Quick & Easy Comfy Cozy Fall Decorating Tips

Today I am sharing my favorite cozy fall decorating tips that I use to cozy up my house when autumn rolls around.  They are all quick and easy to do in an afternoon. 

Grab a cup of tea or coffee and come along as I know you will find plenty of ideas that will inspire you to create your own beautiful fall home to enjoy all season long that includes Thanksgiving decorating ideas and more.

 Cozy Fall Decorating Tips

In other seasons of the year, I like a simpler look for my home, but come fall, I want to nest and create a happy place filled with warm and vibrant color.

The 3 C’s of Decorating a Home For Fall

In other seasons of the year, I like a simpler look for my home, but come fall, I want to nest and create a happy place filled with warm and vibrant color.

Having white walls and neutral seating all through my house makes this transformation a little bit easier to accomplish with decorative accessories, and not just any accessories, but items that fit into what I call the “Three C’s”.  Colorful, Cozy and Comforting.

It’s not just about decorating with pumpkins and mums.  It’s about creating a feeling of warmth and coziness to enjoy life inside the house. I try to create this mood with color, texture and smell.

To build on the 3 C’s of fall, I also like to make sure to add these items.

1. Bring in natural elements for authentic and free natural fall decor.
2. Make a decorative item or something unique to call my own.
3. Place an old or favorite fall decoration front and center.

The best part about these ideas… they use items that you probably all ready own or can get easily in your yard. They are versatile and can be used in fresh & new ways throughout all seasons.

Let me show you…

Quick & Easy Comfy-Cozy Fall Decorating Tips

Fall Decorating TIP #1:  Add a Surprise Color 

My favorite colors become even more alluring in a cloak of classic fall orange and rust.

I have been searching for fabric to cover the two ottomans in my living room for autumn.  I love the white pom-pom covers I made and will put them back on again in the spring.

I found this Buffalo Check from The Handmade Home about a year ago and loved it. It is exactly the color and style I have wanted, so I finally bought 2 yards to cover the ottomans.  Link to the fabric is at the end of the post in a list of Decorating Resources.

I made the covers the same way I did with previous cover I have posted about.  Here are the tutorials:  How to Make a Slipcover for an Ottoman and How to Make a Tassel

When adding fall color, orange is not your only option. Even bright white can feel autumnal when combined with warm oranges and browns. Jewel tones of deep purple, magenta, and even dark teal can go a long way in warming up a space. As you can see I added a touch of plum.

To make it work, I make sure to add the color to other areas of the room so everything flows. After I made the plum and white buffalo check ottoman covers, I used the scrap fabric to cover a small pillow to place on the sofa.

Fall Decorating Tip #2: Bring Nature In

Branches, leaves, acorns, pinecones…anything from nature works well inside as decor. These elements add natural fall beauty to your space, and the best part is they can be found for free right in your yard or neighboring woods!

Cut a branch with colorful leaves still attached and place in a vase of water. Place a collection of found acorns in a small dish to add as an accent on top of a stack of books.  Pinecones become vase fillers, a collection of leaves will look pretty simply piled in a shallow bowl.

Fall Decorating Tip #3: Add Texture – Both Soft and Rough

Adding layers of texture is the easiest way to create a cozy and welcoming space.  The mixture of using both soft and rough textures will add an even more comfy allure.

Think furry throws and textured seagrass area rugs….

Soft colorful throws, textured fabric pillows…

velvet pillows and fur throws.  All perfect to snuggle up with.

The easiest way to add rough texture is placing woven baskets to any space in all styles, sizes and colors. I recently painted this desk/sideboard.. You can read how I did it and what color I used in this post: Why You Should Only Use Furniture Paint When Painting Furniture

Texture can also be added in non-textile ways. The contrast between the shiny ceramic owl votive holder against the wood vase and dried moss spheres adds warmth and interest.  I love this owl – he serves two purposes – to add ambient light at night and add a touch of whimsy. :-)

Fall Decorating TIP #4: Add a Touch of Black

Black accents are always a good thing to add as they act as a place for your eye to land and rest in a decorated room no matter what season it is.  I like to use chalkboards to add black. I bought the OPEN/CLOSED sign a few weeks ago to hang over it. I had to have it as it brought back fond memories of my mom when I was growing up.

Every night after the dinner dishes were done, she would stand at the kitchen door and announce to my siblings and I that the kitchen is closed.  We knew it also meant she was done for the day and to let her do her own thing which was to go somewhere quiet and read.  The sign is metal and has a hook on each side where you can unlatch a section that flips to the other side so you can choose between it saying OPEN or CLOSED.

As with any color you use in a room, try to use 3 black items and spread them around the room to balance the color. I have a black TV on the wall across from this chalkboard and a black pillow on the sofa and the black metal clock. That’s 4, but you get the idea. :-)

Look around your house for a few touches of black to add. Black photo frames and trays often serve well.

Fall Decorating TIP #5: Candles, Candles and Candles

Candles and more candles. I adore the soft glow they provide all year long, but in the fall they are pure bliss. I use them on mantels and tables all through my living room…

…and kitchen. They are the perfect decoration since they do double duty acting as functional decor and adding the perfect mood lighting to nest by.

When the late afternoon rolls around I like to light them and break away from whatever I am doing to enjoy the coziness of the a late autumn afternoon with a cup of tea and some music before I have to make dinner.

It is my ritual in the fall months. I like to simply gaze out at the lake and watch the natural rhythm of life outside my window.

Fall Decorating TIP #6:  Add a Piece of Unfinished Wood 

Add some wood in the way of cutting boards or wood spoons. I unearthed this wood bread board from my storage stash. I made it for the kitchen in my previous house.

Adding a few fall touches to your kitchen makes a lot of sense since you’ll be more likely to be baking up sweet treats, soups and breads to enjoy as the weather gets cooler.

Fall Decorating TIP #7: Add Warm Shine

Soups On! – The warm hues of copper make it the perfect addition for Fall decor!  I found this copper clad white soup tureen at the thrift store a few weeks ago. I make soup quite a lot in the fall and this is going to become my go-to vessel to take soup simmering on the stove to the table.

Copper items like mine or canisters, mugs, pans, vases…can be found at your local thrift store. If you aren’t able to find a copper piece at the thrift store, you can find new copper pieces at Home Goods, Target and Walmart. If you aren’t having any luck finding a piece you like, you can make DIY copper. A few shots of metallic copper spray paint on any item will transform it to copper in a few minutes.

Fall Decorating TIP #8: Add Fall Flowers

I always like to have colorful flowers in my living room and kitchen. I am not very good at floral arranging and just like to simply use all the same type of flower in mass, cut the stems to fit the vase I choose to use and then place them in.

Fall Decorating TIP #9: Move Things Around

Keep your decorating efforts fresh. Fall lasts for three months. There is no need to keep an item on a table for the entire season. Change it up. Move a garland from the table to the mantel. 

Move a one throw from the sofa to chair that needs a pop of color. When the natural fall leaves in a basket that you brought in from nature dry out,  move the basket near your fireplace and fill it with firewood.

Once and done can get stale. Don’t be afraid to change and move items to keep the room fresh.

Fall Decorating TIP #10: Enjoy!

Sit back and enjoy all the season has to offer. One of the best parts is when you are out and about this fall, how nice it will feel when you come back and are embraced when you walk in the door by your cozy comfy home.

Oh and… don’t forget to celebrate the season with a cup of hot cider or a popular pumpkin latte once you are back home.

Want to find more fall decorating inspiration? Check out all my fall decorating idea posts where you will find many doable and affordable ideas to decorate your home for the autumn season.