Transitioning your home decor for Fall
Transitioning your home decor from summer to fall is a great way to embrace the changing seasons and create a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Your fall decor should reflect your personal style and preferences, so feel free to get creative and add your own unique touches to make your home feel warm and inviting during this beautiful season!
1.) Change your color pallette
In the South, there is only a slight temperature change to signify the transition from Summer to Fall. I have an entire wardrobe change that includes moving out my summer colors for fall colors in deeper earth tones, but maintains options for sleeveless dresses, skirts and lightweight tops that I will need until mid-December.
I do (and you can too!) wwap out bright and pastel colors that read summer for warmer tones like deep oranges, rich reds, earthy browns, and dark greens. These colors evoke a sense of coziness and warmth. Even if you don’t get out a wool blanket, you can get a heavily textured throw in a deep green that will communicate fall has officially arrived!
East Lake Retreat by Bartone Interiors
2.) Embrace texture
Introduce wood and metal elements into your decor. Wooden furniture and decor pieces, as well as metallic accents like copper or bronze, can add a rustic and cozy feel to your home. I like keeping a great vase and changing out the stems with something from the yard, or even some great faux botanicals - Crate and Barrell and Pottery Barn both have great options!
You can also add texture to your throw pillows and blankets. Look for fuzzy, faux fur blankets and velvet pillow covers like the ones shown here. If you get the same size pillow as your currently have, you can just swap the cover to keep your storage area to a minimum. I use this as an opportunity to clean the covers before I store them, and it keeps me from getting bored with my interior!
3.) Scent worth a thousand words
There’s a reason your favorite hotels and cosmetic lines have a “signature scent.” Your olfactory sense is linked deeply in the memory portion of your brain. According to the National Institue of Health,
Scientists estimate that we remember as little as 5% of what we see, but as much as 35% of what we smell. This is because our sense of smell is the most closely connected with our hippocampus, the part of our brain which stores memories.
Let this be your clue to pull out the Pumpkin Spice candles, make sure they are soy based wax with all cotton or wood wicks. You can also use scented diffusers or potpourri with fall fragrances like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to infuse your home with seasonal scents. Use candles in autumn scents like pumpkin spice, cinnamon, or apple cider to create a cozy ambiance. Consider adding warm-toned or amber lighting to enhance the atmosphere.
Fall Tablescape by Bartone Interiors
4.) Update your tablescape
Update your dining table with fall-themed tableware. Consider using warm-colored dishes, placemats, and napkins to set the mood for autumn gatherings. I always like to have a long wooden, dough bowl on my kitchen table sitting on top of a seasonal runner. The bowl is filled with something seasonal, in the fall I have acorns and pinecones I have gathered in the woods or even my own back yard! (In the summer it’s seashells and in the winter is green pine stems!)
Image from Crate and Barrell
5.) Front porch, door & entryway
Greet your guests with a sense of the season, even if it’s still 70 degrees outside! Decorate your porch and entryway with pumpkins, potted mums, and other fall plants. A seasonal doormat and wreath can also welcome guests with a touch of fall. If you house has a decent sized porch or foyer, a rustic wood bench with a fall-feeling print pillow and just a pumpkin or two might be all you need to get into the seasonal game.
