19 Early Fall Decorating Ideas to Ease Into the Season
Have you started thinking about decorating your home for fall? The temperatures may still feel like summer, but we are so close to fall that we can envision the leaves turning gold and yellow. To get you ready for fall decorating, here are 19 early fall decorating ideas to ease into the season.
Can you believe it’s that time of year again? The days will slowly become a bit shorter. The air will feel slightly crisp. The leaves will start to turn. And I love the thought of blue jeans, boots, and sweaters.
August is a transitional month. It’s the bridge between the heat of summer and the coming coolness of fall. It brings the end of lazy days at the neighborhood pool and the beginning of school. The bright colors of summer flowers fade into the muted colors of leaves and branches.
Yes, you guessed it – fall is just around the corner! Although I love summer, as a home decor lover, I’ve been thinking about the changing of the seasons for a few weeks.
I adore this season for its warm colors, cozy vibes, and the opportunity to refresh my living space with the most charming autumn touches. Fall is the one season that comes on slowly, and decorating for it can be a slow transition. I think of fall decorating as two parts – early fall and real fall.
Do you need a little inspiration for the coming fall season? Me too. In today’s blog post, I’m excited to share with you 15 ideas for early fall home decorating.
Although I go to Pinterest for ideas for these weekly roundup posts, I’ve found some ideas by using Google and checking out what my blogger friends have to share. I was not disappointed in what I found. I have a Pinterest Board called Fall Home Decor that will be another resource for you.
You will find wonderful photos to inspire you with lots of valuable information.
Ideas for Early Fall Decor
Most of us think of Labor Day as the turning point from summer to fall, if not in temperatures, but in the anticipation of a new season. I like to think of September as the prologue to full fall in October and November.
For a quick overview, here is a list of 15 ideas to ease into early fall home decor.
- Embrace Earthy Tones: Think warm oranges, rusty reds, golden yellows, and deep greens to create a warm and inviting ambiance. For this year, moody blues and deep burgundies are trendy.
- Cozy Textiles: Swap out lightweight fabrics for plush throws, knitted blankets, and soft cushions in rich textures like velvet, faux fur, and chunky knits. These will not only keep you warm but also add comfort to your space.
- Autumnal Wreaths: Add beautiful fall wreaths featuring dried leaves, mini pumpkins, pine cones, and seasonal flowers for an instant way to bring a touch of fall charm to your home’s exterior.
- Neutral Pumpkins: As the weather cools, bring in a few pumpkins in light neutral colors, such as white, cream, or oatmeal. From ceramic pumpkins on the mantel to fabric pumpkins on the shelves, they are quintessential fall decor elements. Don’t forget pumpkins made of twigs or yarn, or the woven basket look.
- Warm Lighting: Create a cozy and inviting atmosphere with warm, soft lighting. Consider swapping your cool-toned bulbs for ones with a warm glow. Add some candles or fairy lights for that extra magical touch.
- Fall-inspired Centerpieces: Elevate your dining table or coffee table with a stunning fall centerpiece. Combine elements like dried flowers, twigs, berries, twigs, jute, and small gourds for a rustic yet elegant look.
- Seasonal Scents: In early fall, fill your home with delightful fall fragrances like cinnamon and apple cider. Save the pumpkin-spice scents for later in the season. Use scented candles, essential oil diffusers, or simmer pots with cinnamon sticks for a natural aroma.
- Fall Art and Prints: Update your wall art with seasonal prints and paintings that showcase the beauty of fall foliage, harvest scenes, or charming autumn landscapes. Simple leaves drawings are a great way to ease into fall.
- Outdoor Comfort: As the weather cools down, create a cozy outdoor seating area with lightweight warm blankets, outdoor rugs, and cushions to enjoy the beauty of fall foliage and crisp September evenings.
- Seasonal Table Settings: Host a fall-inspired dinner party with themed table settings. Use autumn-inspired tablecloths or placemats (I love my woven chargers), decorative plates, and napkin rings for an enchanting dining experience.
- Layered Rugs: Add warmth and depth to your floors with layered rugs. Place a warm-toned rug on top of a neutral one (sisal is a great option) to create a visually interesting and cozy space.
- Bring in Nature: Collect fallen leaves, pine cones, and branches during your walks (a great way to include your kids) and incorporate them into your decor.
- Fall-Themed Pillows: Spruce up your living spaces with fall-themed pillows featuring soft colors, autumn leaves, or charming sayings. Or go simple with nubby textures and fringe.
- Cozy Reading Nook: Create a cozy corner with an armchair, soft blanket, and your favorite fall-themed books.
- Seasonal Linens: Invest in seasonal placemats and napkins with neutral colors to add a warm touch to your meals.
With these delightful ideas, you can effortlessly transition your home to the warm and cozy embrace of early fall.
Turn the air conditioning way down, grab your apple cider or hot tea, put on your favorite long-sleeve T-shirt and blue jeans, and let’s welcome the season of changing leaves and pumpkin everything with open arms! Happy decorating!
NOTE: From now until October, I use a minimal number of pumpkins. If I do add a few, they are in neutral colors, such as white, cream, taupe, or beige. save the brighter colors for October and November.
Early Fall Decorating: 19 Ideas to Welcome the Season
Enjoy them all.
Getting in a Fall Frame of Mind
This first idea from Michelle of The Balanced CEO isn’t so much about home decor as it is about our frame of mind. A new season needs a different outlook. The ideas that Michelle shares are good for any seasonal change.
Simple Ways to Bring in a Fall Feeling
Jenn of Midwest Life and Style shares seven ways to bring in fall. This vignette features a rustic wood backdrop, fall colors, and a fall sign. See what else she has to show you. Notice there is not a pumpkin in sight.
