Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Most Popular Hairstyles of 2021

      The Most Popular Hairstyles of 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    How Long Do Deviled Eggs Last in the Fridge?

    How Long Do Deviled Eggs Last in the Fridge?

    Best practices for dealing with deviled eggs
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining
    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See All Home & Garden
    30 Containers for Covered Porches That Will Thrive in the Shade

    30 Containers for Covered Porches That Will Thrive in the Shade

    Some containers have all the sun. These shady planters, though, are having plenty of fun sans sun. We’ve gathered all of our favorite shade-loving containers to inspire your planting this season. If you have a shady yard or want to perk up a shaded spot in your home, at your front door, on your porch, or around your patio, put together a pretty shade-loving container that’s also easy to care for. Plants like caladiums and creeping Jenny will thrive in the shade, and they’ll also add great color and movement to your planters. If you’re looking for the best plants for the shade and great flowers that thrive in shade, also reach for impatiens, coleus, sweet potato vines, mazus, vincas, torenias, violas, petunias, pansies, hellebores (Lenten roses), hostas, astilbes, and trilliums. They look great and will thrive in full to partial shade. Shade-loving flowers aren’t too hard to find. Ask around at your local garden store, and you’ll be able to locate the ingredients and put together any one of these shade-tolerant container ideas. Also, in regards to your container, don’t forget to think vertical. We love pots and planters, but a hanging basket is another great option, as is an elevated planter, which will make a statement and take advantage of any vertical space.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See All Style & Culture
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Home
  3. Home Decor Ideas
  4. 90+ Fall Decorating Ideas for a Beautiful Autumn Season

90+ Fall Decorating Ideas for a Beautiful Autumn Season

September 19, 2012
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Cozy Outdoor Fireplace
Credit: Helen Norman

Bring the warm colors of fall into your home with these beautiful and simple decorating projects.There are so many ways to decorate your home in a tasteful and festive way for fall. Pumpkins, gourds, fall foliage, and pinecones are a handful of popular themes that can serve as inspiration. You can mix all of these elements together across your mantle or you can stagger them artfully down your front steps. You can make a fall wreath out of miniature pumpkins. Use all cream for a more modern look or brightly colored orange for more Halloween-centric curb appeal. We love a garland made out of oversized pinecones that incorporates fresh magnolia or greenery secured with florist wire. Take the fresh elements off the pinecone garland before storing during the off season in a plastic tub. When decorating for fall, it is best to get the most bang for your buck and pick one look that will carry you through the tailgate, Halloween, and Thanksgiving seasons. There's no need to be too holiday specific.

Start Slideshow

1 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Simple 10-Minute Rustic Mantel

Simple 10-Minute Rustic Fall Matel
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Simple and rustic, this quick-to-make arrangement delivers what Southern Living floral genius Buffy Hargett Miller calls "an easy wow."

How To Do It:

Wrap twine several times around votive holders(similar votives here) and colorful fall leaves, and then secure with a knot. To construct different heights, top the votives with varying numbers of small white pumpkins. Add a touch more autumn dazzle to your display with this simple addition: Gather an assortment of colorful fall leaves, and use wire to fasten them to a length of rope to form a beautiful seasonal garland. Using temporary adhesive hooks, attach the garland to your mantel.

1 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Fall Pumpkin Tableau

Fall Pumpkin Tableau
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Bring fall into your foyer with a simple tablescape.

How To Do It:

Pick a few branches of colorful fall leaves, and arrange simply in a tall glass vase filled with water. From this bold focal point, build out the rest of your tabletop display. Gather an array of seasonal gourds in a mix of colors, sizes, and textures for variety. Stack flat gourds of graduated sizes, and top with a large glass cloche (available at crafts stores or online). Fill another smaller glass cloche with bleached pinecones, and invert; we used it to top one of our flatter pumpkins, but feel free to improvise. Add a potted plant (we used a small olive tree) to the arrangement for texture. Place small gourds around the larger items, and scatter more bright fall leaves along the table.

2 of 87

3 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The 25-Minute Centerpiece

Fall Pumpkin Centerpiece
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

A smart mix of green tones, white, and flashes of fall color make this centerpiece feel like a fresh, modern cornucopia.

How To Do It:

Take a round or oval container, and fill it with potting soil. Plant a mix of succulents (such as echeverias) toward the center of the bowl, leaving plenty of room around the edges. Nestle small orange and white pumpkins into the soil. Add seasonal vegetables like kale, radishes, and eggplants. Use bundles of fresh herbs (such as rosemary and sage) to fill in any gaps. Surround with more pumpkins and votives.

3 of 87

Advertisement

4 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Pumpkin Votives

Easy Party Decor
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Feel free to skip the container and scatter the votives anywhere that could use a little fall glow.

