Warm up your home with autumnal colors: 16 DIY decorations to try out this year

by Mark Bennett

September 21, 2024

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Autumn/fall is the season when nature begins to change and prepare itself for the coming winter: leaves change color and then drop to the ground, temperatures get cooler, but remain mild enough to allow us to still go outdoors and rainfall becomes more frequent.

Although it's not everyone's favorite time of the year, autumn is nevertheless a season very rich in colorful, autumnal vegetation and fruits. So, given this, why not bring a bit of autumn into your home this year too?

Below, we suggest 16 DIY, autumnally-styled decorations you can try out this year:

1. Delicious chestnuts

Chestnuts, burrs and leaves next to a display of chestnuts made with nails and wire

@ilostring/Instagram

Delicious and versatile, chestnuts are amongst the most popular fruits of autumn: who doesn't fondly remember spending afternoons in the woods picking up chestnuts, or the walks in the city with a steaming bag roasted chestnuts warming cold hands?

In addition to using chestnuts (along with their burrs and leaves) to make cute decorations to place on furniture and tables, you can create a DIY picture of chestnuts using nails and colored threads: it's easy to do this and the end result will look stunning.

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2. A cute gnome

A decorative gnome made from fabric and autumnal leaves

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Iconic of winter and the Christmas holidays, gnomes be used as cute, seasonal decorations. Make a cute gnome to welcome your guests to your home this fall: all you need are some fabrics in neutral, earthy shades and lots of autumn leaves to make a perfect front-door decoration.

3. Pumpkins to the fore

An entryway decoration in neutral tones made with rope pumpkins and dried flowers

@allthingscute_and_coffee/Instagram

Autumn wouldn't be autumn without pumpkins - as tasty, warming food and also as home decorations.

In addition to buying pumpkins made from ceramic, wood, plastic or other materials, you can also try to make pumpkins yourself by using thick rope: you can create an elegant decoration in neutral tones - like the one shown here - and embelish it with dried flowers in shades of red and orange.

4. Originality in purple

Large table centerpiece in shades of white and purple, made using pumpkins and pine cones

@decoratordiva1/Instagram

Creative types will appreciate an autumnal centerpiece made using pumpkins and pine cones, but in purple and white coloring and shades. Purple hydrangeas complete the centerpiece, giving it a classy and elegant look.

5. An autumn tree

An autumnal centerpiece with colorful leaves, mushrooms, pumpkins and a simple white tree, decorated with orange balls

@sarahjaneleeedgar/Instagram

Who said that a decorated tree can only be displayed at Christmas? Many of you will already know about the increasing-popular Easter tree (decorated with eggs and bunnies). But fall can have it's own tree too: all you need is a simple branch from a tree, paint it white and decorate it with small, wooden owls and orange, decorative balls. Use this "mini-tree" as a focal point for a centerpiece, set in the middle of a "carpet" of yellow and red leaves, mushrooms and pumpkins.

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6. A welcoming scarecrow

Decorative arrangement for the porch made with a straw scarecrow, ears of wheat and corn, pumpkins and a large pot of orange flowers

@sweet.gathered.vintage/Instagram

How about greeting your guests at the front door with a cute, welcoming scarecrow? Surrounded by pumpkins, ears of corn and a large pot of flowers in warm shades of yellow, red and orange, it will certainly impress your guests this autumn.

7. Decorate with fabrics

A house decorated in neutral tones with accents in orange, yellow and green

@stefy_skin_home/Instagram

Of course, it's not necessary to fill your home with decorations to bring the feel of autumn indoors: if you prefer a more subtle approach to decorating, try using appropriately-colored fabrics.

Choose warm and "heavy" materials with rich, seasonal colors such as yellow, orange, red, earthy tones and dark green. Fabrics with prints of autumnal leaves, pumpkins, mushrooms, pine cones and acorns will also look amazing.

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8. Door wreath

An autumnal door wreath with leaves in shades of red and brown, dried flowers, ears of corn and small red berries.

@seahollyandsilk/Instagram

Red, yellow and brown leaves, dried flowers and small red berries can be used to create the perfect door wreath for autumn. But you can go even further: add pine cones, acorns, small decorative pumpkins and mushrooms for an even more attractive, richer wreath. 

9. Seasonal leaves and fruit

An outdoors autumn decoration, made with dried branches, yellow leaves, autumnal fabrics and a pail of ripe apples

Pinterest

Like pumpkins, apples are also iconic of autumn. Use apples to decorate your home by simply filling a tin bucket with them. A pair of bright yellow rain boots can act as vases for branches with yellow leaves and autumnally-colored fabrics will finish off this seasonally-themed arrangement perfectly.

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10. Pine cones, pumpkins and corn cobs

A wreath made with pine cones, corn cobs, small pumpkins and burlap bows

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For a rustic, country-styled door wreath, choose pumpkins, pine cones and dried corn cobs as the main components. Complete the ensemble with cute, burlap bows.

11. Hanging decorations

A hanging decoration with pine cones, orange bows and autumn leaves

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Pine cones are perfect for creating simple, spectacular hanging decorations with an autumnal "flavor". Decorate the cones with orange bows and colorful leaves (as shown here). Hanging decorations like this are perfect for doors and windows or for hanging from light fittings.

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12. Candle holders

Decorative wooden box with evergreen branches, candles and red and orange berries

@ivana.babinska/Instagram

Fill a small, wooden box with evergreen branches, red and orange berries and small candles: this will be the perfect decoration for your entryway, coffee table or as a beautiful centerpiece.

13. Recycled decorations

An old mannequin dressed up in an autumn theme using burlap, fall leaves and pumpkins

Pinterest

You can even recycle old things to create truly original and interesting decorations for your home this autumn. An old mannequin/tailor's dummy, for example, can be decked out in the colors of fall: use burlap drapes and decorate this with autumnal leaves, small pumpkins and corn cobs.

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14. Acorns for everyone

A wooden acorn decorated with twine, burlap, leaves and a branch of white berries

Pinterest

Another unmistakeable icon of the autumn season, acorns can be collected easily and used to make seasonal decorations. That said, you can also make a stylized acorn by cutting one out of wood or cardboard and decorating it however you like.

As a pointer, you can use any/all of the following items to decorate your stylized acorn (as shown here): twine, string, burlap, canvas, corn cobs, miniature pumpkins, small mushrooms, pine cones, autumnal leaves and berry-laden branches.

15. Pine cone candle holders

Autumnal candle holders made with pine cones

@elas_dekoideen/Instagram

Have fun making autumn candles with heady, spicy scents which perfectly suit the fall season! And if you prefer not to make your own candles, make some attractive pine cone candle holders, like the ones shown here. Simple, but beautiful!

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16. Witches hats

A witch's hat made with thin branches, burlap, leaves and small pumpkins

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And don't forget about Halloween which rolls around at this time of the year! Make a cute witch's hat like the one shown here by using thin branches, berries, pumpkins, colored leaves and burlap bows to celebrate this spooky holiday!

How will you decorate your home this autumn?

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