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Fall comes around every year, bringing cooler weather, garden harvests, and changing leaves. We celebrate the season by donning thick sweaters, baking spiced treats, and filling our homes with autumnal decor.

We’ve gathered 11 fall decorating ideas for outside spaces that fit a variety of tastes. From porch to patio, here’s how to bring those gourd vibes home.

1. Plaid Fabrics

We love plaid because the pattern is versatile and colorful and reminds us of cozy flannel shirts. Pair plaid throw pillows with solid-hued outdoor sofa cushions or have bushel baskets filled with thick tartan blankets so guests can bundle up when they visit.

A close up, overhead shot of a tan POLYWOOD Park 48 Inch Backless Bench draped with a red and white plaid blanket. The backdrop is a concrete floor.

Park 48" Backless Bench in Sand

2. S’mores Bar Cart

Bar carts are for more than just adult beverages. Next time you host a weekend bonfire, prepare your bar cart with all the s’mores fixings and other seasonal delights like hot cocoa, cider, and apple cinnamon donuts. Add charm with strategically placed pumpkins and gourds, and use serving trays and utensils in warm hues like amber or cream.

A black metal bar cart is set up with all the ingredients for making s'mores: graham crackers, chocolate bars, marshmallows, and skewers. The cart also holds a white ceramic mug and plate and is decorated with white pumpkins.

Photo Credit: A Blissful Nest

3. Fire Pit Tables

A crackling fire warms up an outdoor space in more ways than one. The added heat and light stave off the chilly, lengthening nights so your family can sit outside longer and listen as grandpa tells another story, the kids have “just one more” s’more, and your hearts are further filled with memories.

Six grey POLYWOOD Modern Curveback Adirondack Chairs circle a stone fire pit on a brick patio, with shrubs and a brick house in the background.

Modern Curveback Adirondack Chair in Slate Grey

  PRO TIP:  
Bring a seasonal feel to your outdoors with a fire pit table in a warm color like Teak or Mahogany, and surround it with seating in coordinating hues.

 

Click or tap to open the POLYWOOD fire pit table buying guide and learn about picking the perfect fire pit for your outdoor space.

4. Mums

Mums bloom throughout the fall, making them favored yard decorations. Since they come in so many colors, mums play well with a cornucopia of styles and themes. Go for a rustic look with yellow flowers filling galvanized buckets, or style in more moody hues with bright purple or red mums in muted grey pots.

Let’s not forget that mums are perennials—when planted at the right time. Get your mums in the ground during early spring to give them time to establish roots. They’ll reward your efforts by growing back to greet you every fall.

A pumpkins in different colors and sizes are arranged on a concrete porch. Behind them sit pots of red and yellow chrysanthemums and a rustic metal lantern. Jute and woven rugs peek out from beneath the pumpkins.

5. Bold Black Contrast

Black is a versatile shade that plays well with other colors, helping them stand out without giving up any of the spotlight. Place baskets of asters or mums next to black rocking chairs on your porch, and watch those posey colors pop.

A fluffy white Goldendoodle sits on a black POLYWOOD Classic Folding Adirondack Chair on a patio. Logs and a pot of red mums are beside the chair.

Classic Folding Adirondack Chair in Black

6. Autumnal Archway

Whether styled at your front gate or the end of the aisle during your backyard wedding ceremony, an archway bedecked with fall decor will catch anyone’s attention. Here are a few fall yard decor ideas for inspiration.

  • Spooky season: layered black tulle, faux cobwebs, and dried red roses
  • Vineyard garden: grape vines twined with orange roses
  • Rustic farmhouse: corn stalks and hay bales flanking the sides topped with a homemade leaf garland
  • Flower power: swags of sunflowers, mums, hanging amaranthus, and spray roses
A rustic wooden arch decorated with orange flowers and greenery stands in a field. In front of it are metal pots of orange, pink, and white flowers.

Photo credit: Weddingomania

7. Subtle Fall Color Palette

If there’s anything that stands out about fall, it’s the kaleidoscope of colors that Mother Nature shares before winter sets in—the dusty beige of dried corn husks, the red-to-yellow ombre on fresh apples, the contrast of a birch tree’s black-and-white bark and yellowing leaves.

But if you want a more subdued seasonal palette, try styling your front steps with blue-grey foliage, Jarrahdale pumpkins, white Baby Boos, and subtle glints of gold and cinnamon sprinkled in.

