Decorating & Design
September 14, 2021
70 Of House & Home’s Best Fall Decorating Ideas
Fall decorating means a return to warm, welcoming spaces — rooms made for gathering with friends and family. So it makes sense that H&H’s October issues are always bursting with rich, spicy hues and cozy style. Looking to layer up your own home for the season? Try one of House & Home’s 70 best decorating ideas plucked from our popular fall issues.
Add a pop of color with foliage. A vase of fiery red, orange and yellow leaves creates a striking focal point on the mantel. The dancing flames of the fire encourage guests to gather around.
Display rustic baked goods. A delectable loaf of sourdough from the local bakery gets a moment in the spotlight next to relaxed linens, crisp white dishes and feathery pampas grass.
Celebrate the season on your front porch. How sweet are these piles of multicolored gourds? This is a simple and inexpensive way to achieve fall curb appeal — just hit up your local farmers’ market!
Embrace brass. Create an Instagram-worthy moment above an antique piece of furniture with brass leaves and a smoky green wall color. Finish the look off with a collection of books in the same hue.
Bring in harvest hues. Adding mid-tone leather furniture is one way to incorporate the warmth of pumpkin into your rooms. We love the rich look of these camel leather armchairs.
Switch out your neutral sofa for a bolder version. In case you missed it, the hottest hues of the moment are jewel tones, and this amber Danish-modern sofa is no exception.
Opt for plush furniture. Our motto for fall is: the more texture, the better. This woolly, gray, sheepskin-upholstered love seat is an ideal hangout spot once the temperature dips.
Create a harvest-inspired dining table. Collect greenery from your garden or purchase longer-lasting faux branches to add seasonal style to your table.
Update the sunroom. There’s no better spot to enjoy the changing leaves with a warm cup of apple cider! This year-round hangout is made extra comfortable with sink-in vintage chairs and piles of pillows and throws.
Go moody in the kitchen. Dark kitchens are all the rage right now. When paired with a red cedar–log envelope and bright white countertops, inky cabinetry gets a rustic makeover.
Organize seasonal essentials. In this country home’s autumnal entryway, rosewood hooks add quirk and personality, while also doubling as smart storage. “They’re different colors and sizes, and they animate the space,” says designer Mazen El-Abdallah. Plus, a striped woven basket keeps dog leashes neat and tidy.
Draw inspiration from your surroundings. There’s endless beauty surrounding this cozy farmhouse, from the idyllic pond to the abundance of trees. Inside, Mazen showcased the view with large black-framed windows and an earth-toned palette.
Cover your walls in grasscloth. This cozy den is adorned with a brown-gray grasscloth wallpaper for an instant cocooning effect. Patinated picture frames and a green velvet sofa tie the look together.
Bring in autumn-hued accents. Punchy orange accents, like a feather headdress, warm up this high-contrast, black and white living room.
Pile on the pumpkins. Pay homage to the harvest season with white pumpkins — they’re a more subtle option than their bright orange sister. Pair with a fuzzy throw and woven basket for an inviting entryway.
Add warmth to your bathroom. Swap out your airy summer bathroom decor for warm lighting and a softly-textured shower curtain.
Incorporate items with patina. From the rustic wood floors and blue-gray hutch to the vintage-look wooden crate filled with curly willow, this living room alcove is injected with farmhouse comfort.
Swap out your rug. Spruce up any neutral room with a dynamic autumn-colored rug. Reflect the colors in smaller objets throughout the space.
Integrate natural elements. Decorate with rustic wood, acorns, curly willow and white pumpkins. Here, the wood planks make for a perfect makeshift mantel — just add black candle holders for even more drama.
Hang a DIY wreath on your front door. Made from bundles of wheat, this seasonal staple gives your home plenty of fall curb appeal.
Create an outdoor living room. Fill woven baskets with heavy throws, lay out a weatherproof rug and group upholstered seating around a fire pit or outdoor chimney.
DIY a woodsy wall hanging. Follow designer Cameron MacNeil’s lead and have a tree photograph digitally printed onto a long sheet of paper.
Make an arrangement of smoke bush branches. A vase of smoke bush is an unexpected alternative to the usual red and orange floral arrangement, and offers a lot more height and texture.
Fill a niche with fresh-chopped firewood. Remove a shelf or two in a built-in bookcase to make room for a stack of logs, or design your own niche from scratch.
Prep for evenings by the fireplace. Group lantern-style candleholders and plush seating near the hearth, then layer in soft blankets and throw pillows.
Display a wheat sheaf bundle. A classic symbol of the harvest, a dried wheat sheaf tied with chocolate ribbon makes a lovely seasonal tabletop accent.
Set up a cozy reading spot. Relocate a chaise lounge or armchair to wherever the view is the most magical. Pair it with a reading light and small side table to hold your tea.
Press and frame fall leaves. Mid-autumn, get outside and hunt for the prettiest fallen foliage. Showcase your finds in a set of complementary frames, then display them in a group.
Hang a classic bull’s-eye mirror. It’s perfect for drawing the eye to a crackling fireplace and bouncing its warm glow around the room.
Pile cake stands with autumn vegetables. Topping a cake stand with market-fresh squash, parsnips and cabbage is a little fresher than the usual bowl of mini pumpkins.
Swap a standard table base for birch logs. While this decorating move takes a little more time and commitment, dinner guests will love the rustic effect.
