I love fall just as much as the rest of the world does, but I must admit: I’m not keen on fall decor. At the end of August many stores begin to fill their shelves with decor pieces like leaf garlands, pinecone potpourri and pumpkins of every shape, size and colour. I know so many people that go crazy over these seasonal decor pieces, but you definitely won’t find them in my house.
Even though I love decorating for the seasons, I find these decor pieces tacky and expensive for what they are. As a student with a tiny budget for home decor, I just don’t see how it’s worth it to spend money on pieces that can only be used for one season.
So instead, I’ve come up with a few things that I do around my own house to welcome the cooler months. For me, it’s all about creating a cozy atmosphere – not about adding orange trinkets. With these ideas it’s a lot easier to transform your home for fall without breaking the bank.
Cozy textiles
Layering textures and materials through blankets and pillows is the first thing I focus on when trying to create a tastefully cozy atmosphere.
I’ve pulled together three different moods through colour schemes that work for fall with pieces that work for other seasons as well. These are little collections of items that you can pull apart and rearrange depending on your mood (or the weather outside) without having to go out and buy more stuff.
The details
These are only a few colour schemes that work to create an autumnal feel, but I’m sure there are many more that would work.
NEUTRAL MONOCHROME is a neutral colour scheme that works well with modern decor. The cream cable knit pillow, mixed with the black and beige patterned basket add softness and texture that work well for fall. Although the colours are really simple, mixing prints and patterns is a great way to create visual interest without overloading the space with colour.
BRIGHT & COZY appeals to people that love bringing pops of colour into their home. The use of turquoise next to the warm mustard yellow is a bold and unexpected choice but in my opinion it works really well. This is perfect if you already have turquoise pillows from the summertime. Bringing in natural elements like the wooden clock and the simple throw blanket anchor the space and make it feel comforting and homey.
BOLD & CLASSIC brings an air of sophistication to any space. The rich emerald colour is a warm and wintery choice for those who aren’t a fan of brassy colours. This colour scheme can be enhanced with gold details such as this quirky gold pineapple candle from H&M Home to further enhance the glamour of the bold colour choice. Light grey velvet cushions add luxurious softness, while the cream cable knit pillow covers introduce a countrified charm.
Fall Scent
We cannot forget about scent and smells, especially with the Bath & Body Works fall candle collection being so popular. Again, I’m going to side with an extremely unpopular opinion: I don’t like B&B candles! While the scents they provide are quite yummy, I hate the packaging and find them expensive. I’m not sure if this is a common thing but I also notice that I get headaches when strongly scented candles are being burned.
Instead of spending tons of money on various scented candles, I prefer to use regular white unscented candles from IKEA to create ambiance. To mimic the spicy & sweet aroma that B&B seems to have perfected I love making stove-top aroma concoctions. I prefer this because I know exactly what ingredients I’m using instead of having a bunch of chemicals burning in the air. I also like having a consistent scent throughout my apartment instead of having four different scents merging together.
Make your own stove-top aroma:
- Fill a medium sized pot halfway with water
- Cut two apples into halves and add them to the pot
- Peel the rind off of one whole orange and add it to the pot
- Add a couple whole cinnamon sticks and cloves (you may also add any other spices you like)
- Finish off with one tablespoon of vanilla
- Bring to a boil, then let steep for as long as you want the scent to fill your home
Well, there you have it! A few simple ways to bring fall into your home. If you’d like more fall inspiration check out my “Autumn” board on Pinterest, or sign up for emails to be notified of my upcoming posts. I’m hoping to get a home tour up in the next few weeks!
How do you decorate for fall?
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