A beige entryway decorated for fall with white pumpkins, ornamental grasses, and potted plants flanking the front door. Photo by Taryn Whiteaker.

Photo credit: Taryn Whitaker

8. Rocking Chairs

Rocking chairs are ideal for fall porch decorating. With so many styles and designs available, the possibilities are limitless.

Line your long front porch with rocking chair sets so family can sit together and watch the leaves change. For cozier areas, make a single rocker the focal point and couple it with a complementing side table and a perfectly sized outdoor rug. For the most versatile front porch setup, try neutral shades that seamlessly transition from season to season.

Click or tap to open the POLYWOOD rocking chair buying guide to find the right rocker for your space.

A black POLYWOOD Presidential 3 Piece Rocking Chair Set sits on a brick patio covered in leaves. Potted mums and fall foliage are in the backdrop.

Presidential 3-Piece Rocker Set in Black

9. Front Door Basket

Take a break from front door wreaths and opt for a hanging door basket instead. You can buy one pre-made on Etsy (and support a small business) or head to Pinterest for DIY inspiration and craft your own.

Whether you build or buy one, ensure it fits your entryway’s style. For example, if your front entrance leans into modern farmhouse style with white walls and black trim and doors, offset the shades with a pale wicker basket filled with bright yellow sunflowers. Or, if you have a coastal cottage porch with white shiplap siding and a light blue door, pick a dark basket with dried pampas grass and bunny tails. Add beachy vibes with a few cream-colored shells and sand dollars.

A wooden front door of a brick house is decorated for autumn with a basket of fall leaves, a white pumpkin, and a pot of orange flowers.

Photo credit: In My Own Style

10. Fall Mailbox Swag

Spice up your curb appeal with mailbox swag. Swags are like wreaths in that they’re hanging decorations, but they’re shaped differently, starting wide at the top and tapering inward toward the bottom (like a piece of candy corn). Purchase seasonal swags online or make your own like the one shown in the image above from HGTV. It uses fake flowers and leaf garlands, faux floral craft foam, and wire coat hangers.

  PRO TIP:  
Secure your swag by tying it down with hidden zip ties or wires. Autumn weather can be fussy, and you don’t want your hard work to be undone by storms or strong winds.

A fall swag made of red and orange leaves, gingham ribbon, and white gourds adorns a turquoise mailbox on a wooden post.

Photo credit: HGTV

11. Deep Seating

Use all-weather deep seating furniture to create a comfortable outdoor relaxation area that doubles as a festive fall vignette. Select pieces in neutral colors like grey, beige, or white because they’ll fit right in with any seasonal decor. A large jute rug underfoot with a smattering of squat pumpkins and potted mums will bring the perfect amount of autumn flair.

A black POLYWOOD EDGE 6 Piece Modular Deep Seating Set with cream cushions and beige and blue pillows sits on a lawn with fall decor next to it.

EDGE 6-Piece Modular Deep Seating Set in Black/Dune Burlap

FAQs

How should I decorate outside for autumn?

Here are a few ways to decorate outside for autumn:

  • Swap outside summer accessories with fall yard decorations like hay bales and pumpkins.
  • Freshen up the landscaping with the season’s popular flowers like asters, black-eyed Susans, and mums.
  • Adorn your patio furniture with outdoor throw pillows and cozy blankets in warm fall colors.
  • Hang an autumnal wreath on your front door.
  • Paint your home’s address numbers on a festive pumpkin topiary.
  • Decorate your mailbox with leafy garlands or seasonal swags.

When can I put fall decorations outside?

Put fall and Halloween decorations outside in late August or early September while the weather is agreeable and the days are still long. Plus, the earlier the decor goes up, the longer your family can enjoy it. Just remember to take the spooky decor down when Halloween is over.

How do I decorate my front porch for fall?

Start with your front door—it’s the focal point of any porch. Hang a fall wreath or basket on it, then work outward with layered welcome mats placed in front of the door and pumpkins and potted mums on either side.

If your front porch is larger, fill the space with neutral-toned furniture like rocking chairs, Adirondacks, and accent tables, and top the seating with cozy throw pillows in hues like ochre, copper, or burgundy. Light the longer nights with lanterns housing flameless candles and strands of softly glowing LEDs overhead.