The pleasant days and cooler nights of autumn are here, and it’s time to enjoy your beautiful outdoor spaces. Let’s get them ready to enjoy the season and all of its festivities with some simple outdoor fall decor ideas you can finish this afternoon. You’ll find that making just a few small improvements to your existing decor can go a long way toward a fresh and appealing new look.
Before we dive into those Instagram-worthy decorations, get your porch or deck cleared off and ready, removing summer’s toys, falling leaves, and any dirt and grime that might detract from enjoying your space fully.
Find Inspiration
You don’t even have to leave home to find the structures you’ll want to incorporate in your display. Look around your house, storage room, attic, and garage for items that will add height, depth, and interest. Any of the following can be used charmingly in creating an outdoor fall decor vignette.
- Baskets
- Urns and pots
- Wagons
- Wheelbarrows
- Watering cans
- Stools
- Pails
- Plant stands
- Step ladders
- Old-fashioned canisters
Gather your findings and take them to the area you want to decorate. Arrange the items to achieve different heights and an aesthetic that pleases you.
Seasonal Favorites
Now it’s time to bring in organic and whimsical elements to give your display personality. You don’t have to travel far to find a fantastic variety of fall outdoor decor. Whether you decide to stop by your local farmer’s market, a home improvement store, the grocery store, or your favorite nursery, pick up a few symbols of the season and start arranging things.
Florals
Mums seem to be the star of the show in the fall, and why not, with their full profusion of blossoms and beautiful range of colors? For additional floral color and variety, consider potting cock’s comb, dahlia, pansies, coral bells, asters, or marigold. Each of these unique colors and textures will add even more visual appeal and rich texture to your decor. Pay attention to the amount of sun the plants will receive where you are decorating and choose plants that thrive where you want to place them.
Pumpkins
Even if you don’t live near the pumpkin patch, garden shops and farmer’s markets have beautiful varieties of pumpkins in shades of orange, yellow, green, and white. Select a few of varying size, texture, and color for your displays.
Enhancements
From “Happy fall, y’all” signs to inviting bales-of-hay seating, adding a few extra touches to your outdoor fall decor create warmth and welcome friends and family. Select ones that suit your personal style and sense of humor.
Put It All Together
Now it’s time for some fun! With the items you’ve gathered and purchased, let’s get festive! Set up your framework first, then arrange and tweak your items on and around your framework. Step back and admire your work…or adjust it as you please… until you are satisfied with the result.
Accessorize Your Furnishings
To extend your festive feel beyond creating vignettes, incorporate seasonal findings among your furnishings as well.
Tablescapes
The same approach we used to develop display areas can be applied in miniature to beautiful table displays. Gather fall-colored candles, miniature gourds and pumpkins, small plants in interesting containers, autumn leaves (Great artificial ones are available in craft stores.), placemats, and more to create eye-catching tablescapes. Build your display on a coordinating table runner and finish with complementary placemats. Now your table is dinner-party ready!
Lights
Lanterns, candles, and strings of patio lights create soft, warm lighting that beckons guests to linger and enjoy the space.
Seating Areas
Throw pillows and blankets add instant coziness to seating areas and hearken to the season at hand. Choose classic autumn colors that blend with your other decorations for a cohesive look.
Welcome Mat
Adding a fresh mat at the entryway is not only practical, but it continues the decorative theme right up to the font (or back) door.
Doorways
And speaking of doorways, they too can be enhanced with seasonal garlands and lights or an eye-catching wreath. If you’re good at DIY projects, head over to the craft store and gather supplies to make your own, but if you’re in a hurry or not particularly crafty, your neighborhood florist can craft a beautiful display of artificial flowers, vines, and gourds that can be enjoyed for years to come.
Tips for Maximizing Your Displays
You’re working hard to create an air of celebration and welcome at your home. Make sure that you are getting the most out of it by following these tips.
- Placement- choose wisely where you will set up your display. Keep it out of range of doors that may be flung open or busy walkways. Conversely, consider where your displays can best be seen and enjoyed from various angles and choose the spots that provide maximum visibility.
- Weather- consider the likelihood of rain or intense sunshine on your decor and choose items / plants that can tolerate the elements. If you’re using live plants, don’t forget to water them and cover them when those overnight temperatures really start to dip!
- Variety is key! Combine several colors, textures, and shapes at various levels to achieve a balanced and intriguing effect. Steer away from boxy lines and organize your items in odd numbers.
- Expand your seasonal look by rearranging seating or furniture groupings for better movement or greater functionality.
Your deck experts
At Forsman’s Finest, we specialize in outdoor living, and deck installation and maintenance are our specialties. We proudly serve the Omaha area and would love to talk with you about how to create your own personal oasis to enjoy in every season of the year. Give us a call today to learn more.