Fall is the perfect season to create a warm and cozy home and it doesn't cost a lot of money, take a lot of decor, or require special skills. These easy tips will help you create a welcoming house this season!
FALL | Updated September 18, 2023
Summer is always packed full of activities and things that need done.
When fall arrives, it is nice to be able to transform you home into a beautiful place to relax as the weather cools and the rush slows down.
Creating a warm and cozy home during the autumn season doesn't cost a lot of money or require a bunch of decorations. There are some simple ways to turn your house into a comfortable retreat.
I think that is one of the reasons why I always enjoy seeing the fall season approach. Each year, I look forward to seeing what new ways I can find to that vibe I'm looking for.
There are a few things I do specifically every time I decorate, regardless of they style I'm looking for, the color palette I'm using, or the decorations that I pull out of the box. These ideas help guide every room I design in the fall and they are steps you can take as well to ensure you're easily getting that warm and cozy home you're after.
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9 WAYS TO ADD A WARM + COZY FEEL TO YOUR FALL HOME
You'll First Need to Come Up with a Theme or Color Palette
This year I am focusing on neutrals and texture in my decorating and DIY projects.
- Shades of green and white pumpkins
- Green oak leaves
- Burlap
- Rustic wood
Even though they aren't the traditional warm colors we associate with fall, I find them just as cozy and very calm. You don't have to use bright oranges, reds, and yellows unless they are the colors that make you feel best.
Having a theme or a color scheme in mind helps bring your decorating together. Things you place in your displays will look cohesive and intentional. It makes it look like you actually thought about what you were putting out, because, well, you didi!
I'm also finding having that guiding theme and palette helps avoid those impulse purchases that you must have when you enter a store. If it isn't going to work for me this year, I am trying to walk away.
Start By Decorating with Everyday Items
I like things to be simple and I think many people now agree with that line of thinking. I also like to be surrounded by the things I love. Some of the items I use in my displays are things that are used over and over regardless of the time of year.
- A wood printer's box
- Wicker wine jugs
- A metal lantern
- Stacks of books
Everyday objects set the base for whatever display I'm creating. This makes your decor look natural and appropriate for your style and keeps your decorating from looking overdone.
Adding in bits of fall to your everyday displays makes it look like you're fully decorated even if it isn't in your budget (or desire) to buy a lot of new decorations.
Create Different Levels
On this mantel, I used neutral colored books to create different heights in my display. Wood boxes and vintage suitcases work well, too.
Having different levels in a display creates a more interesting vignette and makes your eyes look at everything you took the time to place. Smaller items are more noticeable when they are not dwarfed by larger pieces.
Add Texture
The texture in a vignette is just as important as color.....maybe even more so, especially in the fall
In a few places, I added small pieces of burlap to add texture to my fall display. Not so much that it is the focus, but just enough that it brings a bit of warmth. It is the little touch that can make your display or home feel complete.
Things like the preserved oak leaves, pinecones, and rustic wood printer's box also contribute. Anything that makes someone want to reach out and touch it is adding texture.
Place Some Pumpkins
It seems like a no-brainer for the season, right? But I don't know how many times I've hear people say that they don't decorate for fall because they don't know how or don't have any decorations.
Whether they are real or fake, pumpkins are an inexpensive way to decorate for autumn that anyone has access to. There really is nothing more fall than a simple pumpkin somewhere in your home, even if that is all that you do.
Over time you can curate a nice collection of coordinating faux pumpkin that you can use year after year. Look at stores (especially places like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and JoAnn Fabrics) right after Thanksgiving because they are normally wanting to clear out the leftover fall merchandise quickly and have them priced very low.
Tuck In Some Bits of Nature
If displaying a pumpkin instantly adds a bit of fall to anything, so do leaves and pine cones.
The oak leaves I'm using here were gathered and dried last year just as they started falling off the trees in my neighborhood. The light green color that they turn as they dry is so beautiful and fits in perfectly with my neutral theme this year. But any color, real or faux, fills in the gaps in your vignettes and brings everything together.
Pine cones are something I use in both my fall and Christmas displays. I keep a storage box full of them that I pull out whenever I need to add just a bit more to a vignette.
In the past, I've also enjoyed sprinkling in some collected acorns. A touch of nature is always beautiful and completely free.
Display Branches and Logs
Although technically still considered nature, I like to give fall branches their own just due.
My fireplace is not a real, wood-burning one. But that doesn't mean that I can't have a great kindling basket filled with logs. A piece of reality makes the "burning" seem a little more believable! And again adds to the overall texture and interest.
Cozy Up With a Wool Throw
Autumn evenings can get chilly. Isn't one of the best parts of the season curling up on the couch wrapped in a warm throw or blanket? Sip some hot cider and you're instantly in the fall mood.
Depending on the blanket you choose, it is another way to include color, texture, and pattern in your home for the season. Drape one on a chair, over the arm or your couch, display them on a rustic ladder, or roll a few in a basket.
Light a Candle
Whether it is burning on the coffee table, kitchen counter, or in the bathroom, a candle is welcoming and homey.
So many brands have amazing fall scents to envelope you in the season. I love walking into someone's house that instantly wakes up my sense of smell.
And the candle doesn't need to be real. Realistic looking flameless candles create ambiance as well. There is just something cozy about seeing the flickering flame throughout the season.
As you take time over the next few weeks to transform your home for the fall season, I hope that you'll consider a few of these ways to make your house cozy and warm for yourself, your family, and your guests. These are tips that will never go out of style!
Want More Inspiration for Decorating Your Home This Fall?
5 THINGS YOUR ROOMS NEED TO HAVE THIS FALL
EARLY FALL LIVNG ROOM TOUR
SIMPLE IDEAS FOR DECORATING YOUR FALL PORCH
CREATING A RUSTIC FALL VIGNETTE
USING NATURE TO CREATE A FALL CENTERPIECE - Perfect for a coffee table or the middle of your Thanksgiving table
