Fall Decorating Ideas: 12 Tips for Adding Fall Color to the Living Room
In this post: Looking for fall decorating ideas to warm up your living spaces? Here are 12 tips for adding fall color to the living room.⇒
One of the things I most love about fall is the warm feeling it brings to the home.
The mere mention of fall brings a plethora of sensory delights to mind, like the sound of walking through crisp leaves, the taste of butternut squash soup, the cozy feeling of chunky knit sweaters and the aroma of pumpkin spice everything.
From plush textured fabrics to traditional autumnal imagery, fall is a season that’s hard to ignore.
Fall Decorating Ideas
But above all else, the season is most known for its own unique color palette, a cacophony of rich tones on the warm side of the color wheel, that are rarely used together in this way at any other time of year.
While I generally start my seasonal decorating in very neutral colors, as the season progresses I enjoy adding in richer tones. This can be done tastefully and with a light hand, as well as with a unique approach to avoid looking like a display at the local farm stand.
Here are 12 tips for adding fall color to the living room.
1. Fall Floral
When working with color, I often start with a floral arrangement, particularly if coordinating with patterns I’ll be using in the space (see below). A mistake I’ve occasionally made is selecting blooms that are too bright for the room’s palette, so I try to take care to use subdued fall tones.
I paired deep burgundy mums with soft peach and cream roses, using hints of fiery orange in upright branches that peek out above the blooms. Seeded eucalyptus lends a beautiful drape to the cluster and the white vintage ironstone pitcher acts as a unifying foundation.
2. Patterned Pillows
In my largely neutral rooms, I bring color in with accent decor. The easiest and most impactful way to do this is with an array of throw pillows. If you tell your story through the textiles you select and mirror that concept with your florals, you’re more than halfway there!
In this case, I opted for a surprising mix of animal print with floral, a favorite pairing I enjoy playing with. The floral sets the tone for the entire room, merging rich dark hues like claret and chocolate with softer neutrals to tamp down the effect. The result is a palette that’s luxuriantly seasonal, yet easy to live with at the same time.
The look is further softened by balancing the lush patterns with neutral linen.
3. Throw Blanket
A toasty throw blanket is a wonderful item to drape over a chair, or to wrap yourself up in on a chilly evening. It also provides an opportunity to punctuate a space with texture and color. Here, I’ve incorporated a lovely cinnamon throw, for a punch of fall ambiance, but you’ll notice the hue is a bit washed down.
I find using chalky colors is the key to maintaining refinement and sophistication when working with a broad palette. It also makes it easier to mix analogous colors that may not be an exact match. The idea is to leave an impression with similar tones, so that they harmonize rather than conform perfectly.
4. Mums in a Cast Iron Planter
Not just for the front porch, in the past few years I’ve been enjoying brining mums into the house. Here I popped a small russet mum into a vintage cast iron planter on an antiqued three drawer chest. The simple presentation reflects the mood set by the more complex floral on the center coffee table, and adds a bit of fall flair to this side of the room. Toss in a few baby boos for a subtle nod to the season.
5. Apples in Copper Vessels
The quintessential component in a fall palette, I’ve been enjoying the versatility of copper for quite some time. When paired with neutrals it adds a subtle gleam, but when mixed with deeper colors, its own red undertones can really be appreciated.
This charming shallow planter looks all the more lush when filled with a bounty of apples, although alternatively you can use pears, gourds or tiny pumpkins.
In this room, I feel, this is a pivotal piece that pulls the entire room together, acting as an anchor that connects the peach roses, the cinnamon throw and the floral pillows. Such a small piece with such a large role.
6. Assortment of Heirloom Pumpkins
In the corner of the living room, we keep an antique bookcase that’s the perfect height for a substantial vignette on top. This is an ideal spot to organize a display of pumpkins, and I’ve styled a grouping around a vintage bucket of seasonal branches.
Of course you can go with classic orange, but the more interesting pumpkins in both shape and color can be found at farm stands in pale warm colors. I’m a big fan of heirloom pumpkins and scatter them about all over the house.
7. Wine, Spirits and Pretty Goblets
A fresh way to decorate is to expand your thinking beyond traditional decor. Fall is a wonderful season to use food and drink in your vignettes. For the harvest season you might try sprinkling in vineyard imagery, from clusters of grapes to a vibrant bottle of wine. Amber goblets are a lovely complement to the dark elixir.
Likewise, a gorgeous crystal decanter filled with amber spirits, sits happily next to a tortoise shell old-fashioned tumbler.
