When you start to feel the crispness in the air and see hints of gold start to creep on the trees, it means that fall is officially on its way. And while nature's magic is happening outside, it's up to you to create the cozy home of your dreams inside with our very best fall decorating ideas for your living room, dining room, bedroom, kitchen, and more.
Because this time of year is all about making your home look and feel as cozy and homey as possible, we've gathered up the prettiest rustic fall decorating ideas that are easy to pull off but oh-so-impressive at the same time. Simple additions like festive fall door decorations, dining room decor (including fall centerpieces for your dining table and buffet), and fall mantel decor ideas for the living room bring a stylish, autumnal touch throughout your home. And you'd be surprised how just a couple of plaid pillows and blankets make a huge impact.
If you're on a budget and wondering how you can do some fall decorating on the cheap, just look outside! There is not better way to welcome the season than snipping a fall branch and putting it in your favorite crock. And, don't worry: We've got some fall decorating ideas for outside too!
1
Wool Blanket Pouf
Add a seasonal touch to your living room with this fun project. Turn a plaid wool blanket into a comfy footrest. Start by cutting a blanket into six 16-inch squares. Topstitch the pieces together in a cube, leaving a 6-inch opening. Stuff with shredded memory foam filling, and stitch closed. Add a decorative blanket stitch along the outer edges.
2
Pine Cone Tassels
You know those iron pine cone weights that hang from cuckoo clocks? Employ them as a decorative curtain tiebacks using ribbon or rope. They will add a seasonal touch to any corner of the house.
3
Plumed Centerpiece
Elevate your table with this unexpected arrangement. Hollow out a tall gourd such as a Hubbard squash, and slice a sliver off the bottom to help it stand. Place a piece of damp floral foam inside and fill with feathers, foliage, and flowers (here, roses and ranunculus). For the festooned pumpkins, use hot-glue to cover with long turkey (large) or pheasant (small) feathers. For the larger pumpkin, finish with wispy green chicken feathers around the crown.
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4
Mossy Wreath
Create a textural wreath by incorporating different types of moss, such as Spanish moss, preserved forest moss, and dried tree lichen. To make, cover a 12- to 16-inch foam wreath form with clumps of moss and lichen, attaching with hot-glue. Glue tiny bits of moss and lichen around the stems of mini white pumpkins, then secure to the wreath with floral pins and wire.
5
Pumpkin Flower Tower
This topiary will become the show-stopper of any fall event. Start with three white pumpkins that stack nicely. Remove the stems from the bottom and middle pumpkins. Insert three wooden skewers into the bottom of the middle pumpkin, then pierce the skewers into the top of the bottom pumpkin to help hold them together. Repeat with the top and middle pumpkins. Using long floral greening pins, attach small pieces of damp floral foam where the pumpkins meet. Insert flowers (here, dahlias, ranunculus, and roses), foliage, and privet berries around each tier.
6
Bring on the Pumpkins!
Go all out on your front door like this Virginia mountain cottage did for fall. Load up your car with pumpkins and mums of various shades to create a sophisticated and collected look.
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7
Create the Warmest Welcome
Make guests feel right at home from the moment they meet your front door. Here, fall door decorations up the curb appeal outside. Once inside, cozy paint colors and wallpaper, fresh flowers, and a soft vintage runner underfoot make this entry hall feel as special as any room in the house.
8
Layer in Pine Cones
Take a note from this Virginia mountain cottage and layer in a gathering basket full of freshly gathered pine cones to ring in the season.
9
Display Prized Collections
Bring out the good (fall-themed) plates! Take a note from this homeowner and display your collection in a dark wood hutch. Mix in pieces of white pottery and smoky glassware for a more collected look. Want a no-fuss flower arrangement? Layer feathers in a crock.
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10
Warm Up a Room with a Fire
We can't think of a better way to cozy up a living room or den than with a roaring fire. Get your chimney checked out to make sure it's in proper working order, then get to decorating with fall mantel decor ideas. Faux topiaries are a Country Living favorite — they add elegance with ease!
11
Create a Cozy Cubby
Turn unused space into a kid- and adult-friendly hideaway complete with books, a reading light, and piles of pillows and nubby blankets.
12
All the Ironstone!
Gather dishware and collectibles in like colors to display on open shelving. Here, this shelf that sits atop a rustic worktable is packed with ironstone dishes. The pieces have varying tones—from white to creamy to beigy-brown—and make for a nice, neutral spot to display white pumpkins.
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13
Hang Woven Pieces for Homey Texture
Hang woven baskets and trays on the wall to add some texture and dimension to a collection of framed artwork. This idea works all year round but we love how the rich browns of these woven pieces blend well with pumpkin-colored pillows and fall florals.
14
Bring Out Your Copper Collection
The hanging collection of copper pots insures the practical merges with the pretty in this hardworking farmhouse kitchen. And doesn't copper go so well with a fall color scheme?
15
Pair Furniture from Different Periods
Have a little fun with decorating and mix up furniture styles for a lived-in, collected-over-time vibe. Here, a pair of orange velvet sofas that date back to 1962 make nice with a Shaker-style sideboard piled with pumpkins. A coffee table, made from an iron gate, adds an outdoorsy touch to the gathering space.
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16
Get Ready for Guests
Give your guest bedroom a little love this time of year, as friends and family pay visits on long holiday weekends. An old wood dresser repurposed as a nightstand adds a spot for books, fresh blooms, and storage for extra linens. Tuck a folding luggage rack in the closet for easy unpacking and packing.
17
Build a Bar and Games Station
Turn any table into a serve-yourself entertainment station this fall, when more time is spent indoors and family and friend visits are more frequent. Here, an old post office sorting table becomes a one-stop shop for drinks and games.
18
Hunt and Gather
Sheaves of wheat in vases make a statement on the mantel, while bowls of collected pine cones make for the easiest (and free!) fall decor.
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19
Accessorize Your Coffee Table
Clear off the summer clutter and bring out seasonal accessories. Here, antlers, brass candlesticks, and even the colors on the book covers arranged on the coffee table work together with (not against) the room's natural and textural decorating style.
20
Add Foliage to Pumpkins
Hit the road, Jack! Carved pumpkins don't hold a candle to this naturally brilliant idea. Use Mod Podge to découpage a white gourd with pressed leaves harvested from your own backyard.
Anna Logan
Senior Homes & Style Editor
Anna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she covers design and decorating trends, home features, and gift guides. She also produces home features and styles content for the print magazine. When she isn’t working, can often be found digging around antique shops for the perfect find. Follow her adventures on Instagram!
