Better Home And Gardens Fall Decorating Ideas

White cabinet with blackboard that says "Fall"

Credit: Werner Straube

Give your home a seasonal refresh with these easy fall decorating ideas. With tips and tricks for every room in your home—both indoors and outdoors—our roundup of fall decor has plenty of projects to fit your style.

Wrap Around the Clock

White clock and chair with fall décor

Credit: Werner Straube

We all love fall's fresh bounty in our home, but sometimes faux is also a friend. It takes just a couple of minutes to stick a few branches of bittersweet in a vase or wrap it around a furnishings, like this vintage grandfather clock. If you don't have a tall timepiece in your space, loop bittersweet around another focal point or string it along a fireplace mantel. Fabric pumpkins make another longlasting accent.

Cozy Bedroom

Bedroom with sign that says "Let's stay in bed"

Credit: Werner Straube

The sign says it all: This bedroom is so serene, it would nearly be impossible to get out of bed. A mix of knits in cool colors contrasts warm fall accents, like red and orange leaves and a tasseled orange throw pillow. Small touches, like a teal velvet pumpkin on the nightstand and printed sheep pillow, keep the room full of seasonal surprises.

Related: Cozy Color Schemes to Try This Fall

DIY Fall Centerpiece

White ceramic vases with flowers

Credit: Stephen Kent Johnson

You don't have to rely on store-bought flower arrangements for a beautiful fall centerpiece. Make your own for far less with cut flowers. Fill vases in various shapes and sizes with a variety of stems, such as zinnias, chrysanthemums, and dahlias. Mix in a few ornamental grasses or branches of berries for texture. The finished product is impressive enough to be displayed as a Thanksgiving centerpiece.

Festive Front Door

Red door with fall leaf wreath

Credit: Brie Williams

Give your guests a warm welcome by adorning your front door with a DIY fall wreath. This bewitching version is perfect for spooky season—especially if you're throwing a Halloween party. The decoration will let guests know they've arrived at the right haunted house. You could also skip the frightening flourishes and keep it simple with a fall wreath featuring silk leaves.

Related: 40+ Favorite Halloween Door Decorations

Unpolished Perfection

White cabinet with blackboard that says "Fall"

Credit: Werner Straube

We love the look of weathered furnishings paired with traditional harvest accents. The cabinetry, buffet, and chalkboard in this dining room all have a distressed look that complements rustic fall accessories. Instead of actually writing on the chalkboard, hang a garland that reads "fall" across it. Display yellow and orange pumpkins, gourds, and leaves below on flea market serving pieces.

Classic with a Twist

Fall décor in blue glass vase with pumpkins

Credit: Adam Albright

Create a simple yet stunning fall look for a buffet or mantel in a few simple steps. Start with a few pumpkins, grab a few stems of Chinese lantern plants and stick them in a blue vase. While it seems simple, using a blue vase and a flower with a unique shape takes the arrangement to the next level.

Festive Fall Front Porch

Front porch with rustic seat, chest table

Credit: Werner Straube

Your exterior will be the talk of the neighborhood with this inviting mix of fall decorations. Pair DIY decor, like this custom pumpkin candle centerpiece, with store-bought pillows and throws. And don't forget the large welcome sign to encourage everyone to stop by and stay awhile.

Related: Fall Outdoor Decorating Ideas That Last All Season

Take It Outside

Front porch with pumpkin and basket display

Credit: Miki Duisterhof

Why should your indoor spaces have all the fun? Add a touch of fall to your front door using the same elements you use inside. Baskets and bins make for easy planters and display stands for stacked 'Cinderella' pumpkins.

DIY Fall Craft

Branches in leaf shape with leaves

Credit: Matthew Mead

This unique fall decoration can be created with items foraged from your backyard. The base is made out of sticks arranged in a leaf shape, and the adornments are just various leaves and acorns. You could even turn this craft into a wreath by attaching wire to the foundation and hanging it on your door.

Unexpected Twist

Purple flowers with pumpkins on table

Credit: Helen Norman

While golds, reds, and oranges are all perfectly acceptable fall colors, they're expected. Try arranging purple and pink flowers among your pumpkins and gourds to elevate the basic fall palette. A few persimmons and ornamental cabbage keep the look decidedly seasonal.