Layer up your banquette. Soften the lines of your kitchen table by piling on wool throw pillows and tossing sheepskins (real or faux) over a few chairs.
Turn branches into sculpture. Take a walk around your local green space and find a dry fallen branch with a shapely form. Trim it for a cleaner look, if desired, then lean it in an empty corner or transitional space.
Layer rugs over wooden benches. Create a soft landing by topping the bench in your entryway, mudroom or bedroom with a sheepskin or small rug.
Place a pretty umbrella stand in your entryway. A woven design will complement your autumnal decor nicely, while giving guests a handy spot to pop walking sticks and wet umbrellas.
Use a wood trough or trug for countertop storage. Browse vintage shops for these handy tabletop vessels, which bring plenty of warmth to sleeker kitchens.
Embrace the timeless combination of navy and rust. Take a page out of designer Brian Gluckstein’s book and decorate with a foolproof palette of rich blue and deep orange.
Put together an autumnal windowsill vignette. Complement fall’s branches and blooms with ceramics and vases in similar moody tones.
Lay out a soft rug where pets like to doze. Make warm, sunny spots even more attractive with a small, high-pile rug.
Deck out an outdoor dining area. Just because temperatures are dipping doesn’t mean alfresco dining is off the table. Set the mood with a trug full of gourds and a thicker fabric tablecloth (just bring it inside when the weather shifts).
Accent a mantel with fall foliage. At this time of year, DIY floral arrangements are as simple as gathering a handful of seasonal greenery. We like a textural, unstudied mix of evergreen fronds and maple leaves.
Lay out a rustic runner on the kitchen table. A piece of nubby linen or cotton fabric with unfinished edges is ideal for achieving this laid-back, farmhouse-chic look.
Fill glass vessels with dried corn cobs. Put nature’s bounty on show by packing a couple transparent urns and bowls with dried corn.
Layer window treatments to prep for long soaks. Combine textural woven shades with thick drapery by the tub to add coziness and privacy.
Pile on heavier linens and rugs in the bedroom. Mix and match materials like wool, faux-fur and jute for a layered, bundled-up look.
Cluster a collection of elegant candlesticks. The designers at Sarah Richardson Design dreamt up this simple, yet eye-catching display. A branch of red leaves adds drama and height.
Display vintage or heirloom plates in fall tones. Swap out summery blue and white patterns for richer pumpkin-, brown- and gold-accented china.
Toss soft floor pillows where guests tend to lounge. Set the stage for cozy hangouts and casual after-dinner drinks with plump floor cushions.
Layer on textiles in moody hues. Striped drapery, bedding, rugs and throw pillows look equal parts smart and seasonal in rich fall colors.
Frame a piece of nature-inspired fabric. This DIY is a simple way to inject autumnal color into a space, and quick enough to complete in one cozy afternoon.
Keep go-to blankets in plain sight. Add visual texture to a room with a stack of warm, woolly throws.
Hang blankets from coat hooks. H&H alum and designer Joel Bray went with throws in neutral hues to offset this room’s bold wall color.
Make DIY fiber art. The tactile quality of fiber art is perfect for chilly seasons. Frame textile swatches and spools of thread, or pack a shadow box with wool.
Embrace the beauty of age. Top older upholstered furniture with folded wool throws for a charming, rustic look.
Craft or buy a wispy twig wreath. A wreath of fall leaves is an enduring pick, but we also love the delicate, natural beauty of a version made of thin twigs.
Enliven a neutral sofa with natural hues. Take inspiration from nature and top your sofa with a collection of red, burnt orange and deep yellow throw pillows.
Go for crockery instead of standard vases. Ceramic jugs, utensil crocks and pitchers make country-chic alternatives to typical glass and crystal vessels.
Hang a fabric “headboard.” Joel hung fabric from a simple drapery rod for a hit of fall-friendly pattern in this bedroom (which can easily be swapped out when the seasons change).
Go for lush velvet over summery linen. Change out your usual linen throw pillows and bolster cushions for shimmery velvet ones in deeper shades.
Showcase charming tartanware. Group together plaid-patterned boxes and accent pieces for a classic vignette.
Bring in a few woven pieces. To nod to the laid-back, outdoorsy vibe of autumn, swap out your usual side tables, benches and bins with natural woven versions.
Put copper pitchers and pots on show. Glossy or aged copper vessels will complement the warm tones of your fall decor and floral arrangements.
Turn biological illustrations into art. A set of historical nature prints — scanned from a book or purchased online — makes the perfect addition to a fall dining or living room.
Go all out with a pumpkin-toned table setting. Play with different tones of orange, from light to dark, for the most sophisticated effect.
For a more dramatic take, try a plum color scheme. A centerpiece of dark purple cabbage and bowls of fruit sets off this romantic table setting perfectly.
Go without the fussy tablecloth. Hosting a casual meal? Set your plates and candles directly on top of an old wooden table for a laid-back ambience.
Run a thin branch between place settings. A simpler spin on a garland, a leafy branch brings the beauty of the outdoors to your dinner table.
Place a long sprig of mint in a water carafe. The water will create an eye-catching magnifying effect, while the mint adds delicate flavor.
DIY a glimmering gold centerpiece. H&H alum Meg Crossley used metallic spray paint, fresh foliage and petite bud vases to create this luxe arrangement. Get full DIY instructions here.
Create your own painterly place cards. A few brushes of watercolor paint in saturated hues creates an artful effect.