28 Fall Decorating Ideas for a Natural Cozy Home

By Interior Designer TRACY SVENDSEN | Published on May 18, 2023 | Updated on June 13, 2025 |

Fall Decorating Ideas: As the leaves begin to change and the crisp autumn air settles in, it’s time to embrace the coziness of the season and transform your living space into an inviting retreat. Fall is the perfect time to infuse your home with blended materials such as natural elements, weathered terracotta, plaid accents, and brushed metals that bring comfort and warmth.

This article explores simple yet impactful ways to elevate your home with a fall-inspired aesthetic. From incorporating earthy tones and textures to adding layers of warmth with blankets and candles, discover how to create a space that exudes the essence of fall.

Pillows and throws go a long way in transforming a room quickly, and fall is the perfect time to trade out lightweight fabrics with materials that are heavier in weight and texture that add a sense of warmth. Fall is also the ideal time to incorporate outdoor seasonal elements.

Look to nature for inspiration when choosing a color palette. Feel free to switch it up mid-season for a smoother transition from summer to autumn. For example, use muted shades of green, brown, and white in early fall. Then, incorporate red, yellow, and orange hues as more leaves change colors. Image courtesy of Amber Interiors. 

Fall Living Room
Image courtesy of Pottery Barn

The Importance of Seasonal Decor

Your living space is not just a place to rest your head; it reflects your personality and is a sanctuary from the outside world. Seasonal decor transforms your space and allows you to embrace the changing seasons while infusing your home with elements that evoke a sense of comfort and warmth.

In the fall, it’s lovely to create a space that embraces the beauty of nature and the changing colors of the season. Fall decor, from warm earthy tones to rustic textures, can instantly transform your living space into a cozy haven.

The sights, smells, and textures of fall decor can transport you to fond memories of cozy evenings by the fireplace or walking through the crisp autumn air. These small details make a big difference in creating a space that feels like home.

Here are a few Autumn decorating ideas to get you started:

1. Choose a Color Palette Inspired by Autumn

Incorporate the color palettes of each season to keep your home feeling refreshed throughout the year. In the autumn, look to the deep, warm hues of the leaves as inspiration. Adding artwork that reflects these warm tones pulls the look together.

Be sure to add ambiance with candles and warm lighting. Consider adding levels to your lighting layers with table and floor lamps and sconces to ignite the senses in every room. With their deep textural elements, natural materials go hand-in-hand with fall décor. Incorporate pieces of wood, fall foliage, brass, or woven fabrics to bring warmth to any vignette.  

Choosing a Fall Palette
Image courtesy of Amber Interiors 

2. Start with a Neutral Base

Select a neutral base color for your living space. This could be a warm beige, a soft gray, or even a creamy white. A neutral base will provide a blank canvas for your fall decor and allow the seasonal elements to take center stage.

Choosing a Neutral Palette as the Base
Image courtesy of BHG (Victoria Pearson Photo)

3. Incorporate Warm, Earthy Tones

Once you have your neutral base, it’s time to add pops of warm, earthy tones. Think shades of brown, orange, mustard yellow, and deep reds. Incorporate these colors through accessories such as throw pillows, rugs, curtains, and artwork. Fall colors work well with bronze, gold, and silver metallics, adding symmetry to a room. Copper also adds instant warmth and country charm.

Log Home Decorated for Fall  | Jackson Wyoming Design
Image courtesy of Architectural Digest

4. Balance with Complementary Colors

Add complementary colors to your fall decor to create visual interest and balance in your living space. For example, if you have many warm, earthy tones, you can balance them out with pops of cool blues or greens.

Remember, there are no hard and fast rules when choosing a color palette for your fall decor. The most important thing is to select colors that resonate with you and create a warm and inviting space.

Fall Living Room
Image courtesy of Pottery Barn

5. Natural & Organic Elements

Use natural and organic elements like pumpkins, gourds, and leaves to bring the outside in. Display rustic vases filled with gorgeous fall branches and bowls of bright red apples or green pears to add color.

