2023 Fall Home Tour
Morning, friends! One of my blog goals is to get into the habit of sharing seasonal home tours- four per year. At the beginning of each season, I always style and update my home accordingly- it brings me a lot of joy… matching the weather, time of year, and functional comforts for the season ahead. Today, I’d love to share my annual fall home tour with you. We had a drizzly autumn weekend, perfect for photographing some moody vignettes fit for fall…
From the front porch and storage shed outside to mantel styling in my living room, I decided to keep things simple and classic this year- taking inspiration from none other than Ralph. Subtle changes of hue, darker palettes, heavier textiles, and cozy accents are making our home feel fresh and inviting as we kick off October. Scroll on for the tour, or hop around with the links below…
Exterior Autumn Decor
This year, I decided to go heavy on the pumpkins… although I’ll admit, it was partly by accident. My friend, who is an amazing local florist, recommended a farm to try this year. I hit the motherload on pumpkins & gourds, so I leaned into that element- focusing on multiples, repetition, color, and texture.
My goal is always to keep our home exterior looking pretty traditional & timeless… candles, pumpkins, and mums felt all that were needed. I didn’t even hang our wheat wreaths this year. Sometimes less is more, and a good eye for editing goes further in design.
I pulled out the same candles I used last year, and to my surprise- they still worked perfectly (no battery change required). While I love the look of real pillar candles, living in a wildfire zone… the battery powered ones give me peace of mind in regards to safety when styling outdoor candles. They’re on a remote to switch on as a group, and the ease & convenience factor is admittedly very nice. I’ll drop front porch sources for you below…
Our shed is looking charming for the season, too! My summer window boxes were still doing so well, I ended up leaving them alone. I added a tiny mum to each and in an effort to use all of my farm pumpkins, I added a couple small varieties to each box.
They’re simple this year, but I’m into the textural and softer palette. If you’re looking for a really good fall window planter box tutorial– complete with plant varieties, I’ve got you covered. The one I linked is probably my best one for autumn!
I still can’t believe we built this shed from the ground up three years ago. It’s still a project I’m really proud of. Anyway, I filled my terracotta planters with more mums and added a couple more pumpkins, for good measure. I really did overdo it with the pumpkins and gourds this year. Emmett kept asking if I knew how many we had, and I just continued to load more piles into the truck. More is more? Ha.
Ready to move inside? I’ll drop some links for the shed below. Those solar lights are still one of my best exterior finds!
Living Room Fall Decor
Simplicity was really the name of the game this year for me. Not feeling very well and having two messy renovation projects underway (the basement and the entryway), the house quite honestly feels chaotic at the moment. Therefore, I welcomed a minimalistic approach. I figure, I can always add and adjust as I feel- or as the weather cools.
Does anyone remember the pedestal Emmett modified for me? It was living in the entry, got moved to the basement, then was displaced again… so I hauled it to our formal living room. This was the easiest vignette to style: pedestal, a book, a pretty vessel, and an oversized branch I clipped from our backyard.
I didn’t touch my built-ins because they’re a beast to style and I’m loving the way they currently look… plus, I know I’m going to get flack when I flip those spines for my annual holiday look in a couple months, ha! Maybe you noticed my new side tables though?
I snagged these limestone side tables from the last estate sale I attended. I grabbed two and they’re the perfect height next to my beloved mohair sofa… they actually fit our living room much better than our previous vintage ones, so I moved those downstairs.
I did swap the textiles throughout this room for the season… I brought up some existing pillows and throws with an appropriate fabric weight & color palette for autumn. Think cashmere, wool, velvet, etc. Cash hopped up for a photo- this sweet guy has pancreatitis and has been feeling so bad. We’ve had a rough month over here; I’m welcoming October for a fresh start… new (old) pillows and all!
The coffee table also got a seasonal styling upgrade… look at all the fun books, objects, and candles I have out at the moment. Scroll through and take a peek. That pretty dark marble tray is hitting the Tuesday Made shop later today! I just unboxed those over the weekend.
Even though our home is a bit undone and under construction at the moment, taking an hour to make these seasonal updates really helped my mood and the house to feel cozy & inviting for fall.
An Autumn Kitchen
The last room I have to share is our kitchen, and the amount of changes I made was, again… minimal, but intentional. The main thing I did was create a magnolia arrangement that feels seasonally appropriate and also matches the one I just pulled together in our living room. I think repetition goes a long way when it comes to cohesive home decorating.
To me, autumn in the kitchen is more about cooking, baking, and enjoying seasonal foods, gathering, sampling the flavors & spices that accompany October, and just carving out warm little moments. For me, that’s my morning coffee routine, sipping tea, or combing through cookbooks to recipe plan… just trying to soak up the season and comfort foods.
I actually planned to make shortbread over weekend, and our oven igniter went out again… shocking, right? If you’d like an honest review of the GE Cafe Range, I’m your girl and believe me when I say- I didn’t sugarcoat. It’s on Emmett’s to-do list to get that igniter replaced (for the 7th time), so we ended up making my favorite vegan sweet potato chili on the stovetop instead. A good comfort food compromise!
Aside from the magnolia branches, clean & classic kitchen linens, and just a couple more pumpkins, the kitchen feels ready for the season ahead.
Classic Fall Decorating Tips
Before signing off, I wanted to leave you with 5 easy tips for classic fall home decorating…
- Create a festive & welcoming entrance before stepping foot into your home by decorating your front door or porch.
- Swap textiles for heavier (physically and visually) options.
- Don’t forget your favorite seasonal fragrances… candles & diffusers are appealing this time of year and really set the tone for a cozy fall home.
- If you don’t have them plugged-in already, now is the time to bring out more lamps.
- Look to nature for seasonal color inspiration and free textural decor (like branches).
FAQ
Believe me- I’m a Scorpio and love all things spooky, curiosities, and witchy decor for Halloween. I host an annual Halloween party, and may pull out more of my creepy apothecary style decor once it gets closer, but for the time being- I wanted to keep things classic, tonal, cozy… and most importantly- easy. More autumn, less Halloween specific. With my recent energy level, that has better staying power to last until Thanksgiving- or until my holiday decor comes out.
Under $200… which is honestly miraculous for 500lbs of pumpkins (yes you read that correctly). Find a local farmer to support, and I’m willing to bet your pumpkins will be less expensive than big box retail stores or nurseries this time of year.
When decorating with pumpkins outside or on the porch, always grab a bit more than you think you’ll need. I always find they don’t go as far as you’d expect. I like to group and stack them in odd numbers or clusters for a plentiful look that adds nice dimension. Tuck in some florals or candles to fill any gaps.
I’m obviously biased, but I love these oud noir candles so much- I decided we HAD to carry them in the shop. They’re perfect for autumn with the black hammered vessel, which is perfect to reuse once the candle has been burned. They come in two oversized options: 6-wick or 10-wick… and the fragrance is my favorite.
While it seems seasonal changes in retail and social media come so early, I’d challenge you to decorate in real time– with the seasons. I’m all for grabbing special items as they appear, but I typically tuck them away until the mood or weather strikes. All of that to say, if you’ve been feeling behind for autumn decorating… you’re not. You’re right on time and home is whatever we want it to be, whenever it feels right. Hope you liked this one! Leave me a comment below or let me know if you have questions about anything.