Fall is here, and with it comes cooler temperatures, a complete change of color palette – thanks Mother Nature – and simply stunning fall decor to go with it. After all, you need the right setting to enjoy pumpkin spiced lattes, family nights in, pumpkin carving sessions and more, right?
We love this season of change, it's the perfect time to put your best fall decorating ideas into practice and to switch up your home for the last few months of the year. You don't need to make big or expensive changes for a stunning finish.
Fall living room decorating ideas
Think cozy blankets, pillows, foraged stems and rich colors to add into your existing living room decor scheme for a simple seasonal upgrade.
1. Let your fire surround be the star of your living room
‘As the days begin to get shorter and chillier, the living room becomes a key focus of any home. It’s the perfect place to rest and recharge, as well as being somewhere you can enjoy relaxing with family or friends,’ says Lucy Kirk, creative and photography manager at Lights4fun.
Lucy adds, ‘Harvest is another key theme for fall 2021 and there are many ways you can incorporate this into your living room. They recommend opting for oak furnishings and natural colored accessories, such as a vase of pampas grass, weaving warm white micro lights around elements of your arrangement to make your set-up even more cozy.’
And, if you love to stay toasty, nod to the coziest fireplace ideas to really set the tone too.
2. Give fall colored pieces of furniture pride of place
We’re not saying to go and buy orange colored pieces of furniture like this fabulous armchair of course – though isn’t it gorgeous! However, if you do have chairs and accessories in tones of orange, rust and turmeric, then do have a shift around so they’re more prominent for this season that’s full of welcoming warming shades.
3. Decorate with fall colored leaves
Fairy lights are a great option when the days get shorter and you want to create a cozy feel in your living room. These stunning fall leaves fairy lights from Sparkle Lighting are hand-made and hand-painted, you can wrap them around your mantle, shelf or lamp shades. They are battery operated with a timer so you can set them to be on when you walk in from work – what’s better than a welcoming glow in the evening? Plus, those yellows and oranges will help perfect a fall color scheme at home too.
4. Give one wall a fall makeover
If fall’s your favorite season, or you particularly love the colors, then it’s worth painting one of your walls in a warming tone. It will uplift your spirits especially as we get nearer to the colder, more snowy months.
Will Thompson, head of product marketing at Valspar explains:
‘For a cozy autumnal feel, warm shades of orange and brown - such as Spiced Rum are great to offer an added layer of depth to fall living spaces. Opt for a matt finish for an extra smooth, luxurious feel and pair with rich greens, such as Valspar’s Scottish Kilt, to heighten the seasonal shades.
5. Change up your pillows
Quick cheap fall decor fixes include swapping summer colored pillows for autumnal designs. These can be as simple as a stripe, single color or print. They can instantly update the feel of a living room by adding a new burst of color and texture. Look out for a blanket or two to match for a cohesive and stylish feel.
6. Look for fun seasonal lights
According to Lucy Kirk, creative and photography manager at Lights4fun, golden hues and warm neutrals are perfectly suited to fall, but it’s also good to add muted tones such as olive greens and pale greys.
We love their trio of white ceramic fall pumpkins. Amy says, ‘These are the ultimate seasonal addition to your space. They can be styled together or individually around your living room and are ideal for decorating your fireplace. Sit them on your mantel, coffee table or hearth, once illuminated they radiate a golden glow which will bring warmth to the room without the fire even needing to be lit! For the full effect, we suggest adding real pumpkins or smaller sized squash of different colours as part of your display for an even greater impact.’
7. Gather your logs for a roaring fire
Logs and fall go together like peanut butter and jelly right? Make a feature of them by storing them in alcoves on each side of the fireplace. They will add a cute burst of texture and will certainly bring the fall colors we love so much into your living room.
8. Create a mantel display with pumpkins
Pumpkins are of course synonymous with fall and we say you can never have too many in your living room – albeit faux ones! These fun designs are great if you have a modern scheme, a top styling tip is to vary the heights and always display an odd number.
Mix them with bunches of on-trend dried flowers in vases, they’ll add a wonderful tactile element and they’ll last forever!
9. Use low lighting to create warm glow
How cozy does this living room look? The wood paneling, the sumptuous sofa and plush rug all make for a fall scheme that encompasses all the tactile elements you need.
But what about the living room lighting? Aside from fairy lights which we all love, you need to create ambience with other lights – here, there’s both a table lamp and floor lamp which are enough to create a welcoming atmosphere, there’s no need for a main pendant light to be on too.
10. Forage for fun and create a masterpiece
Fall living room decor can be as simple as foraging for stems and branches to lay across your mantel or to enhance any gorgeous dining room ideas you have going on. Anything goes with this kind of look, simply choose the colors and textures you love and be creative.
It could be a collection of leaves that you lay on a shelf or mantel, or branches in a tall vase. This is about bringing nature into your living room to invoke the fall feel.
11. If it’s your favorite season then go out with a mural wall
Okay, so this is for extreme lovers of this season, but this fall decor idea would still look great through winter and into spring.
Murals and accent walls are a great way to set a scene in your living room and you can let your imagination run wild. This Heaton Park mural from Woodchip & Magnolia is pure fall, the colors are spot on and we love how the textured pillows and blankets carry on the color theme into the room.
12. If you love fall, but not necessarily the ‘orange’
We asked Habitat’s design manager, Andrew Tanner, his thoughts on how to create a fall-inspired living room if you’re not all about the obvious orange tones:
‘Deep hues of plum, beetroot and burgundy paired with opulent metallics add warmth to a space during the colder months whilst black accents help to balance out the vibrancy, adding a touch of modernity and drama. Lighting plays an important role, leaning on glass chandelier centerpieces and touch lighting to create a soft glow and help prepare for the night’s drawing in.’
13. Love the minimalist approach to fall decor?
Even a garland as simple and pretty as this can work amazingly well as fall living room decor and of course, it's easy to put away again when the season ends. Being flexible with your accessories is key as it allows you the freedom to dress up and down your spaces easily.
If you love fall but not the full on maximalist approach to seasonal decor then simple touches will be your friend.
14. Create a fall display for your sideboard
The arrival of fall means it's time to get creative! You can have lots of fun creating small displays in your living room. And think outside the box – this genius idea of using a cake stand for displaying mini pumpkins and gourds on is fabulous!
You can use real or faux pumpkins and mix it up with a few leaves picked from the backyard too.
15. Not a fan of pumpkins? Choose fall twigs instead
Not a fan of pumpkins? This amazing mini twig tree decoration has all the fall colors you'll need for your living room.
Pop one on your hearth as an alternative to pumpkins and gourds, it comes complete with mixed faux foliage and fall berries. If you want to give it a glow you can entwine fairy lights from top to bottom.
How do I decorate my living room in fall?
The main way to decorate your home in fall is to embrace the rich color palette that is abundant all around us. An orange sofa is a great starting point and it will look great in spring and summer too. Add in olive green, ochres and deep red in the form of accessories like plump pillows and blankets. Decorate shelves and the mantle with faux and real pumpkins and add in oodles of fairy lights.
How do I make my house cozy for fall?
As we mention above, it's all about the colors you choose and for the cozy element go for beautiful textures – velvets, brushed cotton and fleece will all give you that uber tactile feel to keep you warm and happy during the cooler season.
Add candles and use your table lamps, a welcoming glow is key and add decoration in the form of a DIY fall wreath and garlands to add extra texture and color.