Collection of Faux Florals
Image courtesy of Pottery Barn 

6. Add in Seasonal Pillows & Throws

Adding seasonal pillows when decorating for fall is a great way to warm up your living space. Fall is all about creating cozy layers; pillows in warm, rich colors such as burgundy, rust, orange, and mustard can help achieve that. By using seasonal pillows, you can easily switch up the look of your home to reflect the changing season.

Living Room in Autumnal Hues
Image courtesy of West of Main

7. Create a Fall Centerpiece

Create a fall centerpiece for your dining table using fall foliage, candles, and seasonal flowers. Impress your guests with gorgeous centerpieces and fall-themed dinnerware. Create an artful arrangement of pinecones, dried berries, leaves, twigs, and apples to be a conversation starter.

Fall Table Decor
Image courtesy of Amber Interiors

8. Create a Cozy Reading Area

Creating a cozy reading area in the fall is an excellent way to provide a warm and inviting space to enjoy reading while snuggled up indoors. The crisp autumn air and changing leaves make it the perfect time to curl up with a favorite novel or poetry book. Adding a plush chair, a soft blanket, and a stack of books to a corner of the room creates a relaxing retreat within your home. It’s a lovely way to relax and unwind during the fall season.

Cozy Reading Nook
Image courtesy of Katie Hodges Design

9. Indoor Fall Wreaths

Fall wreaths are a great way to add a touch of seasonal decor to your home. They are not only visually appealing but also symbolize warmth and welcome. Hang a fall wreath on the mantel or interior windows, or place it on a dining room table as a centerpiece.

Fall wreaths often incorporate autumn leaves, berries, pinecones, and other natural materials, adding a rustic charm to your space. Additionally, they can serve as a beautiful focal point and make a statement about your love for the season.

Fall Wreaths
Image courtesy of Darby Creek Trading Company

10. Scented Candles

Scented candles are a popular addition to fall decor. The scents of cinnamon, apple, pumpkin spice, and other fall-inspired fragrances can evoke feelings of coziness and nostalgia. Additionally, scented candles can contribute to the overall sensory experience of the season, making your home feel even more welcoming and comforting.

Autumn Scented Candles
Image courtesy of Chris Loves Julia

11. Plaid Accents

Plaid is a quintessential fall look that pairs perfectly with florals, herringbones, or graphic dots. Plaid and floral have an exciting way of balancing each other out and are an unexpected way to draw interest visually.

Plaid Accents in the Dining Room
Image courtesy of Amber Interiors

12. Fall Simmer Pot

Creating a fall simmer pot is a wonderful way to bring the cozy scents of the season into your home. By simmering a pot of water with your favorite fall ingredients, such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, citrus peels, and herbs like rosemary, you can fill your home with a natural, comforting aroma.

Fall Simmer Pot
Image courtesy of Wusthof (the G& M Kitchen)

13. When Should You Start Decorating for Fall?

There is no hard and fast rule about when to start decorating for fall, and many people choose to add autumnal touches to their homes in late August or early September. A rule of thumb is to begin with your interior décor in late September or early October. When the weather is cooler and the leaves have turned, your outdoor decorations can follow suit.

Some may wait until the official start of fall, typically around September 22nd or 23rd. Ultimately, deciding when to start decorating for fall depends on personal preference and the individual’s excitement for the season. Just remember to have fun and enjoy the cozy and festive atmosphere that autumn decor can bring to your home!

Fall Dining Room
Image courtesy of M Elle Design

14. Fall Entranceway Decorating Ideas

Fall is a beautiful time and the perfect time to decorate your entranceway to welcome the season. Summer-to-fall transition decor is all about swapping in new textures, accents, and foliage in a color palette that better reflects the cozier feel of the season.

First, choose a color scheme that complements the fall season. You can use warm colors like orange, red, and yellow, or go for a more rustic look with brown, green, and gold.

Next, add some natural elements to your decor. A console table in the entranceway is perfect for displaying candles and small pumpkins, gourds, and dry grasses. Add some fall flowers like mums and asters to add color and texture. Swap out your entranceway area rug with one that reflects fall colors.

Finally, remember to add some personal touches to your home decor. You can use signs, wreaths, or other decorations to showcase your unique style and personality.

