When I think of fall decor, my mind usually goes right to tacky slogans at Home Goods and signs like “Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice” flash before my eyes. Instead of cool and modern, I think of knickknacks that look a little more country farmhouse than my usual decor vibe. But since this is the first time the seasons have changed since Dave and I bought our place and moved in together, I’ve got a major itch to add a few seasonal updates this year!
There’s nothing I love more than an epic display of porch pumpkins (see this post for my favorites from my old neighborhood last fall!), but up until this year, the only fall decor I owned were a handful of brass pumpkins I bought at West Elm back in 2015. I’d always pick up a few autumn candles to make it smell like fall in my apartment and call it a day. But now that I have a bit more space to work with, I’ve been loving the hunt of finding cute fall decor pieces for our home… Think chic instead of country for all things autumn, and stylish instead of overly spooky for Halloween!
If a few pumpkins and candles are still your speed, I picked up this inexpensive candle at Target last year and loved the way it smelled! (It was actually an orange wax last year, but I’ve double checked and it’s the same scent with white wax this year, which is even better IMO!) I never felt bad about burning it all day long because the large 3-wick size is only $12. Stock up and buy a few early in the season, trust me. The same scent also comes in these cute little $5 glass pumpkin jars and I bought mine in-store so I can vouch they’re just as cute in person!
If you, too, have a bougier candle habit, Nest’s Pumpkin Chai candle is always a favorite of mine, along with Illume’s Leaves and Capri Blue’s Pumpkin Dulce. I also love Diptyque’s Fue De Bois for that fire-like burning wood smell, but beware: it’s definitely strong and not very subtle.
An easy way to get into the spooky season spirit is to add some tapered candles around the house! Dave is less on board with the “chic skulls” I’ve been leaning into lately (I feel like my Halloween itch is new this year and veryyy strong!), he thinks they’re creepy, but I think some well-placed tapered candlesticks are pretty agreeable. Or if you’re usually one to put fresh flowers in your kitchen, an easy swap is to use dried florals instead! When it comes to furnishings, swapping your lighter cotton throw blankets for thicker knits and cozier fabrics instantly makes things look a bit more seasonal. Velvety throw pillows, too.
Instead of bright orange, I’ve been looking for pieces that are a bit more neutral. Think creamy whites, golds and bronzes, and lots of black, too. For a pop of color, I love a burnt rust or dark olivey green. I’ve added a TON of things to my Amazon Shop, most of which have Prime shipping so you’ll have your house decorated by the time we switch the calendars over to October next week. There’s also a bunch of fun things for hosting any Halloween parties, festive nail art, and pumpkin-flavored things for the kitchen, too.
Here are my favorite fall decor finds… LMK what you like best!
PS: If seasonal decorating isn’t your jam, but you want to bring something fun and festive to the table, this $12 pumpkin waffle maker has great reviews! So cute.