Complementary Colors

Fall leaves in blue glass vases behind couch

Credit: Greg Scheidemann

Create a big impact with your fall displays by using contrasting colors. Use a colored vase that complements the color of the leaves you use.This makes the leaves stand out and adds more interest to the room. Stick with cool colors, like blues, purples, and greens, to complement different shades of red, orange, and yellow leaves.

Fall Table

Fall table setting with leaves and branches

Credit: Adam Albright

Whether it's for Thanksgiving dinner or a weekend brunch with friends, set a gorgeous fall table with ease using this formula. Mix old and new, weave a theme of texture throughout your items, add in touches of nature, and, for a thoroughly modern take, incorporate hints of blue. The best part? Most of the fall decor can be found for free in your backyard.

Seasonal Spread

Living room with fireplace and fall décor

Credit: Michael Partenio

For the full fall effect, plan a few arrangements and spread the season from your mantel to your coffee table. Replace existing pillows and throws with fall-hue counterparts, and you're ready for the season!

So Much Cozy

Burgundy wreath in front of mirror above mantle

Credit: Wendell T. Webber

With warm colors, touches of nature, and a hint of sophistication, this mantel display embodies the best of fall. To make the wreath, use a wire form as a base. Snip bunches of sumac, leaving 6-inch stems. Push them firmly into the wire form, moving from left to right. Work your way around, layering and securing branches with wire until it's completely full. Use a hot-glue gun to secure additional pieces to fill in gaps. Tie with a velvet ribbon to hang. Complete the display with golden yellow vases and objects and a few additional fronds and branches.

Fall Patterns

Table with picnic setting and pumpkins

Credit: Dana Gallagher

Set your tablefor the season by combining a variety of fall styles. Drape your table in a plaid flannel tablecloth. Top it with seasonal produce such as apples, pumpkins, and little gourds, and garnish the look with flowers. Accents in warm, neutral colors such as brown, yellow, orange, and red add to the fall-inspired look.

Turn Over a New Leaf

Place setting with fall leaves

Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Next dinner party, skip the flowers and head for the trees. Dress up place settings with mini bouquets of leaves tied with ribbon. Or try arrange a few leafy branches in a vase for a stylish (and free!) centerpiece. Heartier than flowers but just as festive, branches will last several days to a week in water. Look for leaves that have turned colors but are not yet brittle.

Related: Easy Fall Table Settings

Personalize Your Pumpkin

Fall décor with pumpkin with "K" carved and books

Credit: David Prince

Jack-o'-lantern faces aren't the only option for pumpkins. Try different pumpkin-decorating techniques to correspond with your own personal style. Go with curvy carvings for a more elegant, refined look, or paint shapes or designs on the pumpkin for a bold look. For more variety, try different sizes of pumpkins or different colors: orange, white, or even green.

Gorgeous Gourds

Entryway with table filled with décor

Credit: Dana Gallagher

Gourds are fun fall decorations because of their various shapes, sizes, and colors. Whether they're green, orange, or white, round, curvy, or both, gourds can add fall color and diversity to your room. Try placing them in a basket, bowl, or even a serving platter to add an autumnal touch to any space.

Related:Favorite Ideas for Decorating with Gourds

Autumnal Art

Mantle with leaf artwork

Credit: Victor Schrager

Dress up your mantel or wall with this simple art project. To press and dry leaves, place them between sheets of newsprint inside a heavy book for several days. Stretch linen over a canvas and staple onto the frame. Pin pressed leaves onto the canvas in rows for a graphic arrangement.

Earthy Meets Elegant

Hedge apples, pumpkins, and gourds in glass container

Credit: Andy Lyons

Place an earthy fall arrangement under a glass display dome to create a casual yet elegant look. Combine the best of the fall harvest, such as gourds, small pumpkins, and hedge apples, in a shallow terra-cotta bulb pan, and cover with a cloche to construct the simple autumn arrangement.

Trading Places

Living room with fall décor near fireplace

Credit: Edmund Barr

As the seasons change outside, so can your home decor. One easy and creative way to cultivate a subtle fall style statement is by switching out ordinary accessories for ones with texture. Here, an ordinary lampshade was replaced with a linen one, incorporating natural texturein an unexpected place.

