Summer has gone; fall has come. For those of us who love the rich and muted tones of September, now is the best time to prepare our homes to help us get into the right mindset for the cooler months, and nothing says fall season better than new decor and autumnal touches. Here are some tips for styling your home for the new season.
Clean your home from the inside out
Summer is known for all its fun and chaotic activities, but it can sometimes take a toll on our homes since we tend to leave our sports equipment and swimsuits everywhere and maybe break a window or two while playing baseball. If your home has not gone through a general dust-up since summer started, the changing season is the best time to finally give your home some tender loving care.
Before you even think about hanging an autumn wreath, you need to ensure that your home is clean first. Here are some tips for cleaning your house for fall:
- Make sure your roof and yard are prepared for fallen leaves. Your gutters need cleaning as well since too much debris can affect your home’s foundation and structural elements.
- Consider having your home sanitized as well. Every room, wall, floor, and ceiling could use some deep cleaning, especially if you can already see some dust buildup in some areas.
- Inspect your HVAC filters and other ducts to ensure that you and your family breathe cleaner air at all times.
- If you want your common areas to be a plain canvas for your upcoming decorations, consider doing some decluttering and leave out the more fall-looking design elements.
- Trim your bushes, mow the grass, and prune your trees in preparation for fall.
Come up with a theme or concept
Once you’ve cleaned your home from the inside out, now is the time to think of a central theme for your fall decor. Here are some pointers for pinning down exactly what concept you want to go for:
- Take a close look at your house, both the interiors and exteriors. Think of what designs will look good with the colors of the walls, your furniture, and the look of your outdoor living spaces. If your interiors have a certain color palette, your theme or concept should complement your home’s natural architecture and existing style.
- Scour Pinterest and other platforms for trends and styles that will be all the rage this 2021. While it’s safe to copy something straight out of Architectural Digest, it would also benefit you to find inspiration from them and make the theme completely your own.
- Think of the types of parties you intend to have this holiday season and what decorative elements will help serve your parties. Imagine how your decor will look with your holiday tables. Think with Halloween and Thanksgiving in mind.
- Center it around a specific theme. You can do a color palette, florals, pumpkins, dark academia, and other autumnal aesthetics.
Additional pointers
Here are some decorative elements and styling tips that can make your home look distinctly fall:
- Grapevine wreaths aren’t just for Christmas. Ditch the lights and add some flowers with warm, earthy, muted tones like brick reds and deep oranges, and you instantly elevate your front door.
- Paint a big pumpkin with autumnal colors and use it as a vase for orange flowers.
- Create a leaf wreath made of orange and red leaves and dried fruits, and hang them around your outdoor light fixtures. It will instantly give your exteriors an autumn feel.
- Don’t limit yourself to just using pumpkins. Get some chestnuts and create a garland out of them.
- Now is the time to make your outdoor living spaces much cozier and intimate. Take out the warm-toned fairy lights and hang some in your yard. Incorporate some more textures like an earth-toned Pendleton blanket, fluffy throws, earthy area rugs, and checkered prints.
- Wheat centerpieces are all the rage these days and for good reason. They are simple, add a touch of elegance to a minimalist room, and are easier to style. You can also add some pine cones, red berries, and pine needles for good measure.
With COVID-19 cases still climbing, we will do well to continue to invest in our homes as our spaces of refuge and safety. Find ways to enjoy the season from the comforts of your home by styling it in celebration of autumn. And hopefully, a few months from now, we’ll be able to invite family and friends to enjoy the holidays with us, too.