8. Autumn Branches in a Copper Jug
The perfect marriage of two fall classics, you can’t beat the mix of fall branches tucked into a vibrant copper jug. These faux branches are incredibly lifelike and the lush eggplant tone pairs wonderfully with the warm and reflective metal.
I love to soften the corners of a large piece of furniture with a floor planter or standing vase, and this one does the job beautifully while adding a dose of seasonal color. Fall branches come in a range of hues, shapes and sizes which can readily define your autumn look, as the colors you mix tell a story all their own.
9. Dried Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas dry beautifully, adding a lovely touch to any arrangement. Here I have them overflowing from a distressed vase, but I really can’t get enough of them and use them all over the house.
Depending on the original color of your hydrangeas, the shades soften as they dry and yield some enchanting fall tones. As long as you handle them gently, you can use them year after year, and they are so simple to dry in place.
10. Cup of Tea on a Stack of Books
I’m always happy to display my teacups, and what better opportunity than relaxing with a book and a cup of tea? A steaming cup of tea says fall to me and it also suggests a note of tranquility.
Place atop a stack of vintage leather bound books, which themselves impart an autumnal aura with their richly worn bindings.
A cushion backdrop of animal print or tweed, along with other weighty textiles, forecast the quest for warmth that this season initiates.
11. Seasonal Candles
A huge fan of aromatic candles, I think any room can benefit by a few, but especially a composition of fall seasonal scents. On a pretty side table, I placed a copper candle along with an all time fave, a lavender honey candle in amber glass. Other options include the ubiquitous pumpkin spice, but also cinnamon, maple, fig and currant.
12. Wheat Stalks in a Wood Vase
Another bit of classic fall imagery is that of hay bales and hay stalks. The stalks look wonderful in a wood vessel, which complements the dry texture nicely without robbing it of its inherent warmth. Wheat stalks work as well, imparting the same flavor.
There are innumerable ways to add fall color to your home, but my favorites are the ones that celebrate the snug and homey intimacy of the season. Rich but softened color is my current mantra and a neutral base is the optimal way to showcase the palette. Play with these tones and enjoy this simple pleasures this season has to offer!
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Such lovely photos filled with Fall inspiration! Just beautiful!!
Thank so much, Cynthia! It’s such a delightful season to decorate for, isn’t it?
Great tips Lory which lend to great Fall decor in that most gorgeous room!!! Happy Fall!
Thanks so much, Shirley!
Those are all great ideas for adding fall touches in the home.
Thanks, Kim and thanks for stopping by! I seemed to have trouble with my links but got them all fixed and have yesterday’s added in now too… 🙂
I love all of these tips! Everything looks so beautiful.
Nancy
Thank you, Nancy!
Lory, everything looks beautiful! Such wonderful Fall inspirations!
Thanks, Shannon!! Glad you stopped by… 🙂
The loveliest and most romantic of fall touches!
Thanks, Janet! Always aiming for the romance… 🙂
Thanks for all the great tips. I am gonna start right now to bring the fall into my home. Thanks for all your inspiration!
Thanks, Maryann! Yes, no time like the present… 😉
Lovely fall touches. I especially like the velvet pumpkins, I need to make some of those. Here’s the link (I hope) to my pin. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/192388215311921494/
Thanks so much, Joy! And yes, your link works… 🙂
I love your fall decor and your space is gorgeous! So refreshing not to see everything in white! I love your couch! Where is it from? Love the color and texture of it and the warm wood tones in your furniture. I love the animal print pillows too. Going now to check out your Instagram feed!
Thanks so much, Sandy! Yes, I do enjoy the whites, but I seem to need color for my own home… 🙂 Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy the Insta feed!! I do post there every day…
Forgot to answer your question… the couch is from Ethan Allen… 🙂
So peaceful and pretty. I always love the ‘non-orange’ pumpkins and the velvet ones too.
Thanks, Laura! Yes, the velvet pumpkins seem to be my new crush this year! Can’t get enough of them and I love the range of colors they come in!!
Oh, so elegant, and love the velvet pumpkins!
Thanks, Bobbi! I’ve got tons more on the way… 😉
So lovely, your home is both elegant and welcoming! I am sure that coming to visit you is always a delight Lory. Your tips are fabulous.
Thank you so much, Lidy! I’ve been a fan of your blog for a long time, so hearing this from you is especially meaningful… 🙂 Thanks so much for all of your work with this tour!! I’m delighted to be a part of it!
