As summer draws to a close, the smell of pumpkin spice fills the air and entices you to enjoy all the rich, warm colors and textures of fall! Turn your apartment into an autumn haven with some of these easy new trends for the season:
Great Gourds. Rather than filling your apartment with monochromatic orange pumpkins, choose white squash, funky shaped gourds, and non-traditional pumpkins as decorations. Match them with some dried hydrangeas or daisies for a beautiful centerpiece, or arrange them on your window sills and mantle.
Warm, Dramatic Colors. You don’t have to dress your apartment completely in orange to create the feeling of fall. Deep cranberry, earthy, spicy browns, and soft tan and taupe can inspire the rich feeling of harvest season without the garish “halloweeny” feel of traditional colors. Add a few pillows in seasonal colors to your living room, or swap out your bathroom towels for fall hues.
The Scent of the Season. Use large candles to add warmth and light to your apartment. Dramatic colors like cranberry make beautiful accents, and the scent of cranberry, pumpkin spice or marigold creates the feeling of a warm autumn afternoon. If you’re crafty, you can even make your own candles and include fall foliage or other decorative scented items in the wax!
Rings and Wreaths. Use artificial fall foliage to create a beautiful autumn-inspired wreath, or create a ring of braided wheat decorated with artificial berries to use as a wreath on your door or a centerpiece. Cranberries can also be used to make a gorgeous wreath that you can use from September through January.
Bring on the Baskets. Swap out your flower vases and trade them in for woven baskets. Fill your baskets with dried flowers, wheat fronds, gourds, harvest-toned pillows, or anything that inspires you! Baskets are also a great place to store cozy blankets, perfect for cuddling under on a chilly fall day.
Jars of Joy. Fill glass apothecary jars with gourds or miniature pumpkins to create beautiful, easy-to-maintain decorations. You can also fill your apothecary jar with candy corn and nestle a flameless candle in the candy for a decoration that provides light and snacks.
Paint Your Pumpkins. Get creative! Paint several pumpkins in lots of different bright colors, or paint them all white and use fall foliage to create a tasteful palette. Maybe you will use different patterns – stripes, polka dots, color blocks – to create a “pumpkin gallery” to brighten up a room. Kids also love this safe alternative to carving pumpkins. Let them create and paint their own designs on pumpkins for decorations the whole family can enjoy!
Cozy Comfort. Find a chunky blanket in warm autumn tones, or make one yourself to create a nook where you can curl up with a book and a pumpkin latte to enjoy an autumn afternoon! There are lots of easy, do-it-yourself patterns you can create with your own hands – no knitting needles required! Chunky blankets are a great way to add fall style to your bedroom or living room, and creating a blanket out of warm, soft merino wool is especially wonderful on a cool autumn day.
Stack and Smile. Look for squash and pumpkins that are stackable, and create a “tower” to celebrate the season! Stack 3 to 4 gourds or pumpkins on top of one another for a beautiful entry or hearthside sculpture.
There are so many ways to make your apartment “fall-friendly” – try something new this season!