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 blankets with solid-hued outdoor pillows or have bushel baskets filled with thick tartan blankets so guests can bundle up when they visit.
2. Autumnal Bar Cart
Bar carts are for more than just beverages. The next time you host a weekend bonfire, get inspired by design influencer Ciara Kenaston and prepare your bar cart with fall decor and seasonal sips like apple cider. Strategically placed pumpkins and votives invite warmth and autumn hues, and woven baskets add rustic touches to the look.
Photo credit: Ciara Kenaston
“The Wovendale Bar Cart in Sand from POLYWOOD is the perfect fall companion. Weather-resistant, easy to clean, and complete with convenient storage. Think cider, snacks, and crisp evenings outdoors.”
3. Fire Pit Tables
A crackling fire warms an outdoor space in more ways than one. The warm glow lengthens nights so your family can sit outside longer and listen as friends swap stories, the kids have “just one more” s’more, and your hearts are further filled with memories.
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.
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.
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 Adirondack chairs on your patio, and watch the posies’ colors pop.
6. Fall Tablescape
Celebrate the season at every meal with a fall-inspired tablescape. Drape a gauzy runner over your table, and top it with gourds, gold votives, and a sprinkling of colorful leaves you collected on your morning walk.
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 space with white, heather grey, cream, and other light shades. Use woven baskets, blankets, and patterned pillows in these colors to enhance softness and add texture.
8. Rocking Chairs
Outdoor 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.
9. DIY Fall Decor
Fall is the perfect season for crafts. Have your kids help you create autumn decor to display outside, such as jack-o’-lanterns, leaf garlands, and painted flower pots.
10. Mood Lighting
Illuminate your space and create a cozy atmosphere on autumn evenings with outdoor lights. Hang strands over your relaxation area, style lanterns on top of accent tables, or place flameless candles on your dining table for an instant ambiance boost.
PRO TIP:
Choose lights in warm tones instead of cool ones to keep the look inviting.
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.
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.
