How to Create a Simple Cozy Collected Fall Home
The calendar has flipped, the air is finally getting crisp, and I am enjoying bringing the warmth and beauty of the season indoors. Today I am joining some of my blogging pals for some fall decor inspiration. Transforming your home for fall doesn’t have to mean purchasing seasonal clutter, hauling out boxes of decorations or spending a fortune. I believe the best seasonal changes are simple, authentic, and collected, using natural elements and what you already own to create a sense of cozy comfort. It is the perfect time to embrace the magic of autumn with a truly relaxed and personalized touch. Read on for my easy tips on how to create a simple cozy, collected fall home that feels like a genuine extension of the season and yourself.
Fall is my favorite season to decorate, but the older I get the simpler I am making it. I want my space to be comfortable and cozy ,with the rich palette of Fall, but I no longer want to spend days getting it there. On our coffee table is a vintage Hungarian dough board, with my heirloom tomato candle, an old Papago Indian basket filled with mini white pumpkins, a vintage Hungarian canning jar filled with fall leaves, a mini painting of Scout as a puppy by Pat Huber.
The Collected Elements: Shop Your Home
One of the easiest ways to embrace fall is to repurpose and rearrange items that you have collected and love. Dim your overhead lights and table lamps, light a fire, grab a cup of hot apple cider or a glass of wine and cuddle up with a warm throw and enjoy this wonderful time of year.
I recently created a new mantel arrangement using a vintage grape hotte that has graced our home in different spots for years. I initially felt the pull to visit a nearby hobby spot for new dried stems, but upon starting with what I already owned, I happily discovered I had everything I needed to create a beautiful, collected look with many different textures.
I change up the decor seasonally on this table in our great room. This year I filled a vintage rye basket with leaves from our yard, filled another vintage rye basket with faux poms, and added one of our goose decoys to this vignette.
To change up my outdoor table decor for fall, I added my twig chargers that I have owned for years, bright green napkins, plates gifted a few years ago from Fete Home, my bamboo flatware, tortoise glasses (a gift from Colin and Lauren that I love), and a simple arrangement of fall leaves in a feather vase I have owned for years.
Shop Fall Table
Rearrange Your Furniture
The easiest change is rearranging existing furniture or moving art. While I may not be a major furniture re-arranger, the functional need for warmth always dictates a change. We angle our chairs in our living room to embrace the corner fireplace ( a tricky design detail), creating a more intimate hearthside spot for fall evenings. Rearranging art is a constant in our home.
The painting to the left of the fireplace is an early painting by Pat Huber. You can find her entire portfolio here.
This image is from last year. The coffee table in our den is currently bare-thanks to Scout’s counter surfing. He is getting better. He still surfs but rarely chews anything up-progress!!
Change out your Textiles
I have quite a stash of throw pillows and covers that I keep in the closet. I like to change them out with the seasons.
I have had the gold throw blankets for several years. The patchwork pillow covers are new and currently on sale at Pottery Barn.
The only new additions this year are the Pottery Barn pillow covers on the right and the gold crewel design pillows that I found locally at Atrium Mercantile
Shop Pillows & Textiles
The Collected Elements: Sourcing from Nature
Head to your local pumpkin patch for heirloom variety pumpkins and gourds. Dried hydrangeas, oranges, twigs, pomegranates, persimmons and fall leaves provide fodder for your front porch, front door, fall mantel and centerpiece.
This front entry gate is challenging to decorate for fall as many fall colors disappear on its surface. Last year I found this inexpensive wreath at Target that is no longer available. Wayfair has a similar one here, and this is Target’s version from this year here. I like the simplicity of this wreath. I have one on the back gate as well. I like the simplicity of popping it out and throwing a ribbon on it.
You might enjoy reading about the wreath on our front gate that I made a couple of years ago. You can read how I made it in my post Simple Ways to Amp up Your Homes Fall Curb Appeal here. You can also check out my post How to Decorate for Fall Using Natural Elements here for a more elaborate front entry decor. The cornstalks always fall down, so I gave up on them this year! Summer and I decorated the outside of the house in about an hour, as we didn’t have much time.
The entry to our side door where everyone enters. I added pumpkins and dried branches to the pots or succulents.
Switch out Your Candles
Switch out your summery, floral-scented candles with earthy fall-scented ones. I am personally not a fan of vanilla and pumpkin scented candles (just a personal thing), so I lean toward earthy, leathery, smoky options, or ones that can span the seasons.
I am currently a huge fan of the Flamingo Estate candles (well most of their products), in particular the heirloom tomato, and the adriatic muscatel sage, but I am guessing every single one is great. I am forever a fan of the votivo red currant ( a season spanner) as well. I try and change out my diffusers in the guest bath for the season as well. Below are some of my other current favorites as well.
Shop Favorite Fall Candles
You might enjoy my post about how to find your signature candle scent here
You can find all of my Fall related posts here.
