Autumn is just around the corner and we’re ready for it! As much as we love summer, cool nights and leaves crunching beneath our feet sound fantastic.
As we leave behind the days of sticking to the furniture, let’s take a look at getting our homes ready for a new season. It’s time to cozy up. Your home is your cold-weather haven. It can both look new and feel as comfortable as your favorite sweater with a few simple additions.
Many of your décor items will shift function as the weather cools. The tray that brought lemonade to the patio now brings hot cocoa to the family room. Your front porch planters now hold mums and gorgeous grasses instead of hydrangeas.
Let’s add some easy items into the mix to usher in the new season.
Pumpkins
This perennial fall favorite is much more versatile than you think. What was once confined to Halloween jack-o-lanterns is now a staple of fall décor.
You can buy pumpkins in all colors and sizes. You can use them indoors and out. We love the look of mini pumpkins filling vintage vases or jars. If you have or can find an apothecary jar, more power to you. Check local thrift stores for unique shapes and sizes.
Display one jar or several on your mantel or in the kitchen for an instant fall vibe. Most pumpkins and gourds are warm orange, yellow, or creamy white colors. Seasonal décor like this doesn’t have to go perfectly with your color palette. Experiment with warmer colors and see what feels most inviting.
Would you love to bring the full-sized pumpkin into your indoor decorating? Try hollowing one out, lining it with foil or a plastic bag, and planting a container garden. Use fall flowers and herbs like rosemary and thyme to create a fresh natural aroma.
Rugs
Speaking of colors, fall is the perfect time to bring the warmth of a gorgeous rug into your space. We love tile and hardwood floors, but they can make a room feel cold in the fall.
Color is key to making your new rug fit in with your existing décor. Since the goal is to create a cozy space, think about warm colors. If your room is decorated with cooler tones, find a complementary cozy color.
Look at walls, furniture, and flooring for some inspiration. Creamy beige rugs look lovely with cool grey walls, especially if you have natural wood-toned furniture or décor.
Also crucial for your fall rug is texture. You want something that feels soft under your feet to boost your space’s coziness.
If you’re buying a rug only for the fall and winter, you probably don’t want to spend a fortune. Look for sales (of course) but also think about carpet remnants. Some can be had for a fraction of the price of a regular rug.
Make sure the piece is large enough to fit under the front edges of your furniture.
Natural Elements
Bringing natural or nature-inspired items into a space brings with it a warm feel. Baskets, wooden bowls and platters, dried grasses, and pine cones add a bit of nature’s bounty to your home. Add some branches to your jar of mini-pumpkins.
Baskets are among our favorite items to make a room feel comfortable and cozy. Use them to store soft throw blankets and pillows. Try one of our Basket Sets. The natural tones of the basket, the wood tray tops, and the cushion fabric add a nice mix of warm textures to any room.
Tuck these pretty baskets in your living room or bedroom. There’s nothing better than practical décor!
This is also a great time to display your wood cutting boards. If you had them tucked away during the heat of the summer, bring them out for fall. The wood tones add a touch of warmth even to the coolest kitchen counter.
Blankets and Pillows
What would we do in the fall without blankets? This is the perfect time to swap out summer-weight throws and refresh your collection.
Blankets offer more than a warm way to curl up. Choose throws with different textures to add some dimension to your look. You can stick with a neutral color palette without making your space feel bland by using fleece, flannel, and chunky knitted blankets together.
Store your blankets in a big decorative basket or drape them over the backs of sofas and chairs when they aren’t in use. If you’d like to display them, consider a wood quilt rack.
Bringing textiles of all kinds into your home makes it feel more comfortable and relaxing. As the weather gets chilly you’ll love being surrounded by softness.
If you want to warm up your color palette, bring in some low-key oranges and greens or some coppery browns to spice up a neutral space. You can also throw in a patterned blanket in a room filled with solid colors. Choose a classic fall pattern like plaid for the homiest, coziest vibe.
Autumn is also the season for big, fluffy throw pillows. The squishy softness that felt much too warm in the summer is ready to take its rightful place in your living room. A new one with a comfy texture can freshen up your space with no effort at all.
Wreaths
Fall is the perfect time for a wreath, and you can even make your own. Don’t feel like wreaths are only for the front door. Bring one inside and hang it above the mantle, in the kitchen, or anywhere you choose.
Fall wreaths can bring in as many cozy elements as you like. Fall foliage, branches and pine cones, dried grasses or grains, corncobs, acorns, and ribbons in fall colors are all popular choices.
But remember, it’s your house, so what’s popular is up to you. If you’d rather use apples and tulle, or scarecrows and sunflowers, go for it! Check out our article about making your own fall wreath for some pointers to get you started.
Seasonal Smells
Autumn is about warmth and colors, of course. But it’s also the time of year we start thinking about baking cookies and making hearty stews.
You can definitely do that. We encourage everyone to bake, cook, and share, no matter the season! But if you aren’t in the mood to spend time in the kitchen, you can still fill your home with autumn smells.
Head to your local farmer’s market or your favorite online small business and pick up some fall-scented candles. What smells make you feel most at home?
You can stick with traditional scents like vanilla or apple. Or you can try something a little different. Homesick Candles makes the delightfully named Book Club Candle that smells of orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, sandalwood, and more. Or maybe you’d prefer Autumn Hayride, which smells of fresh hay, amber, clove, and birch.
Not only do seasonal candles smell great, but they can also be very pretty. Choose companies with styles that satisfy your aesthetic.
If you are in the mood to cook up a delicious smell, try a simmer pot. All you need is a big pot of water and some fall favorites. Apples, cinnamon, oranges, cranberries, and cloves are a good start.
Make sure to set a timer so your water doesn’t all evaporate. Check out these autumn simmer pot recipes from Spruce Crafts.
You can also turn to your trusty slow cooker and make some chai tea. This warm, delicious drink simmers for hours. The whole house will smell of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.
The Mantle
We’ve talked about several décor items now. But where will you put them for maximum impact in your home? If you have a mantle, you’re in luck. A mantle and the space above it are perfect places to set up an ode to autumn in your living room.
No mantle? Don’t worry. Use a narrow table to create a similar effect. Arrange your choice of pumpkins, candles, branches, grasses, or anything else that evokes the feeling of fall.
You can go all out and make a grand display of everything autumn or you can sprinkle in some hints of the season with your other decorations. Add a wreath to complete the cozy look.
No matter how you choose to usher in the new season, make your home a place you’re happy to be. Spend your time and money on items that make you feel comfortable. If you work remotely, add some cozy touches to warm up your home office.
Even better, bring your office into your comfy family room and work on one of our lap desks. Just remember to put it all away at the end of the day and relax in the space you’ve created.
You don’t need to break the bank to spice up your home for fall. Choose a few of the ideas above, slip into your favorite sweater, and enjoy the crisp days ahead.