Vintage Fall Decor
Kelly of The Tattered Pew is a whiz at using rustic vintage decor in her home. If this is also your style, see Kelly’s comfy fall home. Notice the textured basket and the barely there white pumpkin pillow.
Fall Farmhouse Ideas
Natalie Yerger was a new discovery for me. Her style is crisp and minimalist. She uses one throw, a pitcher of gold stems, and a few small neutral pumpkins in a small wood bowl. Just three elements that help a room turn the corner from one season to the next.
Late Summer Styling into Early Fall
Rachelle of My Hubbard Home shows you how easy it is to style your home in the late summer. A simple wire basket full of faux fruits is a great way to gradually transition to early fall.
Early Fall Vignettes
My sweet friend Kim of Shiplap and Shells creates come lovely vignettes in her sweet cottage in the Pacific Northwest. Simple items, such as a tarnished pitcher, a stack of fall-colored books, a burlap pumpkin, and a few pinecones on a vintage suitcase in brown and gold, come together in natural colors and textures.
Make Your Own Bottle Brush Trees
I love the easy, stylish approach of Andrea from The Cottage Market for any season. Love her large galvanized container with natural fall materials – it looks like corn husks – and colors on a vintage chest of drawers. The rust colored pillow gives the pop of color that says fall is here.
Flowers and Fruit for Fall
Shelley of Calypso in the Country is one of my favorite bloggers. I love the simplicity of this kitchen centerpiece for early fall. Green hydrangeas and apples pair beautifully with a rustic tray, a pumpkin in a natural material and acorns on a vintage brown tray.
Fall Living Room Tour
Michaela of Michaela Diane Designs shares how to use pretty rust pillows and a chunky throw to bring in the warmth of fall. There’s definitely more to see. This is a great example of how a few accessories can make a seasonal difference.
Fall Pillows and Greenery
Sarah of Grace in My Space shows you how to create a simple early fall living space. The simple addition of a fall-colored pillow and one with a leaf design is the easiest way to add a hint of fall.
Wood Tones and Fall Flowers
Leslie of Lemon Grove Lane uses wood tones in her kitchen to announce the coming of fall: wood trays and cutting boards are perfect as a backdrop for a fall flower arrangement.
Copper in the Kitchen
Copper is an iconic fall metallic. Karen of Sanctuary Home Decor has reminded me to get out our copper cookware and accessories. The matte finish of the rustic wreath on the stove hood, the wood cutting board, and natural florals contrast nicely with the copper metallics.
Simple Fall Mantel
Jen of Tatertots and Jello shares how easy it is to decorate your mantel. She uses lovely woven baskets, fall foliage in a white pitcher, and metallic votives. I bet you can create this mantel scene in 30 minutes.
Rustic Fall Mantel
Deborah of Hip and Humble Style added a simple wreath to the rustic wood mantel for an easy fall scene. How easy is that!
Simple Fall Flowers
Robyn of Robyn’s French Nest gives you (another) list of 15 ways to transition your home to early fall decor. It’s as simple as changing the colors of your florals. The rust-colored flowers mixed with greenery in a white enamel bucket get you started.
Simple Early Fall Mantel
My Texas friend Michelle of Thistlekey Lane shares a few simple ideas for creating a cozy home with subtle fall decor. The key word is “subtle”. To her brown-stained coffee table, she added a few fall accents to welcome the autumn season. The result is a cheerful fall feel.
Woven Basket Vignette
Brendt of She Gave It a Go started her early fall decor with a large wicker storage trunk used as a coffee table. Another woven basket holds one small pumpkin and a pretty fall candle. Easy and quick vignette.
Fall Fruit Makeover
I couldn’t resist including this easy fall decor makeover. Lucy of Craftberry Bush creates a simple fall vignette: a rustic wood tray filled with spray-painted white pears. What an easy way to add that soft, neutral look to your September decor.
Muted-Toned Pumpkins
For early fall, bright orange, red, or rust pumpkins can be jarring and too much. If you’re like me, you have some of those in boxes not being used. Katie of Purely Katie shows you how to reuse those pumpkins: transform them to a soft, muted color palette. They’ll fit in perfectly in the early days of fall.
Click on the Image below to get your easy-to-use Fall Decorating Checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should you start decorating for early fall?
Early fall decorating usually begins in late August through September, once summer starts winding down but before pumpkin season arrives. It is the perfect window to bring in warm textures and natural elements without committing to full autumn decor.
How do you transition your home from summer to early fall?
Start small by swapping lightweight summer textiles for cozier ones, layering in warm tones, and adding natural elements like dried stems, branches, and late-season blooms. A few thoughtful changes shift the mood without a full redo.
What colors work best for early fall decorating?
Early fall favors soft, transitional shades: warm whites, neutrals, muted greens and blues, soft hues, and gentle rusts. These tones ease your home toward autumn while still feeling fresh, and they pair beautifully with bolder accents.
How can you decorate for early fall on a budget?
Shop your own home first. Rearrange ginger jars, gather greenery or branches from the yard, restyle books and candles, and add one or two seasonal touches like a textured throw or a bundle of dried florals.
What is the difference between early fall and full fall decor?
Early fall decor leans natural and understated, using late-summer blooms and warm neutrals, while full fall decor brings in pumpkins, gourds, and deeper jewel tones. Early fall is the gentle in-between.
Early Fall Decor Items
If you need some new accessories to decorate your home for early fall and beyond, check out my Fall Decor Amazon Shop.
Visit these Fall Home Decor Pinterest Boards full of inspiration and ideas. I would love for you to FOLLOW one or all of these boards.
I hope you PIN this post, visit each selection, and PIN each one.
