The magic of pumpkins endures, even after Halloween: ideas for decorating your home and garden in an autumnal style

Pumpkins are iconic of the fall season and are used in a thousand ways for dishes prepared in the kitchen. And, of course, they can also be used to decorate houses and gardens - even after Halloween. No doubt about it, pumpkins can help create a warm, welcoming atmosphere at this time of the year.

That all said, let's take a look at how many ways there are to decorate a house in the fall with pumpkins - be they real or artificial.

1. Pumpkins on the front steps

@porchpumpkins/Instagram

A beautiful decoration can be set up at the entryway of a house using a mixed variety of decorative pumpkins placed on the steps leading to the front door: little else is needed - especially if you already have potted plants on the steps. And you can even add a bale of hay to prop up some of the smaller pumpkins and make the best use of the available space.

2. At the threshold

Jennifer Nutt (@birchlanebyjennifer/Instagram)

If you don't have a spacious entryway to your home, you can perhaps find a small corner at the threshold to your house that you can decorate to warmly welcome your guests.

3. On furniture and shelves in the house

Jennylou (@craftylittlemarket)

Furniture and shelves throughout the home can also be decorated for the fall: in the example shown here, we can see pumpkins made of fabric, wool and other materials (many made using DIY techniques), garlands of leaves, pine cones (real or artificial), warm lighting, and more... it's all a question of creating the right atmosphere!

4. Favorite colors

Fru Lily's Blomsterunivers (@fru.lily/Instagram)

Given the vast number of diffent species of pumpkins there are, you can easily find one that best expresses your aesthetic tastes and that matches the colors that you like. For example, the Vanity pumpkin shown here has a splendid silver skin. And check out how well this silver skin goes with hydrangeas and ivy!

5. Unexpected liveliness

Sue LenthallI (@talesfromwisteriacottage/Instagram)

A fall atmosphere is invoked by using warm shades, but why not add colors that also "pop"? As can be seen here, decorative pumpkin/fall-themed patterns and designs can be used judiciously to this end: check out the colorful, striking cushions, doormat, curtains and decorations hanging on the wall in this example!

6. Fall-themed tableware

Aga (@flowerwoman____/Instagram)

Do you like to pamper yourself during the evening or on weekends with herbal teas, hot chocolates and other seasonal drinks (like a pumpkin spice latte, for example)? If so, why not "go the extra mile" and use pumpkin-shaped cups and teapots? The same goes for the rest of the tableware, from cutting boards to pot holders, and more. And when they are not in use, they can be become ad-hoc decorations!

7. Candles, including DIY ones

noord | soy wax candles (@noordcandles/Instagram)

You can buy candles - or even make them yourself - that give off fall-inspired scents (think of chocolate-scented candles, for example). And if these candles are pumpkin-shaped, they can be cute decorations you can use throughout your home in the fall!

8. A fall-themed corner

Kristen and Elaine (@ farm_charm_treasure/Instagram)

Placed on a sideboard, on the mantelpiece, on a windowsill, on a small table in a neglected corner of the house: you can create a small, fall-themed arrangent, like the one shown here, using one or two hand-knitted pumpkins stuffed with cotton wool or scraps of fabric you have laying around.

9. Lighting and candle holders

Samantha Caile (@our_durham_home/Instagram)

Online, you can find strings of lights in the shapes of pumpkins of all types. And you can even find candle holders that look like pumpkins too! Add a few other natural, decorative elements (like season sprigs/leaves, for example) and you'll have a stunning fall decoration.

10. A pumpkin-shaped basket

Mrs H | Bears Cottage (@ mrsh_at_bears_cottage/Instagram)

In this example, we see a wicker basket in the shape of a pumpkin placed in the corner of a kitchen: the lights inside it make it look magical and it can also be used to store onions, garlic, bread or anything else you want to keep readily to hand!

11. Children's crafts

Bar & Shannon (@the.creativityproject/Instagram)

An afternoon spent doing crafts with the kids can produce colorful wonders like the painted pumpkins shown here. You can then use these "works of art" to decorate every corner of your home!

12. To decorate your work bench in the garden

Anita (@mycountrycottage/Instagram)

Do you have a work bench in your garden? If so, why not "dress it up" in a fall theme by adding some mini pumpkins?

Have you thought about where you could use pumpkins for your fall decorations?