Welcoming Fall Into Your Home When Summer Comes to an End

There’s always that point near the end of summer when I start to notice the little changes.

The evenings get darker a little earlier. The mornings feel a little cooler. And even though the calendar may still say summer, I find myself looking around the house and feeling ready for something different.

Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons to decorate for, but I don’t think welcoming fall into your home means everything has to change overnight. You don’t need to pack away every trace of summer and immediately fill the house with pumpkins.

Sometimes, it’s the smallest changes that make a home begin to feel like fall.

Start With What You Already Have

Before I buy anything new for a season, I like to pull out what I already own.

Every year, I seem to forget about at least a few things tucked away in my fall bins. It almost feels like shopping, except everything is already paid for, which makes it even better.

Bring everything out and look at it with fresh eyes. A pumpkin that lived on the dining room table last year might end up on a bookshelf this year. A basket might move to the mantel. Sometimes simply using things in a different place makes them feel completely new.

Bring in Warmer Colors

One of the easiest ways to transition your home from summer to fall is through color.

You don’t have to completely change your color palette. I like adding warmer shades alongside the things I already have: rusty oranges, warm browns, muted greens, mustard yellows and deeper neutrals.

Even just a few touches can change the feeling of an entire room.

A throw pillow, a vintage book, a piece of artwork or a few fall stems might be all a space needs.

Look Outside

Some of my favorite seasonal decorating pieces don't come from a store at all.

Branches, dried flowers and clippings from the yard can add so much texture and warmth to a room. I love the slightly imperfect look of bringing something inside that looks like it was just gathered outdoors.

Put a few branches in an old crock, pitcher or basket and suddenly a corner that felt like summer starts feeling a little more like September.

Add Fall Slowly

You don't have to decorate the entire house in one day.

Actually, I think there is something really nice about letting fall slowly make its way through your home.

Maybe you start with a few stems on the kitchen counter. Then a pumpkin appears on a shelf. A cozy blanket comes back out. Before you know it, the mantel is covered in pumpkins and you're wondering exactly when that happened.

Not that I would know anything about that.

Make It Feel Cozy

More than anything, I think decorating for fall is about creating a feeling.

Fall makes me want the house to feel a little warmer, a little softer and a little more lived in. I want blankets within reach, lamps glowing in the evening, something simmering on the stove and little reminders of the season tucked throughout the house.

It doesn't have to be perfect, and it certainly doesn't have to look like anyone else's version of fall.

Use the things you love. Bring out the pieces you've collected over the years. Move things around until the room feels right.

Because sometimes welcoming a new season isn't about completely changing your home.

It's simply about noticing that summer is beginning to fade and making a little room for fall to come in.