Outdoor Fall Decorations: Autumn Charm on a Townhouse Patio
In this post: If you enjoy sitting outside during the fall season, you’ll love these ideas for adding charm to your patio with outdoor fall decorations.⇒
I’d been wanting to do a post about our patio when we first moved into our house, but things kept getting in the way.
Then, fall arrived and as I looked at the gorgeous fall colors surrounding our home, I realized it was a great time to get to that post, before the winter chill set in.
It wasn’t the sunniest day, but the recent rains left a lush scene in their wake, making it a perfect time for an autumn afternoon on the patio.
What I most wanted to convey in posting about our patio is the key thing I’ve been realizing since moving into our home. In fact, it’s something that’s become the defining direction of the blog.
You see, as recent empty nesters, we moved from an old house with lots of character to a relatively new townhouse with typical ‘development-home’ details. It’s become a bit of a gauntlet to prove I could turn a pedestrian space into a more personal reflection of our unique tastes.
It’s with this in mind that I set out to bring you autumn charm in our outdoor fall decorations.
The patio is, after all, the most obvious challenge when it comes to making a town home feel like a single family home.
It’s the area I most worried about when we were moving, worried that I would miss our private backyard with it’s picket fence and slate patio lending it old world charm.
How would I make this bland deck a space we could relax in that reflected our style?
It turns out my approach was quite simple. Our new “backyard” had a few things going for it that helped in our efforts.
For starters, the patio is reasonably spacious and could accommodate a nice furniture layout.
Additionally, we are lucky to be situated in a richly landscaped section with no homes behind us, so our woodsy view goes a long way to offering privacy.
That said, I still needed to deal with a few limitations. Most notably, we are not permitted to change the exterior of our home, so the deck flooring and basic railing are here to stay.
As such, I chose to regard them as a blank canvas upon which to build.
The key component was a piece of furniture that would serve multiple functions, from sitting and chatting, to eating and sunning. A sectional outdoor sofa became the obvious solution, providing tons of seating as well as adding additional privacy.
I chose a classic cream color because (A) I always do, and (B) it would allow for countless styling changes.
From there, I knew I pretty much had to approach the space as if it was a living room. I added a teak coffee table and a whitewashed bench for added seating.
There’s plenty of room to add side tables and decorative planters when the weather warms again next spring.
The patio has proven to be a space we very much enjoy, in fact we use it more often than we used the yard in our old home.
It’s great to come out here with coffee in the morning, cocktails in the evening or, of course, tea and sweets on a lovely autumn afternoon.
Linen, china and silver dress up the space nicely.
I switched out our summery pillows for rich warmer versions and added some blankets to curl up with when the temperature dips.
Lanterns hold candles for added light in the evening. Off in the corner, you can glimpse our sweet little bistro set.
One of my favorite things to do in the late afternoon is to come out on the patio and relax with a magazine. Now who wouldn’t want to wind down their day with a cup of tea and a delightful read?
If you’d like to see how our patio has evolved since we moved in, you can visit each of the detailed posts below or simply check out this summary: The Evolution of Our Patio Decor and What Comes Next
- Casual Outdoor Entertaining on the Patio
- Autumn Charm on Our Townhouse Patio
- Preparing The Patio For Summer Entertaining
- Dining al Fresco on the Patio
- Adding Summer Style With Outdoor Accessories
- Creating an Outdoor Lounge on Your Patio
- Outdoor Fall Decorating Ideas: Hors d’Oeuvres on the Patio
- Updating The Patio With Summer Color
Outdoor Fall Decorations Resource List
To get the look, click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. If an item is out of stock but may be restocked, I left it on the list.
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Love the space, love the décor and colors. You make everything your own, i.e. all the little details. It’s such a treat to see all your photos and I look forward to every one of your posts. Thanks so much for sharing Lory! Sincerely, Kathy
Thank you so much, Kathy! That is such a nice thing to say and really makes me feel great… 🙂 You made my day!!
Warm, Cozy & Super Beautiful! I love how you put a linen tablecloth on the coffee table..what a great idea!
Thanks so much, Randi!! While I did pul pieces from all over my home, I realized this pretty much looks just like I moved my den outside! Lol. Thanks for stopping by!
I have a deck right off of the dining area that would lend itself beautifully to this kind of treatment, but it’s a bit small. May I ask how big your space is?
Sure, Pattie. I believe the deck is about 12′ x 18′, but I think you can accomplish this look with 12′ x 12′. I have a small bistro table and chairs on the other side that I didn’t even include in this post, and I’m planning to put a grill on that side too, so I think if you just omit that part, it can be done on a smaller deck. I think the key is the sectional seating. I felt I wanted to be able to eat, converse and sunbathe and a couch was the one piece that would get that done. So many people fill up their decks with a large dining table, but then that’s the only thing you can do there. As long as you can fit seating and a coffee table, you can eat outside in a relaxed atmosphere. Thanks so much for visiting the blog!!
This is so beautiful Lory, and awww so glad you enjoyed the magazine!! So fun to see it across the country at your house.
Ah, glad you got to see it and thanks for the kind words! Still planning to share on Friday… 🙂 The magazine is really great!!
Absolutely gorgeous – I would sooooo enjoy sipping tea from your beautiful china from your lovely silverplated tea service on that AWESOME patio sectional weith pretty pillows! : – )
Very nicely done, ma’am! ♥
Thank you so much, Michele!! It’s comments like these that keep me posting… 🙂 Thanks for visiting!!
What great space. I love your pillows!
Thanks so much, Pamela! I love linking to your party… 🙂 Thanks for hosting!!
Gorgeous outdoor space!
Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
Blessings,
Cindy
Thanks, Cindy! Thanks so much for hosting… 🙂
Hello Lory,
You have made that basic outdoor space an elegant and cozy space. An extension of your home. I love all the textures and romantic touches that you have added. It is certainly the perfect relaxing spot.
Fondly,
Janet
Thanks, Janet!! It does kind of look like my den because of the pillows, but we did really use the white sectional and other furniture all summer and really enjoyed… 🙂
Well done Lory! I love the sectional and the addition of the throws and pillows gives it such a cozy and inviting feel. Love the fall foliage in the background! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Thanks, Jann! This was the one challenge of townhouse living that almost kept me from moving here – the giving up the backyard thing. That’s why I really enjoyed styling this post. It felt like a bit of a triumph… 😉
Your space looks welcoming and lovely. What a gorgeous backdrop! I love, love your elegant silver!
Thank you so much! I think it was a last attempt at making the outdoors look welcoming before the frost and snows come… 😉
It looks beautiful! That Autumn backdrop is amazing with your styling. And so cool for you to display the magazine featuring a fellow blogger, Anita Joyce. So you’re not only very talented, but generous.
Ginger
🙂 What a lovely comment! Thank you, Ginger!!
Lory I just saw your porch post. I love it but in love with the fall pillows. Where did you find them???
Ahh, they’re from back in the day when I used to work for Ralph Lauren. The floral is the Knightsbridge floral and I love mixing it with the tweeds. You can sometimes find them on eBay. They are long since discontinued.
I love the look, but can’t help but wonder what you do when it rains? I have to scurry around and remove all cushions and pillows and hope that it doesn’t rain when I am not home. Is your deck covered? Do you have an awning?
For everyday use, I keep Sunbrella pillows outside so they don’t have to be moved inside when it rains. But for a special event where I’m entertaining, and I’m bringing out dishes and food anyway, I will use indoor pillows with a more special look. Here is a link to my deck from this past summer and these cushions all stayed outside all summer: https://designthusiasm.com/patio-ideas-outdoor-decor/