A chill in the evening air, pumpkin stands along country roads, early evening sunsets, and reaching for your favourite cozy sweater - all tell-tale signs of the arrival of fall! While it can be sad to say goodbye to the summer, the good news is that fall-decorating season is officially upon us. It’s a season that centres around nature and whimsy, and is quite possibly the most fun you will have decorating all year, so let your fall-decor-loving-self run free!
With so many fall decor items available in local shops, it can be overwhelming to choose what suits both your personal style and the style of your home. You might be drawn to tiny gourds, leaf garlands, and pumpkins galore, but these can easily become 'clutter' around your home if not added strategically. We’ve put together our best tips for getting your home fall-ready in no time!
1) Beware of Pumpkin Overload - Our first handy tip is not to buy every single pumpkin in sight. We know, it's hard! However, having a combination of textures, colours, and shapes is one way to ensure your fall decorating is adding interest and variety to your spaces. Consider creating a centrepiece using a well-sized large pumpkin, a candle lantern, and a small pumpkin or gourd, then add some loose leaves to fill in the space. Wood planks, logs, and branches can also add a natural touch.
2) Repurpose Existing Pieces for Spunky Vignettes – Take a look at some of your everyday décor, and consider simply adding some seasonal touches. It can be a lot of work to pack up your standard décor items for the season, and will also allow you to keep some of the more functional pieces within the space, while still sporting a fall look. Items such as pillar candleholders, geometrical metal shapes or spheres, trays, baskets, and decorative orbs are all great examples of neutral items that can be used in tandem with your seasonal decor! Take the tray that currently sits on your ottoman hosting candles and coasters and add a couple of mini pumpkins, and a touch of greenery for a fresh look. This can be changed with each season, creating visually appealing seasonal vignettes around your home.
3) Pack Away Some Every Day Décor Items – Once you have determined which items will remain, you will want to edit some of the spaces to avoid décor overwhelm. Fall is a time for layers, so don’t be afraid to embellish your current décor a bit, but some standard decorating rules still apply. Choose groupings in odd numbers, varying heights, and remove the excess. Pack away the excess items, and with winter decorating around the corner, consider that you may not see those items for a few months yet!
4) Try a Monochrome Look - If you're tired of oranges, burgundies, yellows, and golds - try white! Nothing looks more crisp than some monochrome white pumpkins, paired with soft linens, white candles, and black and wood accents. White pumpkins lend easily to a 'modern farmhouse' vibe, and also pair well with silver, if this is more of your preference. White will typically allow you to utilize more of your existing decor pieces, as well.
5) Distinguish between 'Fall' and 'Halloween' Decorating – To gain the most longevity of the season, start with fall décor, and avoid the witch hats, owls, and black cats until midway through October (of course, if the black cats are your furbabies, then they can stay put). It can be so tempting to scoop up a mix of traditional fall decor and witch hats - just be mindful of how long you would like to keep your decor out. Neutral fall items will be able to stay displayed longer in the season than jack-o-lanterns and bats!
6) Don't forget the outside! - There may be no easier season to decorate the outside of your home for, than fall! Check out your local farms and greenhouses to gather some hay bales, cornstalks, pumpkins and mums! Utilize your existing urns, and arrange a small grouping of seasonal items around your door or porch to have a welcoming, cozy feel to greet your guests. Remember to pick items of varying shapes and sizes to create a nice visual balance!
Above photos courtesy of Crawford's Garden Centre