14 fresh ways to give your home decor a fall makeover

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Interesting fact: As the temperatures drop, and the cold weather blows in, you might find yourself itching to tackle a project. Studies have shown that on those days when the weather is blustery outside, your productivity can improve.* You might also see a boost in abstract creativity.**

So, use this to your advantage. Take on one of these DIY projects on a chilly afternoon, and make your home feel warm and festive by bringing elements of the outside in.

Try this: 14 fall-tastic decor ideas that are both easy and cheap

Get ready to scratch that productive itch:

1. Crochet pumpkins.

Don’t feel comfortable tackling a major project like socks or a sweater? Do this instead. Crocheted pumpkins (and fall leaves and acorns) couldn’t be cuter, and it’s not hard to find free patterns.

2. Fall roses.

You might not believe how easy these fall leaf roses are to make if we told you. And they look just as gorgeous as the real thing. Get the full tutorial here.

3. Floral wreath.

Even after you move in, curb appeal still matters. Spruce up your front door with a DIY wreath made of fall flowers from the dollar store or craft store.

4. Festive mantelpiece.

If you do one thing to get your house ready for fall, let it be this. Arrange your best decorations on your mantel to draw attention to the warmth of the fireplace and turn it into the room’s main attraction.

5. Front porch planter.

There are plenty of ways to turn fall pumpkins and planters into a front porch masterpiece. You can even paint plastic containers or jack o’ lanterns with chalkboard paint and write a fun message.

6. Hand-painted signs.

Buy them on Etsy or make your own, if you have a steady hand and are good at calligraphy. Either way, personalized signage is the kind of timeless decor you can keep pulling out year after year.

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7. Leaf luminaries.

Make your inner Martha proud. This is a genius decorating project that looks a lot more complicated —  and expensive — than it is. No glue required.

8. Mason jar lid pumpkins.

If you’ve been wondering what to do with those mason jar lids you’ve been saving, here’s your answer. Paint them, arrange them in the shape of a pumpkin, and put on the finishing touches with twigs or cinnamon sticks, faux leaves, and twine.

9. Painted acorns.

Fall’s the prime time of year to make the most of what Mother Nature gave us. Use this simplified tutorial to paint the acorns you gather and display them on shelves, windowsills, and tables.

10. Preserved pumpkins.

To prevent that “rotting pumpkin on the porch” problem, coat your gourds with floor cleaner or soak them in a bleach bath and keep them on display all season.

11. Scented candles.

Because a home isn’t truly fall-ready until it smells like maple. (Or pumpkin, or cinnamon, or caramel apple.) Buy a fall candle or learn how to make your own in a mason jar here.

12. Super-simple centerpiece.

Pin this one for Thanksgiving or your next family gathering. Place any combination of mini pumpkins, acorns, leaves, and branches in a wooden bowl and call it a day.

13. Upcycled vases.

You knew you were saving those old wine bottles for something. Adorn them in fall colors, add decorations, or use chalkboard paint to create customizable place settings or vases.

14. Wine cork pumpkin.

With those nightly glasses of red wine comes dozens of wine corks. Save them for a rainy fall day, when you can get out your hot glue gun and some twine to make this pumpkin.

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*“Rainmakers: Why Bad Weather Means Good Productivity.” Harvard Business School, 2012.

**Ijzerman H, Leung AK, Ong LS. Perceptual symbols of creativity: coldness elicits referential, warmth elicits relational creativity. Acta Psychol (Amst). 2014;148:136-147. doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.01.013.

For educational purposes only. Please contact your qualified professional for specific guidance.

Sources are deemed reliable but not guaranteed.