I really loved all your tips. Your home looks so beautiful and I like how you selected fall decor that worked with your homes color palatte! So beautiful!!
Thanks, Kristy! I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of working seasonal decor into a palette I enjoy… 🙂 I see you did the same!
I love your elegant and sophisticated living room. Soft fall touches that give your room warmth and coziness.
Thank you for the inspiration.
Janet
rosemary-thyme.blogspot.com
Aw, thanks Janet! And thanks for visiting!!
You have a beautiful and sophisticated style! Thank you for sharing! ~julie
Thank you so much, Julie!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/130111876714388847/ pinned. I would love to try these with some projects of my own.
Thanks and good luck!!
I love all of your decor Lory! Your home is so inviting and elegant! I love all of your tips and soft colors for fall! Pinned 🙂 xo Heather
Thanks so much, Heather!
I love the way you blend the soft and subtle with Fall touches. Can you tell me where you got the leopard print pillows on your sofa……I love those. Toni
Thanks, Toni! Yes, I was planning to add the links into the post when I got a moment. Will see if I can find the info on the pillow and add it now. Thanks for visiting!!
Didn’t see it yet.
Ooops, sorry, it’s there now… 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous Lory! Your soft colors and fall are magic together! You have such an elegant home.
Thanks so much, Yvonne!!
Love the pink, cream, and green for fall…soft, but still warm. I just decorated today, using red, yellow, and orange, my favorite colors. In future, I am thinking of a softer palette. My upholstery is neutral, so I have flexibility. I pinned the paint product to my paint board (eventide username), but no idea how to get link. Sorry…tech newbie.
Thanks, Tracy! Sounds like your color palette is very pretty, but if you just go softer, you’ll have your signature look but with a more gentle feel to it. And yes, neutral upholstery makes everything easier, so you can change your look by simply rotating accessories.
I have pinned to one of my boards, not clever enough to link it! Also followed you on pinterest, I am subscribed too, but love your inspirational table scapes so I wont miss a thing now! Thank you for the posts and your great detailing!
Aw, thanks so much, Heidi, for your kind words and for following!!
love all the pictures, so festive
pinned https://www.pinterest.com/pin/277675133255078447/
thanks for the chance!
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
Thanks and good luck… 🙂
I did it! I pinned in on Pintrest on DIY. Love the fall ideas and especially love, love the velvet pumpkins! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks and good luck with your entry!!
Such pretty inspiration and I am a big fan of velvet pumpkins. My are on the softer side as all my fall touches.
Cindy
Thanks so much, Cindy! And thanks for visiting!!
pinned to my Pinterest PIN TO WIN board.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/86342517836229117/
LOVE all the 12 tips for adding fall color; especially the velvet pumpkins.
Thanks so much!! Yes, more velvet pumpkins coming soon!!
What a lovely home; thanks for sharing. ‘Have pinned the paint saver!
Thank you so much, Michele! And good luck… 🙂
Lory – absolutely stunning. My pinning finger is worn out going thru your post. I wanted to save & savior every image. Love having you with us on bHome & the tour!
Thanks so much, Kelly! I’m delighted to be on the tour as well! And thanks for the pins… 🙂 I’ve been pinning away too from all of the posts. What a pleasure to have some new things to pin!
Great tips and beautiful images Lory. Pinning now!!
Thank you, Kerryanne!
Love your posts. I pinned The Paint Saint post!
Thanks, Gay!!
Absolutely beautiful room!!! I need a boost for fall, and I think your ideas have given me just the help that I need.
I have nowhere to “pin” anything, but I would love to be entered into the drawing.
Many thanks, and blessings to you,
J
Thanks you so much for your kind words and for stopping by!!
Your home is so elegant, Lory! Loving the copper, velvet pumpkins and miniature roses! XO
Thanks so much, Christy!
Lory, your home is so elegant and filled with so many lovely touches for fall. I think those pumpkins on the floor next to your sofa looks amazing!
Thanks so much, Yvonne!!
I’m loving the white slip covered sofa in the living room picture. Wondering the brand of sofa and if you all had it professionally upholstered or are those slip covers. I want it! I love it! I need it!
Thanks, Jan! It’s from Ethan Allen and it’s upholstered, not slip covered.
As usual, lovely ideas for inspiration. Thanks so much.
All fabulous ideas Lory! I’m ready to go get some wine, goat cheese and pears, and settle down with a cup of tea and a good book by the fire! 🙂 Happy Fall!
Love the soft colors you use. Just beautiful!!
Thank you so much!