen island or front door, and give it a simple seasonal refresh. Try a plaid throw, a vase of fall stems or a few pumpkins gathered in a bowl. Start with what you already own, then add a little at a time!
Ready to bring those fall touches into another room? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- 10 Cozy Fall Pillow Ideas for Your Couch and Porch
- Simple Fall Kitchen Decorating Ideas
- DIY Fall Hydrangea Wreath Using Faux Stems
- 25 Fall Mantel Decor Ideas
- Fall Doormats You Will Love
Which spot in your home will you decorate first? Let me know in the comments!