66 Best Fall Decorating Ideas to Turn Your Home Into a Seasonal Escape-Country Living
55 Designer Approved Ways to Decorate your House for Fall
Ultimately, creating a beautiful fall home isn’t about rushing out for every seasonal mood and trend; it’s exactly what the collected style suggests: minimal additions paired with thoughtful curation. This season, I encourage you to ignore the fuss and focus instead on how your home feels with the addition of a cozy wool throw, a favorite candle, the rich color of autumnal greens and produce. Start small, use what you have, and allow your space to genuinely reflect the beauty of the outdoors.I hope this post How to Create a Simple Cozy Collected Fall Home has inspired you to slow down and enjoy the season with simple collected decor. I’d love to hear about your fall decor and what the season means to you.
Now let’s pop over and visit my pals to see what they are sharing today!
Love all of your foliage!!
Every year, I purge a few seasonal things. Trying hard to declutter. I still have so much stuff from owning a shop and bringing seasonal stuff home…
Wonderful post! I also have a corner fireplace along with corner windows oposite. I’d love to see your rooms furniture layout. Mine is awkward but cosy and welcoming at the same time.
Hi Reed
Mine is awkward but cozy and welcoming as well, ha ha. Email me cindy@cindyhattersleydesign.com and I will share photos that I don’t care to share here! We did not build this house. It is a wonderful room but has its challenges including my husbands giant tv!!
Cindy, thanks for the candle recommendations! I used several last year and they were great!
Hi Lucretia
I am constantly on the hunt for a good candle. Scents are so personal…I am glad you found some you enjoyed
Cindy,
You are a master at organic, effortless (appearing) seasonal decor. I LOVE it! As I get older, I am of that same mindset—not so much unpacking and packing up of bins of holiday touches. I, too, am using my favorite things and donating the items I no longer use.
Enjoy the fall season!
Hi Carol
We were all guilty as charged for years…with wisdom comes restraint, right?
Cindy, your home is cozy, warm, and inviting. Just lovely.
Hi Katherine
Thank you for always being so supportive. You are the best!!
Cindy, such great tips for fall decorating. After being gone most of the summer and heavy traveling in September and the first of October, my fall decor has been scaled down quite a bit…..and I love the simplicity of it. Love your fall vingnettes and of course the painting of your sweet dog is precious. Happy Fall, my friend.
Right back at you Mary!!
That dog painting on the easel is the best!!!
Hi Melaine
As a fellow lab person..I understand…contact Pat if you want something special depicting your pooch or Cody…she is a master…
Your designs are so beautiful (clothing & decor)! I always look forward to your posts. They always invoke a peaceful feeling. My family has no interest in design or color and I gave it up for a while but after discovering your posts, I decided to create the environment that I want just for me. Thank you for showing your readers that everything doesn’t have to be black, white and gray. You rock!
Judy
Never give up what you love..I am so happy I may have had a small part in that…
Always love your posts. I love decorating for the seasons. This year I used pink and orange in my fall decorations, It’s quite different but I like it for a nice change. I kinda like to push the boundaries. The holidays are upon us. Wishing you happy times. 🍁
Kay
I love that you changed it up! I do that with ribbon often, because I reuse my same decor from year to year-brilliant color combination and so fun!!
Kay
I LOVE that would love to see pics…love unexpected color combinations for the holidays…
As a fellow Labrador mom, the vision of styling a candle on a coffee table remains only a vision, doesn’t it!
😆 That wiggly, waggily tail!
Reese has launched a dried Hydrangea or two, ( arranged in low crockery ), across the room twice this month!
Hi Best Friend
Oh boy…we have so much in common Lynne -other than you have more talent in your fingertip than I!! Scouty still isn’t all that trustworthy, though he seems to be (mostly) past the chewing stage. He just likes to eat things off the counter and steal things
Oh Lynne
We have so much in common don’t we? Though I am embarassed to put myself in the same category as someone as talented as you..I can dream though can’t I?
Cindy, your home is beautiful! I love your relaxed but layered aesthetic. Those pottery barn pillows are great — I think they would be nice in my home too! And I am definitely looking for a good candle for this season. So fun joining you today for this cozy feature!
Hi Molly
I so love your home and the state of Maine. I think I told you we made biannual trips there for years buying antiques. We need to come back!! Those pillows are darker than I would normally choose but they were just so interesting. Your home is light and bright too-I think they would be great in your beautiful home!!
Each of your fall arrangements is beautiful. Because I have a similar challenge with an exposed wood gate I appreciated the links to fall wreaths that I’m hoping can handle weather change. I always enjoy your inspirational seasonal posts.
I too love fall decorating and the slower pace as I’m not having to be out watering my garden. What really caught my eye was the art piece of Scout? and that fabulous picture holder..a twig? Iron? Did you have that specially painted and who did it? Just lost our Augie at 14.5 yrs…a Cockalier (Cavalier/Cocker) I so would like to have some head shots and love yours.
Cindy! Looks like you’ve been foraging! Is that Burning Bush? It looks so pretty in your home with those gorgeous candles, and the patchwork pillows from pottery barn! Love every cozy detail!
I want to join you and the girls at that table set up in the courtyard!! I have great memories of sitting at that table!!
Xx
Ah your home is heaven…party ready, too.