Transitional Decor Ideas to Take Your Home from Summer to Fall: Expert Tips to Effortlessly Transform Your Home

by
Updated on September 28th, 2021

Ahhh… early fall. With its perfect blend of summer and fall weather, early fall is a wonderful time to enjoy both the warm days with hints of the cooler fall weather. And as the seasons start to change, what better way to refresh your space than with transitional decor ideas to bring in the cozy elements of fall? 

Whether you’re looking to add some seasonal touches to your home in sunny Phoenix, AZ, or are celebrating the arrival of cooler weather in your cozy Ottawa, ON apartment, there are plenty of ideas to savor the season regardless of the weather outside. To help you get started, we reached out to experts for their best tips to usher in the fall season in your home decor. From cozy textiles to warm and inviting scents, here are transitional decor ideas to welcome fall into your home. 

Find inspiration from your surroundings

1)  Focus on the five senses and what you enjoy most about fall, and find the colors that feel most like fall to you to be your visual guide. Bring in some soft, cozy throw pillows and blankets and switch out some of your summer scents for ones that remind you of fall – think apple, cinnamon, pumpkin, nutmeg. Make a few of your favorite fall recipes, or create a playlist of songs that you can play at your next fall gathering. These simple, easy transitional decor ideas will bring the best of fall into your home. –Pittsburgh Candle Works

2) Bring your most loved outdoor fragrances in. Mulled cider, campfires, pumpkin patches – we love fragrances that tap into our memory banks. Cider socials, bonfires, and pumpkin carving are just a few of our favorite Autumn activities. Make the most of your home decor by choosing a fragrance that will resurface some of your fondest memories while creating new ones in your home this season. –Kalamazoo Candle

Make the summer swap

3) There’s no easier (or cheaper, read: free) way to get excited for fall than by packing up accent items that scream summer and subbing them for autumnal tones and earthier elements. To get inspired, pack up any beachy-feeling items in white wood, shells, and anything else reminiscent of splashing in the surf and replace them with objects from walks outdoors like weathered pieces of wood or different types of dried flowers. You can also fill clear cylindrical jars with pampas grass au naturel or dyed an interesting hue for Halloween or Thanksgiving, acorns or pinecones you gathered, or even some dried lentils that have seen better days in the pantry. The best part? If you hate it, you might be able to cook it instead. –The Party Goddess

Give your home exterior a fall makeover

4) Spice up your home for fall with fresh paint. Often we associate a fresh coat of paint with the interior, but another great option is painting your door. Choosing a warm fall color for your front door, like terra-cotta colors, gray-blues, or olive greens, is a great way to give your home a fresh look for fall from the outside in. –Christian Lee Design

Add a fall glow

5) Choose soft, moody lighting to set the tone for couch cuddles and the spooky season. Candles are the perfect pairing for a fall atmosphere that can cozy up any space. Start with a central area of your home, like your kitchen island. Place a decorative tray in the center with a stack of fall-colored books topped with your favorite neutral-colored candle, a pretty glass jar filled with matches, and complete the look with a vessel filled with fall stems, such as pampas grass or autumn leaves. –Scentcerely Yours

Layer seasonal scents

6) Layering scent in your home is a way to explore your creativity and usher in a new season with exciting and evocative scent combos. It’s time to ditch florals and fruit-forward fragrances and move towards crisp and cozy autumnal tones. We love the idea of layering a woodsy blend like Mountain Breeze essential oil spray with the sticky sweetness of a Vanilla Maple Latte Soy candle to create the feeling of a cabin in the woods. –Natura Soy

Gradually incorporate fall elements into each room

7) Transitioning your summer decor can be fun and easy with a few simple, but dramatic elements:

  1. Change up your dining room tablescape by simply arranging an array of different glass, ceramic, metal pumpkins, gourds, and pinecones down the middle of the table. Use different sizes, colors, shapes, and textures of each to bring interest.
  2. Bring in lots of neutral colors in forms of cozy blankets and pillows. Use fabrics such as velvet to add warmth and texture.
  3. For outside, arrange a couple of hay bales, with various pumpkins of different sizes and colors. Add some colorful mums, and your home will scream fall.Bella M Interiors

