The Top 10 Decorating Trends for Fall Will Make Your Home Cozier

Whether you mourn the end of summer or can’t wait for the leaves to turn and the air to turn crisp, it’s time to look at ways to freshen up your home’s decor for the approaching autumn season.

Decorating Trends for Fall

This is the time to plan seasonal changes so that as your family returns to spending more time indoors, everything is comfortable, cozy and stylish. Here’s a rundown of the top ten fall decor trends to get your imagination going. 

A Neutral Palette

Color of pumpkin design

Entering a living space should be calming and bring up feeling of coziness and comfort and there’s nothing more serene than a neutral palette. Sticking with a mix of neutral tones means that you create a backdrop that’s easy to enliven at any time. 

Color of pumpkin design

Feel the need for a pop of seasonal color? Add some bright cushions or an accessory that highlights the season. In fact, a neutral room is the perfect setting for adding fall flowers and leaves. Neutral spaces won’t feel boring as long as you incorporate different tones and textures to create an interesting tableau. 

Velvet

Color of pumpkin design

While we don’t think that velvet will ever go out of style, it’s definitely a trend for the coming fall season. It’s easy to understand why: Soft, plush and inviting, settling into a velvet chair or sofa is a luxurious experience, especially in the cooler weather. Even if you’re not the one sitting in it, the look and texture of this fabulous fabric are alluring all on their own.

Color of pumpkin design

Any color of velvet is a good choice, but for real autumn flavor, choosing a seasonal color for a velvet piece is an added cozy bonus. Shades of burgundy, maroon and brick red are visually very warming and will easily blend with any other seasonal accessories.

Checkered Prints

Color of pumpkin design
Image from Jordan Iverson Signature Homes

Checked prints –specifically buffalo plaid — can add a cozy, homespun feeling to any space, from a modern living room to a farmhouse kitchen. These prints come in a range of color combinations and can be a permanent part of the decor or just a seasonal addition.

Try recovering an armchair or two in a checked print as in this living room from Jordan Iverson Signature Homes. If you’re not ready to commit, try some accent textiles such as pillows, a throw or even slipcovers.

Color of pumpkin design

For a more rustic look. you can’t go wrong with a red and black buffalo plaid, which will also transition seamlessly into a cozy holiday decor scheme. Again, this is the kind of accent you can try out with pieces and accessories that don’t require a major financial commitment.

Cottage Style

Color of pumpkin design
Image from A la Maison Home and Lifestyle LLC

During the start of the pandemic, the cottagecore style got a lot of attention, but for many people, it might be a little too eclectic. The root vibes of this style are still attractive to many people, hence the rise of cottage style.

The beauty of this style is that it can be incorporated into existing rooms, such as this open plan living space by A la Maison Home and Lifestyle.

By adding specific cottage elements to a room, such as the wooden furniture and accessories, and keeping the overall look focused on simplicity, it’s easy to make a small shift toward this type of interior decor. 

Color of pumpkin design

Cottage style is also easy to have fun with, creating an eclectic room like this one by Corynne Pless that incorporates a little French country flair. Some slipcovers and cheery wall treatment pair nicely with French country elements like the style of the footstool and the prints on the cushions.

A Nordic Sensibility

Color of pumpkin design

The Scandinavians are the original Hygge experts, so it’s no wonder that Nordic style is one of the top 10 fall decorating trends. The comfort lies in the simplicity, comfort and function of the furniture and accessories found in Nordic style decor.

This dining table and chairs from Valley Variety in Hudson, New York are a good example because it is above all functional for just about any family use, as well as clean-lined and attractive.

Color of pumpkin design

Nordic style is also great for modern and urban spaces because it adds comfort to areas that can feel stark otherwise. An open-concept New York apartment includes a number of elements that have Nordic flair, such as the wooden ladder shelf and the accessories throughout.

Fall Leaves & Florals

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Adding flowers in fall colors, or leaves and dried arrangements is one of the fastest ways to add seasonal decor and that’s a good thing because this is one of the top trends for fall.

Bringing the outdoors in is always a great idea and fall is even better with all the deeply hued flowers, vibrant leaves and interesting branches.  Go big like this massive arrangement or opt for minimalist branches and sprays in a simple bottle or vase — your choice!

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Tabletop arrangements are another way to incorporate this top decorating trend for fall, and it is not limited to the centerpiece! Choose placemats and napkins that have a festive autumn feel for your next dinner party, or even for every day. Instead of regular place cards use these cute leaf shapes from Hester & Cook.

Candles

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Candles, candles and more candles! We can’t say it enough — there’s no such thing as too many candles, so it’s no surprise this is one of the top 10 decorating trends for fall. Lighting a candle — or ten — is an immediate mood booster and creates great ambiance, among other benefits.

Candles will make any space in your house feel cozier. By the way, if you live in an apartment that doesn’t allow burning real candles, the newest battery-operated styles are just as calming and beautiful as the real thing.

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For plenty of style with a dash of sustainability, go for a refillable candle instead of the types that leave you with empty containers. These stylish vessels have wax-burning refills or a special nontoxic, ecofriendly safety fuel for the liquid style.

Lanterns

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Image from atlanticarchives

You might already have lanterns on your patio, so bring them on inside for the fall months or transfer them to your front porch. Either way, lanterns make a space feel instantly more welcoming, whether lit or not. When a candle is burning inside, it’s like a beacon calling you into the space. You can make them feel more seasonal by adding flowers, branches or other decor items to their styling.

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Image from Martha O’Hara Interiors

Lanterns make a stylish addition to coffee table decor, or to the accessories on a credenza or console. It creates a homey feeling and the architecture of the lantern puts the spotlight on the candle inside. Again, this is a fabulous accessory whether the candle is lit or not.

Modern Farmhouse

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Image from Drewett Works

Some media have declared the farmhouse trend over, but it is still super popular and is actually one of the top home decor trends for fall. The simplicity and down-home coziness of modern farmhouse style is a large part of the appeal as consumers try to make their homes feel more comforting.

It has evolved since it burst onto the scene and in many cases has moved on from subway tile and shiplap. This is a fabulous example with white walls, a touch of rustic in the beams, and marvelous architectural window frames. 

Color of pumpkin design

Modern farmhouse style also works well in smaller spaces, like this living room. The accents of natural wood pair nicely with the gray shiplap fireplace, which is a modern take on one of the elements that made this style famous.

Farmhouse accessories like the rustic blanket ladder and galvanized metal basked are subtle accents characteristic of the basic style.

Spice up With Pumpkin Hues

Color of pumpkin design
Color of pumpkin design

Take the iconic color of fall, add it to your interior and you have one of the big fall decor trends. Whether you paint your whole dining room a burnt orange or just choose to do a  pupkin0hued accent wall, the effect is the same: A room that feels warm and cozy. If you have a room like this library that features a lot of natural wood, the color of pumpkin is your trendy friend.

Color of pumpkin design

Those who are not ready to commit to the color of pumpkin on such a grand scale can easily swap out smaller elements for just an equally strong impact.

Here, the rug is mainly cream, but the rusty orange color makes the design pop and dominate the room. A few other accessories that include shades of pumpkin help reinforce the mood.

While there are lots of ways to make a home feel cozier as the season changes, these top 10 fall home decor trends respond to what people are looking for: More ease, comfort and coziness inside, no matter what the weather or environment is outside.