Fall Decorating: Easy and Inexpensive Ways to Decorate a Home for Fall

Photo credit to emzee.

As the leaves begin turning beautiful shades of orange, yellow, crimson, and gold, the cool winds of fall begin blowing, and as fall arrives outdoors it is time to bring some of the fleeting beauty indoors where it can be enjoyed for weeks on end. Put away the summer decor, and celebrate the beauty and magnificence of the changing season with easy and inexpensive ways to decorate your home for fall. While you could spend your hard earned money on autumn leaves tree of life metal wall art or fall theme outdoor garden wall clocks, with a little creativity and ingenuity, you can decorate your home in budget ways that look far from budget priced.

Create a Fall Candle Display

Candles are beautiful any time of the year, and they are very affordable considering the amount of beauty they bring to a home. The warm glow of a candle display is especially lovely during the cooler months of fall, and you can welcome the arrival of fall with a beautiful candle arrangement that can be displayed as a table centerpiece. It will create a stunning impression, and it will look every bit as good or better than expensive ready-made candle displays found in stores.

Begin by choosing three scented pillar candles of varying heights in rich fall colors. Select scents that go well together such as cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and vanilla. Arrange the candles in the center of a stylish mirror tray, and surround the candles with small pine cones, neatly trimmed pine branches tied with fall raffia, artificial oak leaves, and natural acorns. Use caution when burning the candles, and make sure the flames do not come in contact with the embellishments. The fragrance will fill the room with a delightful mixture of scents, and the display will bring some of the brilliance of fall into the home.     

Create a Basket of Natural Fall Items

The most beautiful decorations and embellishments are created by God, and what better way begin decorating a home than with natural items found outdoors? When looking for ways to start decorating for fall, consider the many natural items that are readily available and completely free. Collect pine cones of various types and sizes along with acorns, strawflowers, dried seed pods, and beautiful fall leaves. Simply line a basket of your choice with colorful leaves, and top the leaves with natural fall finds of your choice. Place the basket on a fireplace hearth or a side table, or create an attractive centerpiece. Decorating with a basket filled with natural items will create a great deal of interest while bringing some of the natural beauty of fall indoors.  

Photo credit to noelzialee.

Autumn Leaf Garland

Fall leaves are one of the most beautiful attributes of fall, and the splendor of fall leaves can be brought indoors and enjoyed until the onset of winter. Drying leaves can take weeks, but leaf impressions can be created within minutes and saved indefinitely. They are ideal for decorating a home in celebration of autumn. 

Select beautiful fall leaves that will make a good impression along with latex craft paint in various shades of green, yellow, gold, orange, and red. You will also need a sheet of waxed paper, newspaper, a small paper punch, a craft sponge, yards of jute twine, pointed scissors, and leaf-green cardstock or construction paper.

Pour a small amount of each color on the waxed paper, and while protecting the work surface with newspaper, use a sponge to randomly apply colors of your choice onto the backside of the first leaf. Turn the freshly painted leaf over and onto a piece of cardstock. Gently press down on the leaf with the palm of your hand, but be careful not to slide it across the paper and blur the design. Carefully remove the leaf and set it aside. The same leaf can be used again and again, or you can use a leaf from another type of tree to create a different shape while decorating.

When the paper leaf impressions dry, cut them out using sharp pointed craft scissors, and dab them with paint and a sponge to color the backside. Allow the paint to dry completely, and if desired, coat them with clear latex gloss. String the leaves on jute twine, and tie a knot on the sides of each stringed paper leaf to hold it in place. Consider decorating with strings of leaves as you would decorate with garland over a window or doorway. This pretty autumn garland can be saved and used for fall decorating year after year, and although it is designed on a budget it looks far from budget priced.  

Pine Cone Decor

If you love the smell of pine, consider decorating for fall with an array of pine cones, and  make them more fragrant than ever using essential oil. Collect a variety of pine cones, and display them in a shallow basket or a decorative glass container. Dab a touch of pine-scented essential oil on each pine cone for a delightful pine scent that will last for weeks on end. When autumn turns to winter, the pine cones can be stored and used for decorating the following fall. 

Decorating Budget Fall Table Linens

Begin decorating with fall table linens as summer slowly changes to autumn, but keep in mind that it is not necessary to purchase expensive table linens already decorated for fall. You can turn ordinary budget cloth linens into extraordinary fall table decor using latex craft paint and fall leaves. Tablecloths, table runners, and placemats can be stamped using leaves of different varieties, and the options are only limited by the imagination.

Begin by laying the fabric on a flat surface. Moderately apply paint in fall colors using a damp craft sponge, and cover the back side of the first leaf. Press the leaf against the fabric, and carefully pull it away. Consider practicing stamping and decorating a scrap piece of paper or fabric before decorating linens. A little bit of practice will help you get an idea of how the finished stampings will look when decorating and how much paint to apply. After the latex paint dries, the fabric linens can be washed and dried as usually according to product label instructions.

Bring a touch of fall into your home with these and other easy budget fall crafts and home decorating ideas. It is not necessary to buy fall decor when you can make use of the many natural supplies found outdoors. With fragrant fall candles, pine cones, pine branches, craft paint, and a few other budget supplies, you can change the season in your home from summer to autumn in a single afternoon.