Simple and affordable fall decorating ideas to dress up your home

A bit of color, nature and texture can turn your space into a cozy retreat.

Turning your home into a charming refuge is easier than lighting a pumpkin spice candle. Just add some warm colors, fuzzy textures and rich smells (aka above-noted candle) and you’ll be ready for crunchy leaves and cooler weather. Create your fall decor palette with ideas from KSL Homes.

Incorporate warm tones into your fall decor

Fall decorating is all about the brilliant, soothing hues you’d find on a hike through the Wasatch Range. But in this case, you don’t need to worry about running into a bear. Choose a creamy ivory, chocolate brown or deep greens where you want a neutral backdrop. A simple table runner in olive green, for example, instantly adds depth to a fireplace mantel, coffee table or dining table.

For the doorstep and floors, add pops of color with accent rugs in oranges, or stay more earthy with rich browns and reds. Mustard yellow and ivory also work well for pillows and other accessories.

Blankets and pillow covers are an inexpensive way to add pops of seasonal color to your home.

Add color with decorative pillows

What do you wear on your walks through nature? A cozy fleece, sweater or flannel shirt, of course. Bring those same textures to your living room. Pillow covers are a quick and inexpensive way to change up your fall home decor. Spice up your couch pillows with covers in nubby or velvety fabrics to add instant warmth to the room.

Make your favorite chair even more inviting for reading a book or taking a nap with a comfy throw blanket. If you have monotone furnishings, choose a plaid pattern to add rustic charm.

When you have a patterned couch or chair, a coordinating solid — with a bit of texture — will work well. Bonus points if you choose neutral colors such as green or white, because the blanket will work for both fall and winter decor.

Find fluffy throws here →

Liven up your fall porch with a basket of pumpkins.

Use pumpkins to decorate

Take inspiration from your garden when it comes to fall decorating. For your porch, wrap a ribbon around some yellowed corn stalks. Then, position some pumpkins and gourds in a basket, in a galvanized bucket or on a bale of hay.

Inside, arrange different sizes of the squashes on tabletops, around the fireplace or on the piano. They’re not only colorful, but they also come in different shapes, adding visual interest to your living space. Consider investing in foam or fabric versions. Not only can you find the shapes you want, they’ll last for the entire season, and the next, and the next.

Shop artificial pumpkins here →

Remember to add greenery, such as pinecones or leaves, which can be sprinkled across a bookshelf or placed in a clear glass jar. To give your fall decor some height, fill a pretty vase or pitcher with leafy or berry-filled branches, or even interesting twigs.

Did someone say pumpkin spice candles?

Remember smells in your fall decorating

Nothing says fall like the smell of crisp apples (and apple crisp), vanilla and baked cinnamon. But as much as we’d love to dig into a cobbler every day, our pants might not appreciate it. Fortunately, you don’t need to bake to make your home smell as if you do. Instead, simply add a candle to each room.

Unlit candles in pretty jars can be nestled amongst your other decor. Or, place one on a cupcake stand as a subtle way to highlight it. You can give any basic candle a facelift by tying a bright ribbon or twine around it.

If you prefer avoiding open flames, or have young children, use a diffuser instead.

Search fall scented candles here →

Add seasonal items to focal points in your home, from the fireplace to the front door.

Bring nature into your fall decor

With just a few color changes, it’s clear when fall has arrived outside. Bring those rich colors inside for your fall home decor. You can easily transform your space with a sprinkle of simple decorations, a bit of nature and softer textures.