Snag a pumpkin spice latte and pull out those sweaters: Fall is nearly here. It’s time for cooler weather, falling leaves and football — and if you ask interior design professionals, changing up your home’s decor, too.
Have you refreshed your home’s seasonal aesthetic yet? If not, read on for six expert-approved ways to do it.
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1. Go Natural
Bringing in natural products — especially ones you’ve harvested or grown yourself — is one great way to ring in the fall.
“I love decorating with natural products,” says Lee Crowder, national director of design and model experience at homebuilder Taylor Morrison, based in Frisco, Texas. “Some of my favorites are pumpkins and potted plants, which last a long time in the fall.”
If you opt to decorate with pumpkins, Crowder recommends green and white ones, both for an on-trend pop and staying power.
“Greens and whites are incredibly trendy, and I pair them with potato vine and ferns,” she says. “They will last all the way through December.”
2. Let There Be Light
In fall, the days get shorter and natural light starts to wane, making it the perfect time to change up your lighting — both indoors and out.
“It’s nice to bring in some low lighting to draw people into a space and help it feel cozy,” says Amber Dunford, style director at Bed Bath & Beyond. “String lighting transitions well from dusk to night and sets the right ambiance for a gathering space. Lanterns and candles can also be a nice way to bring in a light source.”
Don’t forget the porch, either. According to Crowder, it can be a great place to add lighting and a little extra oomph.
“I love to pair pumpkins on my porch with large open lanterns,” Crowder says. “Instead of having candles, try a solar or battery-operated candle. It gives you a great flickering candlelight aesthetic but comes on automatically and is heat resistant.”
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3. Change Up Your Textures and Fabrics
Summer is all about light and airy fabrics, and your decor should reflect that. As you ease into the cooler seasons, pros say it’s time to bring in a warmer, cozier touch with chunky blankets, layers and heavier fabrics. According to Farah Merhi, CEO of Inspire Me Home Decor, boucle — a type of woven fabric — can be a great choice.
“It can be easily incorporated through anything from accent pillows to accent chairs,” says Merhi, who shares her design ideas with 7.7 million followers on her Instagram account, @Inspire_Me_Home_Decor. “I also love that this fabric is so versatile. You can make it look glam, casual or anything in between.”
Layering is another great way to make a space cozier, particularly as the weather cools. It might mean layering rugs, making sure to mix up fabrics, textures and hues on your bedding, or layering throw pillows and other accents on your couch, chair or window seat.
4. Bring the Outside In
You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to find great home decor — especially in fall. Designers say heading out to your own yard can be a great way to find nods to the season.
“One budget-friendly way to bring fall into your house is to forage from your exterior environment and bring a little nature inside — branches from your garden, cuttings from your trees,” says Jade Joyner, co-founder at interior design firm Metal + Petal in Athens, Georgia.
Julia Longchamps, founder of Julia Longchamps Design in Maryland, recommends taking a “nature walk” and seeing what speaks to you.
“I love clipping branches that are changing colors and putting them into a gorgeous vase,” Longchamps says. “Dried hydrangeas and grass are excellent because they bring warm browns into your home and will stay that way forever — all at no expense to you.”
5. Warm Up Your Color Scheme
Cool blues and bright whites might work in the summer, but they certainly don’t jibe with fall. According to Chloe Hughes, editor-in-chief of design magazine Foter, this season’s all about the earth tones.
“Add textured fabrics such as throw blankets or pillows in rich colors like brown, red or orange,” Hughes says. “Another approach is to focus on natural materials and a neutral color palette with an accent fall color. This can be achieved by incorporating pieces made from wood, stone or other organic materials, then perhaps consider painting a featured wall that reflects the colors of fall, such as deep red or orange. This creates a focal point in your room and adds some seasonal color to your space.”
6. Change Up Your Tablescape
Creating a new, nature-inspired centerpiece is one strategy to bring your kitchen into fall. For this, dried flowers can be an option.
“These low-maintenance floral arrangements are great if you have a garden with any flowers that are seasonal,” says Joyner. “Once it’s time to give them a trim, pick the flowers of your choice and prepare to dry them. If you’d rather skip the drying process yourself, you can purchase already-dried florals from your local florist.”
You can also purchase fall-themed wrapping paper to update your tablescape. Crowder recommends cutting it up and using it as table runners or placemats.
“Using something like wrapping paper or wallpaper allows for a little more flexibility and creativity,” Crowder says. “You can use it, and if it gets messed up or someone spills, you can add some more and it’s not something you have to store or even love forever.”
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Fall Home Decor Tips if Your Home is on the Market
If you’re planning to sell your home this fall, staging your home with some fall decor may help you do it. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, nearly one in five buyer’s agents say staging increases offers by 6% to 15%.
In the fall, there are many quick and easy ways to stage your property in a seasonal light. Perhaps the simplest is changing up your color scheme.
“As the fall and winter seasons move in, adding a bit of warmer colors in pillows and throws can make things feel cozier as temperatures start to cool,” says Jennifer Sexton, a real estate advisor with Compass Florida, in Ponte Vedra, Florida.
You can also highlight features like fireplaces, fire pits or cozy reading nooks that might be more of a draw in the cooler months, and embracing the season’s smells and tastes can be a smart strategy, too.
“Warm tones, fuzzy throw blankets, cinnamon smells and crackling fires will deliver smiles during the fall season,” says Sarah Goss, managing broker at Southwestern Real Estate in Sugar Grove, Illinois. “Try staging with mulled cider in the kitchen or a s’mores tray by the fireplace. This will evoke warm fuzzies and images of how life might look like in this home.”
There are many options for fall staging, but whatever you do, though, avoid overdoing it, agents say.
As Greg Forest, senior global real estate advisor at Sotheby’s International Realty in Palm Beach, Florida, puts it, “Keep seasonal decorations minimal and relevant, as excessive holiday decor could be distracting or off-putting to buyers. Each room should be staged with its purpose in mind.”
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6 Fall Home Decor Ideas From the Pros originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 08/14/23: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
