Full disclosure, I might be the only person in the whole world who doesn’t love the seasonal fall pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. I don’t really like coffee *gasp (my English roots have made me a tea drinker through and through) and secondly, I really don’t like pumpkin. Maybe my dislike for the flavour of pumpkin also turned me off pumpkins all together and I’ve never really had an interest in using them for anything at all – including decorating. So if you, like me, don’t include pumpkins in your fall decor then this blog post is for you! Here are some ways to gently bring fall vibes into your home without using pumpkins.
1. Fall Florals
Bring all those beautiful red tones, burnt oranges, crisp coppers and dusty greens inside your home and let them take centre stage in the fall decorating plan. Cut the long grasses right from your garden or visit your local florist to get your hands on the many gorgeous fall florals that await you. Beautiful, feathery pampas grass or cottontail stems are perfect for a more neutral colour story AND they last forever! Switching your glass vases to ceramic ones will add warmer tones and help to add some visual weight to balance the often lofty look of fall florals. Terracotta (both colour and material) made a major comeback last year and honestly, I am still loving the earthy and timeless feel of anything terracotta. Pottery Barn had this beautifully aged terracotta vase and immediately fell in love.
2. Pillows
Pillows always get a bad rap for being fluffy (pun intended) design elements. I love pillows because I love textiles and retail pillows are an affordable way to bring gorgeous texture to any room for fall. Think not only of the fabrics, but of the material’s rich colour tones when looking for your fall pillow inspiration: leather, suede, plaid, fur, tweed, and knits. Take your cues from your fall wardrobe as long as they work within your space. It isn’t always possible to introduce these richer colours if your room is filled with brighter colours. If this is the case with you, keep reading for tips that will work better in colourful rooms.
3. Candles
Earlier sunsets mean you don’t need to wait up until 10:00 pm to get the right ambience for some cozy candlelit reading. I generally really dislike winter with the cold weather, shorter days and the ice covered roads that make getting anywhere take three times as long as in summer. However, there is something to be said about slowing down during the fall season and still being able to enjoy the scenery and temperatures before that whole ‘winter is coming’ mindset totally sinks in. Throw some candlelit into the mix and the atmosphere instantly improves. Choosing candles that are clean burning is always a good idea. To read more about clean burning candles, check out this article from Elle. Create mantle-scapes with a bunch of candles, add them to your powder room, or keep one on your kitchen island.
4. Shelf Vignettes
It isn’t even necessary to go out and buy florals or new pillowcases to bring fall into your home. Gather items already in your house that could pass for a fall theme. Group them together with a candle or a basket and make little vignettes out of these items to capture a fall feeling. Cookbooks with fall themed meals, copper pots, and a candle would be perfect for a kitchen scene. In the bathroom, a book with a fall coloured spine, a candle, and some rustic soaps would be cute. Throw in a new bath mat for extra measure! It never hurts to freshen those up frequently. Of course mantles and built ins provide ideal opportunities for swapping out summer scenes for woven textures, darker colours and of course candles.
5. Blankets and Baskets
These are items that are not only useful, but add beautiful texture and warmth to pretty much any room. Place a beautiful basket or two at the front door to hold hats and gloves as the temperature dips. Place them next to the sofa and roll up a throw blanket or two with rich tones and soft textures. Baskets are both functional and decorative and are an inexpensive addition to your space. Plus, you can move them around as needed – to the laundry room, to the bedroom, to the playroom. Blankets are pretty much a necessity in the cold, northern climate of Alberta. Don’t fall into the blanket trap and accumulate too many though! You only need one for each family member that will use the space, otherwise you run the risk overcrowding the space and losing balance in the room.
If all else fails and you really aren’t the type to switch up your decor to welcome fall into your home, no problem. I recommend getting a cheezy door matt to say hey, fall is here and this is the most I am willing to do. I think they are kind of cute. See below for some of my favourites.
One last note. There are many front doors beautifully decorated for fall using pumpkins and wreaths. A sophisticated execution using pumpkins can be the epitome of fall decorating. I’ll leave you with this front door design from Brook Wagner Design. Feast your eyes on the seasonal beauty she brings to the entrance of her home – so inviting! And yes, those are pumpkins, but aren’t rules meant to be broken? Especially for these verdant green varieties. Thanksgiving is just one week away so I hope this post inspires you to bring a little fall to your home.
