DIY fall decorations are easy when you’ve got experts to guide you!
Pumpkins, pine cones and even cranberries can be inexpensive items in your DIY fall decorations. Even I can round up these things without much trouble. But you have to know how to properly display them.
Here are some brilliant tips from design experts to warm up your home this fall:
Small spaces, big splash!
Amy Bell of Red Chair Home Interiors suggests simplifying fall decorating by targeting just three areas of your home: the front door/porch, the living room mantel and the dining room table.
“For people with minimal storage space, all three of these spaces can easily be addressed with natural elements: pumpkins, acorns, gourds and mums,” Bell said.
She advises using multiple pieces with varying heights for your display A small wooden step ladder on the front porch can display pumpkins and mums at various heights. For the dining room table, try a shallow glass bowl filled with mini pumpkins nestled in a bed of acorns, she said.
“My other piece of advice is to opt for décor that works for both Halloween and Thanksgiving. Choose pumpkins over jack-o-lanterns, and you’ll only need to decorate once!” she said.
Succulent Pumpkin Centerpieces
The flower experts at FTD have a fall DIY idea that incorporates your favorite succulents. Using foam pumpkins as containers and their free stencils, you can create a succulent pumpkin centerpiece for your table, front porch or patio.
Succulents are very popular today. Most require very little care, which makes them the perfect addition for fall decorations.
Follow the easy directions for succulent pumpkin centerpieces in the FTD blog and create your own extraordinary autumn decorations!
Backyard inspiration
You don’t have to shop around or spend lots of money to find great props for DIY fall decorations, according to the owner of Erin Melkonian Interior Designs.
“I love using the things I have growing in my backyard to decorate,” Erin Melkonian said. “One of my favorite décor hacks is putting branches from my kumquat tree in a mason jar or vase. The orange kumquats give a little pop of color and the leaves are perfect for fall.”
She also uses branches from lemon trees.
“The arrangements can be quite tall and dramatic, which I love,” said Melkonian, a graduate of the University of San Diego and the Design Institute of San Diego.
If you don’t have kumquat or lemon trees in your yard, try small branches with berries or leaves in orange, yellow and red autumn colors.
Tiny texture tricks
The feel of velvet is perfect for welcoming the colder months, said Liat TZoubari, the founder and CEO of Sevensmith, an online home décor boutique.
“Soothing and soft … . Think velvet armchairs. Throws and pillows will add tactile warmth and coziness to your home,” she said.
Tzoubari said few things say fall warmth like inviting textures. A chunky, knitted throw blanket kept on the arm of your sofa creates a “snug and styled look,” she noted. A romantic glow and heavenly scent from a pumpkin spice candle can welcome the arrival of fall, Tzoubari added.
Cranberry rope garland
Fresh cranberries are much more than a Thanksgiving side dish. The deep, red fruit is a “decorative secret weapon” that is easy to sneak into DIY fall decorations, according to Michelle Hogan, executive director of the Cranberry Marketing Committee.
“There is no prep needed to use fresh cranberries in décor,” she explained.
The committee recently launched its Guide to Entertaining with Fresh Cranberries. It includes step-by-step instructions for crafting a gorgeous cranberry rope garland!
How to make two single, 4-foot garlands:
Supplies:
- Twine
- 150 fresh cranberries
- Yarn needle (#16)
- Thin gauge floral wire
- Wire cutter or heavy-duty kitchen shears
- Needle-nose pliers (optional)
Directions:
- Cut twine to desired garland length. Double-knot the terminating end of the twine and thread through a yarn needle. If in doubt on length, go long.
- Pierce and thread about 18 cranberries per foot of twine. Continue to thread until the garland reaches your desired length.
- To finish your garland, double-knot it and lay it on the floor or table in a straight line to avoid tangling.
- Repeat the process for your second garland. When finished, place it below the first one on the floor or table. To create draping, connect the bottom garland to the top one with thin gauge floral wire. Twist to connect the twine between cranberries in one touchpoint using a needle nose pliers or by hand.
- Hang your garland on a banister, door or mantle, or weave it through other decorations for a pop of color!
Fall for something new
I plan on trying at least a few of these ideas at my house. It certainly will be an improvement over the old and dusty decorations I’ve used for years!
Check out the inspiring autumn decorating and party tips on our Halloween & Fall Finds Pinterest board.
Are you a DIY fall decorations expert with tips to share? Please leave your comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
— This blog was updated Nov. 3, 2023
