How to Decorate With a Soft Autumn Color Palette
In this post: If you don’t love decorating with a riot of fall color, you may love these fall decor ideas with a soft autumn color palette.⇒
Are you on Team White or Team Orange?
Sometimes I think there are two schools of thought when it comes to fall decorating. There are those who pull out all the stops with every shade of the falling leaves. Gold, orange, red, burgundy. Rich. Dark. Dramatic.
And then there are those who buy only baby boos. They sneak the most subtle seasonal touches into their crisp white homes including soft, sweet, pure-as-the-driven-snow pumpkins that whisper of fall’s arrival.
Team White and Team Orange.
Soft Autumn Color Palette
And yet there’s another option.
It’s altogether possible to add the warm tones of fall to your home while still maintaining a gentle aesthetic. A soft autumn color palette can be developed using traditional fall tones, and essentially whitewashing them down, so they might look like the faded version of the original colors. Soft. Warm. Peaceful.
This is one of my favorite approaches because it honors the warmth you’d expect from the season and still maintains the pale aesthetic I prefer in my home. The key is to work with bleached warm tones, like blush pink, wheat and faded copper and fuse this palette with classic fall imagery.
Cozy Comfort
At the same time, a tranquil color story can be enhanced by a softness in furnishings and decor, mirroring the overall gentility and creating a cozy and inviting space.
Overstuffed seating and deep sofas are always welcoming, but even in a room without these luxe benefits, you can still crank the cozy up a notch using plush fabrics, warm blankets, and fluffy throw pillows.
If done right, your autumn living spaces should feel like you’re coming home to a warm hug. Bonus points for a cup of hot tea by the fireplace!
Let’s look at simple ideas for creating a cushy, comfortable fall haven in your home.
Start with a Centerpiece
A great way to define your concept and anchor the space is with a seasonal centerpiece, front and center. If it’s your living room, look to the coffee table, in a hallway, focus on a console table, for a dining room, feature the dining table.
Whatever your space, find a surface to style a lovely vignette that encapsulates your color vision. Here, I used an oversized bread board to act as a foundation for my fall centerpiece, which is comprised of a fresh floral arrangement in a vintage copper pitcher, dried hydrangeas tucked into an antique jardiniere and a sweet little pumpkin in a creamy white velvet.
I often use florals to emphasize my color palette, and then include the same tones reflected around the space, in this case in pillows and other decorative accents.
Utilize Soft Fabrics
The complement to my serene color story is the use of equally genteel fabrics, such as the aforementioned lush sofa and a tufted wingback chair that very well envelops the person sitting there.
Accessories that heighten the sense of peaceful comfort include faded linen pillows with the fluffiest fill, ultra-soft blankets to roll-up in, Mongolian lamb cushions and sweater knit bolsters, as well as velvet pumpkins with feathery collars.
Add Warmth and Light
To provide a note of warmth I like to use scented candles, for their light, as much as their seasonal aroma. If you find one in a copper base, all the better. The lovely metal reflects the light beautifully and adds a glow to the space and everything around it.
For my subdued fall palette, peppering the space with copper objects is a huge plus, whether it be Moscow mule mugs, tall pots and pitchers, or a low planter. The rosy light they reflect is exactly the warmth I’m going for.
Try a Few Literal SeasonalTouches
While most of my autumn decor only hints at the season, a few more literal pieces can work into the styling. I used an array of velvet pumpkins in quiet colors, for another nod to both visual and tactile softness. The feathered collars that a few of the pumpkins have only add to the ethereal vibe.
Keep Some Natural Elements
What I lost most about a subtle color palette, even one that is seasonal in nature, is that it’s easy to pair it with your existing decor. The natural elements that are always in my family room work beautifully with these fresh fall components. The stone bowls, wood trays, granite catchall and rattan baskets are quite at home in the mix and in fact exude a seasonal quality themselves even though they sit here all year.
Keep Cool Weather Coming in Mind
I’ve briefly mentioned the throw blankets I keep in my living spaces, but I add one or two more as the cooler weather nears. Likewise, the throw pillows reflect the coming temps, with menswear tweed, faux fur and sweater knits a fun addition. Velvet is used in my cushion covers, as well, which add a nice sheen to the scene.
The most important aspect to any decorating endeavor is to create a space that makes you feel relaxed and comforted. Our homes are here to welcome us in, help us leave the troubles of the outside world behind and rejuvenate our spirits. The more gentle our spaces feel, the easier it is for us to care for ourselves, recharge and face a new day.
