My Fall Decor Motif (and Mantel!)

One day, when we finally own a house, I want to have annual rotating decor around the five seasons (winter, spring, summer, fall, and holiday). But for now, while we’re still renting an apartment, I can focus on just little details like changing out the mantel for each season.

I also have time to think about the general feel of my decor, so I can start building up my supplies, for when we do have a whole house to decorate. When it comes to fall, I don’t just want to impulse buy every pumpkin-shaped chalkboard. I want to have direction.

My Fall Motif

Tiny white and yellow gourds, lush garlands of dark greenery, gold and rose fairy lights, and small woodland creatures. Sounds pretty dreamy, right? These are the themes I’m going with for my fall decor. Don’t get me wrong, I love fall as much as the stereotypical northeast girl, but I can be picky about the details. I don’t want huge orange pumpkins or anything too rustic.

Also, I decided to stay away from Halloween or creepy themes for a couple reasons. First, I don’t really like Halloween (I know, I know…) and also because I wanted these decorations to be relevant from mid-September through Thanksgiving.

For color, I just had to look out my window. One of my favorite things about fall is the changing leaves. I wanted my decorations to mirror what I was seeing outside: dark greens, pale yellows, pops of bold orange, and deep reds.

Images from Pinterest

This Year’s Mantel

To get started within my new motif, I decorated the mantel. When I do these displays, I like to make sure I add in little details that really make it feel not only homey, but also very “us.” In this one, I included some local seasonal beer bottles from our collection, and two familiar-faced chipmunks!

Decor Wish List

Eventually, we’ll be living in a real house that has plenty of rooms to decorate. So while for now my focus is mostly on the mantel, I can dream about what I want in our future home.

In the living room, I’ll add some cozy throws and pillows, create seasonal vignettes for the bookshelves, and maybe even switch up some wall decor throughout the year.

In a dining room, I’d love to work on tablescaping with warm fall toned dishes and a greenery centerpiece with fairy lights woven throughout. I can pull from the tiny gourds here too, and maybe even mix in fresh apples.

A guest room could transition into the colder nights with a cozy fall comforter and little details added to the bedside tables and any shelving. In the guest bath, cinnamon scented soaps and shampoos will be arranged with warm-toned towels.

Looking Ahead: Holiday and Winter

Before we get there, however, let’s think about the near future. I have to get through at least two more seasons on mantel decor before we’ll have our own home. But that gives me time to develop styles for those seasons and maybe buy some key pieces.

For my holiday motif, I’m thinking of a vintage and modern blend, that can really bring all my favorite things about Christmas together. Then in the winter, I’m leaning toward a winter wonderland feel, where my inside decor will once again match what I see outside my window.

What’s your fall style? Tell me all about how you’re getting your house decorated in the comments!