How To Do It:

Fill a rustic container two-thirds full of water. Use a craft knife to trace circles a little larger than the bottom of a tea light into the orange mini pumpkins. Cut and carve out the circles to allow a candle to fit inside comfortably. Insert tea lights. Float pumpkin votives as well as whole pumpkins in water. Using the photo as a guide, add bright fall leaves and sprigs of herbs for color and texture.

4 of 87

5 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Incorporate White Pumpkins

White Pumpkin Wreath
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

White pumpkins add an unexpected and elegant twist.

The 25-Minute Wreath:

Start with a store-bought grapevine wreath. Pick an odd number of white mini pumpkins. Attach pumpkins to florist picks, and then work the picks into the wreath, making sure to space them evenly. Secure pumpkins to the wreath with wire. Using additional florist picks, attach seasonal greenery (we used smilax) and bittersweet (available at your local garden center), filling in the spaces between pumpkins. Add an assortment of fall leaves to wreath with picks and wire for a colorful finish.

5 of 87

6 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Tabletop Pumpkin Topiary

Tabletop White Pumpkin Topiary
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Raid your kitchen cabinets to gather the elements for this fragrant display.

How To Do It:

Start with three bowls of graduated sizes. Place wet florist foam in each bowl, and trim, as necessary, so the top of the foam is even with the top of each bowl. Stack the bowls with the largest on the bottom. Using florist picks, secure white pumpkins and artichokes in an asymmetrical arrangement to the foam of each level. Take a mix of fresh herb and pepper plants out of their pots, and wrap in plastic bags so they can be replanted later. Attach berries (we used brunia) to florist picks. Working one side at a time, use herbs, peppers, and berries to fill in the spaces between the pumpkins and the artichokes. If desired, create smaller accent pieces with single bowls, sprigs of herbs, and individual pumpkins.

6 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Carve Out a Mumkin

Carve Out a Mumkin
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

What do you get when you combine the fun of a pumpkin with the beauty of a mum? A "mumkin," of course! Fill smaller gourds with containers of pansies to create a trio of trusty sidekicks.

Get the Step-by-Step: Mumkin Container

7 of 87

8 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The 10-Minute Fall Apple Centerpiece

Fall Greenery
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

We'll show you how to whip up a striking seasonal tableau with bright green apples at its core. Trust us, this one's easier than it looks.

Watch the full tutorial: The 10-Minute Fall Apple Centerpiece

8 of 87

9 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Fall Foliage Arrangement

Fall Foliage Arrangement
Credit: Photo: Helen Norman

The key to arranging leaves is to group them by size and color as you would flowers. Fiery red maple makes a beautiful focal point when countered with the feathery foliage of dawn redwood laden with globes of gray-green fruit on the fringes.

9 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Line Your Steps

Line Your Steps
Credit: Photo: Helen Norman

There's a reason you see mums each fall—they work. Once buds begin to open, you're guaranteed blooms whether your display is in sun or shade. To prolong the show, water when dry and remove spent flowers. Pair with Mexican sage and boxwoods for this stunning display.

10 of 87

11 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Pile Them On

Pile On The Pumpkins
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

For a quick and easy approach, group your favorite tiny pumpkins on a side table, and let the collection speak for itself. There is no right or wrong way to create this display. This arrangement looks unintentional, adding a carefree, casual seasonal touch.

11 of 87

12 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Blooming Pumpkin

Create a Pumpkin Planter
Credit: Jim Franco

To make this arrangement, choose your favorite pumpkin (we like the flat-bottomed Fairytale) and pick up some violas, pansies, red and green leaf lettuce, thyme, and rosemary to decorate. Clean the pumpkin with a Clorox wipe, cut a hole in the top, and scoop out seeds. Line with aluminum foil or a plastic bag, and fill three-quarters full with potting soil and plants. We used Sorbet violas and Crystal Bowl pansies.

12 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Natural Tablescape

Natural Tablescape
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Simple white plates paired with timeless flatware and thin stemware keep this more rustic setting looking elegant. Bold orange napkins give the setting a pop of seasonal color.

13 of 87

14 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Make Pomanders

Make Pomanders
Credit: Photo: Ralph Anderson

Display oranges studded with dried whole cloves for a festive and fragrant addition to your fall decor.

14 of 87

15 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Fun Serving Pieces

Fun Serving Pieces
Credit: Photo by: Helen Norman

Topped with silver serving pieces, pale gray and green pumpkins add interesting height to your buffet.

15 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Pumpkin Topiary

Stack 'Em Up
Credit: Photo: Helen Norman

Vertical displays make a big statement at the front door. Tucking in cool-weather edibles such as ornamental flowering cabbages, kale, and bay leaves adds a distinctive twist. To create topiaries, sandwich bay wreaths between pumpkins stacked in concrete urns, and top with a small pumpkin.