Be kind to yourself and build yourself a soft environment… 🤎
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Gorgeous! I love the soft autumn color palette you chose … and the inspiring tips, too! Very elegant!
Thanks so much, Becca! I guess I’m just a true romantic at heart… 😉
Beautiful Lory and I love all the colors of fall. The warm oranges, ambers, reds, or the softer blush colors like I did in the master.
Thank you, Kim! And yes I love what you did in the master… 🙂 I find there are a lot of different directions I can go for the very same season and still enjoy them.
Beautiful!
I catch a lot of flack from my friends when they see that I use a round cutting board on my coffee table as a base to hold a small display … I know now by your similar vignette that I am in great company!
Thank you and indeed!! People just don’t understand us creative girls… 😉
Hi, Beautifully done! Would you please tell me the brand and color of the paint you used for the walls & trim?
Thank you! Yes, it’s Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige on the walls and BM Simply White on the trim.
I am so surprised of the different ways and colors to use for the fall Thank you and God bless
Thanks, Norma! I just love playing with color themes!!
Gorgeous, as always Lory! I love your style!
Thank you, Cindy! Always a pleasure hearing it from you, since I’ve loved your style too for a long time… 🙂
So romantic Lory! I love those strawberry-vanilla hydrangeas!
Thank you, Kim!! Is that what they’re called? I love that!
Who knew that Fall could be so soft and sweet? Apparently you… and now the rest of us!
Thanks Lory! It’s beautiful.
Aw that’s so sweet, Deb! I’m glad you appreciated it… 🙂
I’ve been a covert to soft colors since last Fall! I have a couple similar vignettes with those textures and colors. You’re always such an inspiration!
Ginger
Thanks so much, Ginger! But you know just when I have everyone hooked on one palette, I’ve got something up my sleeve to change it up when you least expect it!! (A little foreshadowing for next week… ;-)).
You know I’m all on board with this color scheme….looks so pretty yet cozy!
I do know that… 🙂 That’s why we get along so well!!
Lory, what a stunning tour! I adore your soft color palette and the french romantic vibe speaks to my heart! J’adore!!
xoxo
Kim & Lacey
Ah merci beaucoup, my friends!! Quite a compliment coming from such talented ladies!
Lory, I absolutely adore this look! Funny, because I did a very similar palette with the colors of a faded hydrangea setting the tone. Great minds think alike:)
I also love all your gorgeous urns and bowls – they make everything you put in them look extra special. I’d love to come to your house and just shop for vessels!
Thanks again for joining in and for ALL your help with the tour. I’ve loved “touring” with you, as always:)
Sheila
xo
And thank YOU so much for hosting this your. What a great group you pulled together!! Wouldn’t it be fun to shop each other’s homes? 🙂
This is the very topic I’ll be addressing on Tuesday’s show! A lot of people want viable alternatives to the traditional deep colors. I, too, like to switch it up depending on my mood in any given decorating season. I love the options you’ve presented here. Very soft and pretty representation of Fall.
Thanks, Alycia! I think finding varied fall palettes is one of my favorite parts of the season, Never straying too far from theme, I do still like to maintain my own aesthetic… 🙂 I’m sure the show will be very interesting!
Lory, I just love how warm and cozy your home feels! I would absolutely love to come sit and have a cup of Moscow Mule! Happy fall!
How fun that would be! Thanks so much Rebekah!!
Beautiful colors and decor thank you for sharing and introducing us to the soft pallet of fall Thank you and God bless
Thank you, Norma!!
Lory it is all so beautiful and those hydrangeas are gorgeous. Love the soft palette for fall and how you put it all together! xo
Thank you, Annie! I’m always a fan of your soft styling, as well, so I’m not surprised it resonates with you… 🙂
Your home is beautiful all spruced up for the Fall!
Thank you so much, Angelina!
Oh My Golly – velvet pumpkins with feathers! AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!
🙂 They are fun, aren’t they? Thanks for visiting!!
Your home is so beautiful, Lory! I especially love the touches of copper and those little velvet pumpkins. Thanks so much for being a part of this tour!
Well done, Lory, and I love your pillows and those elegant pumpkins. Happy fall!
Thanks so much, my friend!!
Savvy Southern Style goes to a foreign game of some kind.
Thanks for the heads up. I think she closed her blog.
Lory, I love your style. This time of year if the patina on the antique pieces. Less polishing for me. 😉
Thank you so much! I agree – a little patina is lovely… 🙂