Entryway in Fall Hues
Image courtesy of West of Main

15. Fall Decorating Ideas for the Living Room

The living room is often the heart of the home, where you’ll likely spend most of your time during the fall season. Here are a few fall decor ideas to transform your living room into a cozy retreat:

Layered Textiles: Add warmth and comfort to your living room by layering textiles. Think cozy throw blankets, plush pillows, and soft rugs in rich colors like burnt orange, deep red, and golden yellow.

These textures create a relaxing atmosphere and add visual interest to your space. Swap out lightweight fabrics like linen and cotton for heavier materials like wool, tweed, herringbone, faux fur, and velvet. Cashmere throws and blankets make sophisticated accents for your couch and cozy accompaniments for brisk fall evenings.

Fall Living Room Ideas
Image courtesy of Amber Interiors

Fall-Inspired Centerpiece: Use fall-inspired elements to create a stunning centerpiece for your coffee table or mantel. Consider a mix of dried flowers, branches, and candles for a rustic and natural look.

Warm Lighting: Embrace the soft glow of candles and warm lighting in your living room. Opt for floor and table lamps and string lights to create a cozy and inviting ambiance.

Decorate Your Hearth: Embellish your hearth with autumnal elements such as gourds, twigs, candles, and pinecones to create a warm focal point. Add bright bursts of color to the mantel or coffee table to infuse your living room with color.

Fall Decorating Ideas
Image courtesy of West of Main

Use Seasonal Blooms: Popular seasonal blooms in the living room include dahlias, asters, chrysanthemums, and camellias. Choose pots and urns in muted earth tones to pick up on the fall theme and provide an appealing contrast to your flowers—group neutral, dried grasses with woven and sculptural vases for a calming vignette.

Incorporate Seasonal Decor: Bring the fall into your living room with seasonal decor. Place pumpkins and gourds on your mantel or coffee table, and display fall foliage in a vase. Candles with scents like cinnamon and apple can also help create a fall ambiance.

Fall Living Room Colors
Image Courtesy of Oka

Swap Out Artwork: Consider swapping out your artwork or throw pillow covers for pieces that feature fall themes like leaves, pumpkins, and harvest motifs. Combining these elements allows you to transform your living room into a warm and inviting space perfect for autumn.

Introduce Soft Textures: As temperatures cool, introduce soft textures to your home decorations. Place wool or cotton throws on your couch. Or put them inside a woven basket where family members can easily pick one up to keep themselves warm during crisp evenings. Add cozy decorations in lounge areas and bedrooms, like plush area rugs, throw pillows, and bedding.

Infuse Your Home with Ambiance: Use flameless candles and lanterns for a soft glow at night. Then spray scents featuring notes of pumpkin spice, apples, autumn woods, or cinnamon throughout your space.

Fall Branches
Image courtesy of Chris Loves Julia

16. Fall Kitchen Ideas

Simple touches can make your kitchen a comfortable refuge for cool autumn evenings. Seasonal foliage in small wreaths, garlands, or tabletop arrangements brings the season’s beauty indoors.

Create a beautiful fall centerpiece for your kitchen table using a vase filled with sunflowers, mums, and dahlias. Bring the outdoors inside using natural elements like pumpkins, gourds, and pine cones.

You can place these items on your kitchen table, countertop, or window sill. Fall is all about warm colors like red, orange, and yellow. Add these colors to your kitchen using fall-themed tablecloths, placemats, and dish towels.

Kitchen in Fall Colors
Image courtesy of Heidi Callier

17. Fall Dining Room Ideas

Remember to add Autumn charm to your dining room and create a cozy atmosphere for family and friends. Here are some tips to help you decorate your dining room for fall:

Infuse the Dining Room with Hues of Fall: Use warm colors like orange, yellow, and red to add a touch of fall to your dining room. You can do this by adding a fall-colored tablecloth or using fall-themed placemats.

Fall-Inspired Centerpiece: Use seasonal elements to create a striking centerpiece for your dining room table. Consider a mix of miniature pumpkins, candles, and fall flowers for a beautiful and festive display.

