To me, by far the best thing about living in the Northeast is seasons. Although my tolerance of the cold continues to decrease with age, there’s something so special and refreshing about the start of a new season. And when it comes to the seasons, I’m a firm believer that fall is the best. Maybe it’s my love of college football or maybe it’s my love of all things pumpkin, but there’s this excitement that comes each September as temperatures begin to drop and leaves start to change.
As much as I love fall, I’ve never been a big fall decorator. I don’t tend to love the typical signs or anything too over the top – but over the past few years, I’ve really enjoyed adding subtle touches to our home to make it feel a bit more like fall. Now that it’s October, along with my cravings for a hot pumpkin spice latte come cravings for warmer color palettes and cozy textures.
As I was preparing our home for fall this year, I began collecting inspiration from homes that embody the idea of subtle fall décor – although they might have a few pumpkins sprinkled in here or there, they mostly focus on things like bringing in pretty dried florals, textured fabrics, and warmer color palettes. Keep reading to see ten spaces to inspire your fall décor this year!
Photo: Ciara Kenaston
This gorgeous space by Ciara Kenaston is proof that one simple swap can make an impact. Her living room already feels cozy thanks to her knack for mixing patterns combined with a few vintage touches and some nice contrast between the light-colored sofa and the darker textiles. By simply swapping out her usual stems for some beautiful brown and deep green magnolia leaves, she’s able to instantly make the space feel like fall with minimal effort!
Photo: Chris Loves Julia
It’s no secret by now that Julia from Chris Loves Julia is one of my favorite designers. I love her home all the time, but it really shines in the fall. I look forward to her fall home tour every year – she’s so good at making even open spaces feel cozy and welcoming. I love how she injects subtle touches like moody florals, cozy textures, plaid, and fall candles for a space that feels like fall without being over the top! We’re in the process of finalizing the design for our bedroom refresh, and looking at this photo makes me so excited to add some color to our walls. The color Julia chose for her living room walls instantly makes the space feel homier!
Photo: Wildflower Home Interiors
I recently started following Wildflower Home Interiors after realizing I had pinned just about every space in her house, and honestly, I don’t know what took me so long! She has such a good eye and every room she designs feels so bespoke and full of character. She really nailed the subtle fall look in this space – there are no pumpkins to be found, but something about the way she mixes patterns and incorporates darker woods and dried florals makes the space just *feel* like fall.
Photo: Studio McGee
At one time, Shea from Studio McGee was the queen of neutrals, so it’s brought me so much joy to see her start to incorporate more colors into her designs. This one is my favorite design by her in a long time. The blue kitchen cabinets are stunning, but the real show-stopper is the caramel covered velvet couch. It adds such a special touch to the room, and paired with the chocolate brown accent chairs, it evokes a feeling of warmth and hominess. All she needed to add to make the room feel like the perfect fall haven was a pretty woven vase filled with autumn colored branches!
Photo: Marianne Sides
Marianne Sides is an expert at making little tweaks that help her New York City apartment feel like the current season. I love how she leaned in to the dark wood tones of her coffee table and fireplace and kept things simple for fall this year. A few rust-colored fall florals and a smattering of lit candles make the space feel like the perfect spot to curl up for a Gilmore Girls marathon. And did you catch the incredible velvet and wood accent chair on the far left of the photo? I can’t get over how perfectly it ties the room together!
Photo: Kismet House
I didn’t realize a kitchen could just feel like fall until I saw this space from Kismet House. I’ve loved following along with their DIY kitchen renovation, and this recent still from their reveal stopped me in my scroll. The fall touches in this space are minimal, but they make a big impact. It’s amazing the difference some quality fall stems, a pumpkin shaped candle, and some warm brass and walnut can make on a space.
Photo: The Gratz Life
In the short time since I started following her, The Gratz Life has quickly become one of my favorite accounts on Instagram. I’m convinced that nobody can mix luxe fabrics and deep, rich colors better than Vanessa can. Thanks to the luscious velvet drapes, the statement burl wood coffee table, and her impressive collection of vintage frames featured in the gallery wall, this space feels like fall year-round. But I especially love how Vanessa added a couple of simple glass pumpkins to the coffee table – they add that perfect hint of fall without being too in your face.
Photo: Workstead
I stumbled upon this photo on Pinterest when I was searching for some fall home inspiration and it was an instant yes for me. I love the designer’s use of dried florals in a deep color, and the warm brass accents and moody painting make the space feel like fall without any over the top fall accents.
Photo: Jenna Sue Design
Although I’ve been leaning into color more lately, I still have an appreciation for light and airy design. Jenna Sue Design is one of my favorite follows for designs that lean neutral but are still full of personality. Each year she posts a Fall Home Tour and a Holiday Home Tour on her blog, and without fail they’re my favorite posts of the year! This photo is actually from her 2022 Fall Home Tour, but I had to include it because I think it’s the perfect example of how you can make a space feel like fall even if it’s light and airy. With just a few simple additions like the olive throw blanket, a plaid pillow, moody dried florals, and an amber candle, the space instantly feels more like fall.
Photo: Room For Tuesday
I’ve learned so much about design from following Sarah over at Room For Tuesday, and I can never get enough of her beautiful living room. She recently shared a Fall Home Tour and this room was by far my favorite – her fireplace is just to die for, and I love how she styled her mantle here! The magnolia leaves, ceramic pumpkins, and twisted taper candles are the perfect fall accents and bring in just the right amount of color. After seeing this photo, I just might need to grab some twisted taper candles for my home because they’re such a great way to add a little something special to a space.
