Fall is officially in full swing, even if it may not feel like it temperature wise.  For many New Englanders, this is their favorite season.  Football, apple picking, cooler weather and beautiful foliage encompass the typical New England fall season.  Fall is also a great time to switch up the décor of your home to reflect the rich colors of the season. 

Here are some great ways to decorate your home for fall:

Think harvest not holiday

Decorate your home for the fall season not Halloween or Thanksgiving.  Use items that are quintessentially fall- leaves, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, acorns and floral arrangements in rich reds, oranges and yellows.  This allows you to decorate once for the entire fall season rather than having to decorate for Halloween and then Thanksgiving, saving both time and money.

Some great and cost effective ideas for centerpieces- hurricanes with a pillar candle and acorns or a hurricane filled with assorted gourds are both seasonal and easy to pull together.  For a more rustic look, try wicker baskets filled with pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn.   

Utilize the mantle

If your home has a fireplace, a mantle makes a great focal point for home décor.  Dress up the space with leaf garland and festive topiaries or a mix of candles and assorted gourds to give the room a burst of fall color.

Utilize the Outdoors

While the fall season brings cooler weather, it is still a great time to accent your home’s curb appeal with some seasonal décor.  Pumpkins, fall flowers, bales of hay and corn stalks are season appropriate and festive.  If you are interested in using fresh fall flowers, mums, pansies and violas are great options.  Mums tend to be most popular because their hearty texture and wide variety of colors.   

Plan on carving your pumpkin?  Coat the carved pumpkin in Vaseline.  Not only will it deter pests from eating it, it also preserves the pumpkin so it will stay plumper looking for longer.  Just be sure to move it to its location before coating with Vaseline to avoid dropping it.

Update Décor for Cooler Weather

Updating your home’s curtains to thicker, energy efficient drapes can not only update your home’s look but also help hold in the heat once the cooler weather settles in.  And, don’t forget to pull out those cozy throws and blankets!

Are you planning on decorating your home this fall season?  If so, do you go all out for one holiday or tend to stay harvest focused?

Photo Credits:

Basket with Gourds Picture: Courtesy of Flickr user virginsuicidephotography

Outdoor Picture: Courtesy of Flickr user Valerie Everett