Fall-inspired Table Setting: Create a beautiful table setting to set the mood for a fall feast. Incorporate autumnal elements such as pumpkins, gourds, fall foliage, and candles. Consider using warm-toned table linens and rustic dinnerware to complete the look.

Cozy Dining Chairs: Incorporate cozy chair cushions or slipcovers to add a touch of warmth and comfort to your dining chairs. Opt for fabrics in warm tones and textures to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

Fall Dining Room Ideas
Image courtesy of Chris Loves Julia

Add Fall-Themed Decorations: Use fall-themed decorations such as fall leaves, acorns, and pinecones to add a touch of fall to your dining room. You can use these decorations on your table or around the room.

Use Candlelight for a Warm Glow: Candles are a great way to add warmth and ambiance to your dining room. For a touch of fall, you can use fall-scented candles.

Add a Cozy Rug: A soft area rug in fall colors in your dining room can make it feel more inviting and warmer.

Fall Decorating Ideas: Fall Tablescape with Pears
Image courtesy of Pottery Barn 

18. Seasonal Bedroom Ideas

As the leaves turn and the air gets crisper, it’s the perfect time to bring the beauty of autumn to the bedroom. Incorporate hues reminiscent of the season – moody greys like a stormy sky, deep navy blues echoing the ocean’s depths, and earthy rust tones mirroring fallen leaves. These shades evoke a sense of warmth and coziness that perfectly complements the autumnal atmosphere.

Layer on the comfort with plush blankets, inviting pillows, and textured rugs. These finishing touches create a cozy and inviting ambiance, a haven to relax and unwind in as the days grow shorter.

In guest bedrooms, leave out a basket of spare blankets – a thoughtful touch for those chilly nights when temperatures dip further. Your guests will surely appreciate the extra comfort and feel right at home.

Cozy Layers for Fall in the Bedroom
Image courtesy of Amber Interiors

19. Decorating Ideas for Bathrooms

Fall is a great time to decorate your bathroom and make it feel cozy and inviting. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Add Fall-Themed Decor: Fall leaves, pumpkins, and acorns on open shelving and countertops can create a warm and inviting atmosphere in the bathroom.

Use Warm Colors: Shades of orange, red, and yellow can help create a cozy feel in your bathroom.

Add Scented Candles: Candles not only provide a great light source but also add a pleasant scent to your bathroom.

Use Seasonal Towels and Rugs: Replace your regular towels and area rugs with ones featuring a fall theme.

Add Fall-Inspired Artwork: Whether painting or a print, artwork can help tie together your fall-themed bathroom.

Fall Bathroom Ideas
Image courtesy of Pottery Barn 

20. Outdoor Fall Decorating Ideas

Adding seasonal plants and flowers is one of the easiest ways to decorate outdoor areas for fall. You can choose from various options, including mums, pansies, and asters. These plants are all great for fall and will add color to your outdoor space.

Add other elements for visual interest, such as pre-lit pumpkins that complement the harvest theme well. Their distinct, weathered look makes them stand out from the usual jack-o-lanterns. Traditional metal lanterns radiate elegance and cast an inviting glow when evening sets in.

21. Autumn Front Porch

Get your front porch ready for the fall harvest with a pair of planters surrounded by faux pumpkins, gourds, and mums. Add a few lanterns to create a welcoming glow for evening gatherings. Other options to add to your outdoor space are real pumpkins, hay bales, faux Autumn trees, and scarecrows.

If you have a porch or deck, add some fall-themed pillows and blankets to make it feel more cozy. You can choose from a variety of colors and patterns to match your outdoor space.

Autumn Front Porch with Orange Pillows
Image courtesy of Kathryn Packard

22. Outdoor Autumn Wreaths

Offer your guests a warm and cheerful welcome. Adorn your front door or porch with a vibrant wreath highlighting nature’s bounty. Lush wreaths and garlands with bronze, gold, brown, and orange foliage draw the eye and brighten your doorway.

Vibrant Autumnal Wreath
Image courtesy of Laurey Glenn Photography

23. Window Boxes

Vibrant window boxes provide a warm welcome in Autumn. Replace summer annuals with a mix of seasonal favorites such as cabbage, kale, mums, trailing vines, and grasses. Add depth and dimension to your outdoor container garden by layering the arrangement with pumpkins and ornamental gourds.