8) Think about all 5 senses and try to incorporate at least 1-2 of them into each room for the new season. Think about lighting a candle with scent notes such as amber, cinnamon, or pumpkin and changing out your vase greenery for something like dried florals in rich tones such as burgundy or burnt orange, which can evoke the cozy feelings of the season. Plush blankets at the end of the bed or draped over a chair feel comforting while the sound of autumn jazz plays in the background. In your kitchen, a coffee or tea display with seasonal favorites is a great way to bring the taste of fall into your morning or night routine so that you feel inspired by the change in scenery both outside and in. –Reverie Interiors

Swap out lighter colors for warmer hues

9) The simplest and most budget-friendly way to transition your home decor for the fall is by swapping out your lightly colored accessory pieces for warmer hues and tones such as vases, bowls, decorative table books, and throw pillows or blankets. Fall decor is all about creating that warm and cozy feel we all long for during this season. While we all love the fresh florals Summer brings, removing any bright florals and replacing them with darker greens, pampas grass or eucalyptus is another simple way to warm up the feel of your home. –Olive And Oak Décor

Create an inviting atmosphere with warm scents

10) The transition to fall is all about warmth, coziness, and earthy tones. Achieve an inviting space by bringing out some of your favorite fall decor like pumpkins, wooden crates, and florals. The perfect finishing touch? Adding a fall candle that will give your newly decorated space all the cozy fall vibes. –Frances & Louise Candle Co.

11) Play around with different scent combinations to set the tone of each room in your home. Scents can be a powerful and easy way to change the vibe in your home. Choose warm, spicy candle scents to create a welcoming and cozy ambiance in the main areas, like our Vetiver + Tonka in the living room and Pumpkin + Spices or Apples + Maple Bourbon in the kitchen. Don’t be afraid to use different scents to create a specific profile for different rooms. For example, a lighter, fresher scent like our Evergreen + Eucalyptus is great for the bathroom but will still feel cohesive with your other fall scents. –Calyan Wax

Include fall foliage and natural elements in your home decor

12) Go to your local flower mart and pick up some beautiful fall foliage – maple or chestnut branches, or even an assortment of dried foliage. Put them in a tall vase, and you have the perfect seasonal centerpiece to welcome fall into your home. Fall is a triumph of harvest, and we love using edible items as decor. Grab a large platter or bowl, and fill it with pomegranates or persimmons for an instant fall feel in your home. –studioHEIMAT

Play with fall colors, textures, and patterns

13) Revamp your space with unique textures and patterns. Effortlessly shift into the fall season by adding the sophistication of rich green hues, such as sage and olive, paired with pops of color like mustard or coral. Add a chunky knitted blanket to your favorite space accessorized with velvet and floral decorative pillows to boost chicness. Lastly, include a woven basket as an accent piece or texture with rattan, which can also serve as a great spot to place dried or fresh florals, a current read and your favorite fall scented candle to create a cozy ambiance. –Kokoann Scented Candles

14) Switch out your artwork and greenery. An easy way to transition your decor for the new season is by introducing deep earthy hues and organic textures. Swapping out your artwork for a dark, moody landscape print will instantly add an element of interest to your space, whilst the richer palette will create depth and contrast. Opting for more subtly colored greenery such as dried grasses or Autumn leaf branches, styled in a textured clay vessel, will add a warm, tactile edge without feeling overdone. –Nia’s Interior Alchemy

Amp up the coziness factor with different textiles

15) The key element when it comes to autumn and cold weather is the rug. A beautiful handmade rug, warm and cozy, in autumnal shades will be, undoubtedly, the perfect addition to your home this season. Why don’t you push yourself creatively and go into tufting? –Tufting Addicts

16) Purchase standard pillow forms such as 20 x 20″ or 16″ round, and replace the cover every season or holiday for a new look. In the fall and winter, use pillow covers with accents of deeper, warm colors such as rust, orange, red, and jewel tones that match your decor. Covers should feature heavier woven or knit fabrics with thick, lofty yarns. Dramatic textures such as nubs, cables, and bobbles will add a cozy and enticing element. Slip this season’s cover over the off-season covers for an easy storage solution. –Knitwit

Get creative and DIY some cozy essentials

17) Craft something with your own hands and elevate it. Sew some pieces of fabric together that bring back good memories or make you smile. Then, make a canvas or blanket out of it. Every time you look at your work, you’ll be reminded that you can do challenging things. Who knows, maybe the leap into craft will inspire you to make a Welcome Blanket for a new refugee neighbor. –Welcome Blanket

Hannah is part of the content marketing team and covers topics related to home trends, personal finance, decor, and more. She particularly enjoys writing about real estate trends and home improvement.
Scroll to Top