Mix and Match Fall Flowers

Yellow, orange, and red flowers in multiple vases tied together

Credit: Greg Scheidemann

Bring together an array of autumn colors with a mix-and-match arrangement of flowers. Chrysanthemums are a common fall flower that vary in appearance and can create stunning arrangements. Pair them with pom-poms, anemones, quills, spiders, brushes, or thistles, or single or double mums; there are plenty of fall flowers to combine for a gorgeous bunch. For an arrangement with big impact, position flowers in tall, cylindrical vases and place the vases together. Wrap the grouping with wide ribbon, and use adhesive squares to hold the ribbon in place.

Effortless Arrangement

Seating area with white furniture and sliding barn door

Credit: Reed Davis

With an abundance of falling leaves and branches available at almost every turn, creating festive fall arrangements this season is easier than ever. Here, a bundle of collected grasses was placed in a small metal bucket to create a casual side table display. The grasses were left unarranged to create a rustic, just-gathered look.

Related: Our Favorite Low-Fuss Harvest Decorating Ideas

DIY Table Runner

Dining table with orange table runner and pumpkin centerpiece

Credit: Michael Partenio

Spruce up a neutral table display to prepare for seasonal entertaining. Take a trip to your local fabric store, and select a seasonal pattern in the colors of your choice. Make sure you purchase enough to run the length of your table, and hem the edges using a sewing machine or hem tape. decorate with white pumpkins and vibrant branches of bittersweet.

Bountiful Fall Entryway Display

Wooden table with gourds and plants

Credit: David A Land

Welcome guests into your home with a casual fall entryway arrangement. Creatively repurpose serving trays to display a collection of gourds or small pumpkins. Large, primitive-style pottery can hold an arrangement of leafy branches or late-blooming flowers. This table was placed in the center of this spacious entryway, but you can also re-create the display on a side table if your home has limited space.

Seasonal Slumber

Bedroom with variety of prints and artwork

Credit: Scott Little

If you have neutral bed linens in need of a seasonal lift, switch out sheets or sham covers for ones in fall-inspired hues. These bold red sheets and shams pop against white paneled walls. Choosing linens in shades of red will come in handy even after all of the leaves have fallen since the color can stick around into the holiday season.

Double-Duty Decor

Living room with fireplace, chairs, and coffee table

Credit: David A Land

Add seasonal style and functionality to your living spaces by draping cozy blankets across the backs of chairs. The blankets will see plenty of use as people snuggle up on those brisk autumn nights.For a seamless look, search for blankets in colors and patterns that will complement your existing decor.

Low-Cost Fall Table Settings

Dining area with fall leaf centerpiece and pumpkins

Credit: David A Land

Rather than investing in all-new seasonal dishware, pair what you already have with a complementing fall centerpiece. Orange leaves and mini pumpkins complement the light blue dishes on this pretty tablescape. You can also pair dishware you already own with festive napkins and table linens to create an easy fall arrangement.

Seasonal Centerpiece

Kitchen table with gourds and leaf centerpiece

Credit: Michael Partenio

Create a laid-back fall table arrangement using fallen leaves and green gourds. With their irregular shapes and imperfect surfaces, squash varieties and leaves lend natural texture and visual appeal to this casual dining space. A tall vase holding a single tree branch adds height and dimension to this autumn display.

Related: Every Type of Pumpkin You Need to Know

Low-Cost Fall Flower Arrangement

Living room with white couches and pumpkins on coffee table

Credit: Edmund Barr

Creating a stunning seasonal centerpiece doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. For an inexpensive and easy fall arrangement, collect fallen branches and place them in a vessel you already own. Or take a trip to your local crafts store and search out faux branches adorned with fall berries or leaves. The arrangement will have the same wow-worthy effect, but you won't have to worry about trailing bugs or dirt into your home, and you can use the faux finds for years to come.

Woodland Wonder

Orange flowers in textured vases

Credit: Adam Albright

Turn russet-orange roses into an autumn accent simply by adding woodland-inspired details. Fern fronds and acorns add a forestlike touch, giving the glam roses a more earthy vibe. Complete the look by turning a basic vase into a woodland stunner by wrapping it in wood-look wrapping paper.

Wreaths for All

Wreath with dark green leaves and fruits

Credit: Victor Schrager

A wreath is a perfect way to tie in fall decor to not only your front door but also to mantels, walls, and more. Combine greenery with fall-color accents, such as fruits, nuts, or small pumpkins or gourds. The combination of colors and the natural look will instantly bring an autumn touch to the room. With a simple wreath of greenery, you can easily replace the fall accents with wintry counterparts later in the season.

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