Window Box Display
Image courtesy of Contained Creations

24. Colorful Florals

Create a maximalist front porch display with a brilliantly colored display of autumnal materials. Jackie Greaney designed the stunning entryway below by choosing a single color for the florals, such as burgundy mums, to avoid overwhelming the front of her home. To create symmetry and balance, she added pumpkins and gourds for volume. The corn stalks perfectly draw your eye right up to the front door.

Colorful Entryway
Image courtesy of Jackie Greaney

25. What is the Best Fall Foliage to Use?

There are so many beautiful options for fall foliage and flowers. Use deep red, orange, vibrant yellow, purple leaves, and purple blooms to create a stunning autumnal display.

Popular choices include maple, oak, marigolds, and chrysanthemums. Of course, it’s essential to consider the colors and style of your space when choosing fall foliage and flowers, but with so many options available, you’re sure to find something that works perfectly for your needs.

Use seasonal blooms such as chrysanthemums, marigolds, asters, camellias, and dahlias. Select pots and urns in muted earth tones to complement the fall theme and create an appealing contrast with your flowers.

26. Incorporating Natural Elements 

When it comes to fall decor, incorporating natural elements is a must. Not only do they add warmth and texture to your space, but they also create a connection to the outdoors. Here are a few ways to incorporate natural elements into your fall decor:

Dried flowers and branches can be used to create beautiful arrangements for your living space. Consider placing them in vases, hanging them on walls, or incorporating them into your fall wreaths.

During your autumn walks, collect pinecones and acorns and use them as decorative elements. You can place them in bowls, scatter them on tables, or use them as vase fillers.

Bring the beauty of fall foliage indoors by incorporating branches with colorful leaves into your decor. Place them in vases or create a stunning centerpiece for your dining table. Faux branches are the perfect low-maintenance way to add a warm burst of color to your space.

27. DIY Fall Decor Projects

If you enjoy crafting, why not try DIY fall decor projects? Not only will this allow you to add a personal touch to your living space, but it can also be a fun and fulfilling activity. Here are a few DIY fall decor ideas to get you inspired:

Fall Wreath: Use dried flowers, leaves, and branches to create a beautiful fall wreath. Customize it with your favorite colors and textures to reflect your style.

Pumpkin Centerpiece: Carve out a pumpkin and use it as a unique centerpiece for your dining or coffee table. Fill it with fall flowers or candles for an eye-catching display.

Leaf Garland: Collect fallen leaves from your backyard and create a stunning leaf garland on your mantel or staircase. You can paint them in warm autumnal colors or leave them in their natural state for a rustic look.

Autumn’s Softer Side
Image Courtesy of Balsam Hill

28. Transitioning from Summer to Fall Decor

Transitioning from summer to fall decor can be a manageable task. With a few simple changes, you can quickly transform your living space from light and airy to warm and cozy. Here are a few tips for a seamless transition:

Swap out Light Fabrics: Replace lightweight fabrics like linen and cotton with warmer materials like wool and velvet. Swap out your light summer curtains for heavier drapes that add warmth and insulation to your space.

Introduce Warm Tones: Gradually introduce warm tones into your decor by adding accessories in fall-inspired colors. Think throw pillows, blankets, rugs, and artwork.

Add Layers: As the temperatures drop, warm up your living space with cozy blankets and throws. Layer them on sofas, chairs, and beds. This adds visual interest and keeps you warm and comfortable during the cooler months.

Transitioning Seasons
Image Courtesy of Amber Interiors

Fall Decorating Ideas Conclusion

As this article explores, transforming your living space with fall decor is an easy way to embrace the changing season and create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. From choosing a color palette that reflects the warmth of fall to incorporating cozy textures, fresh flowers, tree branches, Indian corn, mini pumpkins, and inexpensive decorations, there are endless possibilities for creating a space that exudes the season’s essence. With creativity, resourcefulness, and attention to detail, you can transform your living space into a warm and inviting retreat you’ll never want to leave. 

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