16 of 87

17 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

String Together a List of Blessings

String Together a List of Blessings
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Print out individual words on tabs, and fold them around twine. Weave the twine along the center of the table.

17 of 87

18 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Welcome Friends

Welcome Friends
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

To arrange the perfect Southern table, keep these tips in mind:

  • In the napkin arena, nothing's nicer than a generous 22-inch hemstitched piece of white linen, monogrammed and crisply ironed.
  • Create a look that is "uniquely you" by combining simple stemware with more decorative china, or vice versa.
  • Try to incorporate as much vintage silver as you can find - they add sparkle to a table.
  • Don't forget to set place cards with your own handwriting for a personal touch.

18 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Make Custom Candleholders

Make Custom Candleholders
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn

Transform mini pumpkins into luminarias by cutting a 1-inch-wide circle into each pumpkin, scooping out the centers with a tablespoon, and inserting votive candles.

19 of 87

20 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Shed New Light on Canning Jars

Shed New Light on Canning Jars
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Peel off the labels of pickle and okra jars, and use a cord kit (paperlanternstore.com) to illuminate each one. Equipped with a dimmer and hung at varying heights, they provide the ideal mix of rustic and industrial.

20 of 87

21 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Front-Door Harvest

More is More
Credit: Helen Norman

Pair pumpkins with potted kale to create a warm welcome. Grace an entry with a garland made of clippings from the garden.

21 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Fancy Pumpkin Display

Fancy Pumpkin Display
Credit: Photo by: Helen Norman

It’s simple to decorate pumpkins with just a few supplies from the hardware or crafts store. Create stylish seasonal decor with some gold and black paint and place them all around the house.

22 of 87

23 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Rustic Centerpiece

Rustic Centerpiece
Credit: Photo: Helen Norman

Naturally shed antlers lend a new twist to table decor. Pile them up with different-colored pumpkins, pine cones, and loose nuts and bring the outdoors in.

23 of 87

24 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Make an Impression

Make an Impression
Credit: Photo: Helen Norman

Double the impact of an arrangement by placing it in front of a mirror, like this one made from a barn window.

24 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Add Height to Your Pumpkin Display

Add Height to Your Pumpkin Display
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Arrange branches, dried grasses, moss, squash, and small pumpkins in a vase as you would a traditional flower display. Then, choose a single pumpkin with an interesting shape or a twisted stem to showcase. Place it on a smaller table or stool to help set it apart from the rest.

25 of 87

26 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Pumpkin Carving Idea: Message Pumpkin

Pumpkin Carving Ideas: Message Pumpkin

A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but a few words can have major impact. Use this pumpkin carving idea to carve a message on your pumpkin. Southern Living Associate Garden Editor Rebecca Bull Reed created this work of art and added the wise words “Spooky is what you think you see.” What do you see?

26 of 87

27 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Spotty Pumpkins

Spotty Pumpkins
Credit: Photo by: Helen Norman

Gold metallic paint gives ordinary pumpkins a wow factor. Stick round labels on a pumpkin and trace the shape with a pencil. Remove the labels and paint inside the traced circles with gold paint. For another effect, apply labels to pumpkin, and then cover entire pumpkin in gold paint. Remove the labels when paint is dry.

27 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Cornhusk Garland

Cornhusk Garland
Credit: Photo: William Dickey

Construct an easy-to-assemble Indian corn garland beginning with a piece of sisal rope. If you like, dye it dark brown or a golden maize shade. Wrap it with broomcorn, corn tassels (stalks are available at farmers markets), or other dried grasses. Place corn along the rope single file or gathered in bundles of three. Wire corn securely in place, and then tie raffia on top for a finishing touch. Hang your garland across a door or from your mantel.

28 of 87

29 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Mix Colors

Mix Colors
Credit: Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Don't limit yourself to just traditional orange in your display. Orange and yellow pumpkins really pop when mixed with bright greens. Try using small green plants as well as gourds and squash with green tones.

29 of 87

30 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Set Up A Glamorous Banquet

Set Up A Glamorous Banquet
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

For an elegant fall dinner, emphasize the beauty of the meal by serving it on gold and glass dinnerware.

30 of 87

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Floral Pumpkins

Pretty Pumpkins
Credit: Helen Norman

To make these festive party decorations, pick up a carving or soft-skinned pumpkin, an awl (pointed tool), and some cut mums. Using the awl, poke a hole in the pumpkin and fill it in with a mum stem. Repeat this process until the entire pumpkin is covered. To help extend its life, keep this decoration in the refrigerator until party time.

31 of 87

32 of 87

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone