From incorporating natural elements, adding rustic touches for texture and color, to finding creative ways to use items that you already have around the house, there are plenty of cheap fall decorating ideas that look classy!
Fall is a great time to decorate your home and it can actually be really inexpensive to do. If you’re like me, you want your home to look like it belongs in a magazine and you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars. I get it.
There are plenty of different ways to decorate our home for the fall season without breaking the bank. With these simple budget friendly fall decorating tips I’m sharing, you will see how you can have classy fall decor without sacrificing a ton of money.
Utilize Foraged Foliage and Flowers
Now is the time to bring in the flowers from your yard: snap branches off of trees and if you have any flowers that are still blooming, bring them in to decorate with. You can even change it up every few days for variety!
One of my favorite ways to decorate in any holiday season is by bringing nature indoors. Nature is free! I love foraging in the fall when my garden has all of these beautiful colors and textures that are perfect to decorate with.
Take a walk around your neighborhood or local park and gather up fallen branches, acorns, sprigs of pinecones, and leaves of different colors.
Branches and stems can be placed in vases throughout your home, while acorns, leaves and pinecones make for perfect fillers in a bowl, glass vase or lantern.
Pro tip: If you’re bringing in things from outside like acorns or pinecones, make sure to freeze them first to kill the bugs!
If you are lucky enough to have hydrangeas in your yard, a hydrangea wreath is a simple project to make in only an hour and holds up beautifully for months.
I believe anyone can create something stunning using simple seasonal items found around their house or in a garden.
Hit Up Your Grocery Store
Sometimes your location or climate is not conducive to foraged foliage or flowers and that’s okay! In some areas, fall is so short and there really is a lack of nature year round.
It may be a bit harder to gather natural elements from outside, but it’s still possible by going grocery shopping!
This is also a wonderful time of year to find gorgeous mums and pumpkins in your local grocery store that will be great additions to a fall harvest front porch like this one.
Great guests are your front door with a beautiful display of mums and pumpkins. Again, this doesn’t have to cost a fortune!
I was able to take some grocery store mums and put them in simple wastebaskets from the dollar store and they look beautiful.
Large heirloom pumpkins are readily available at Trader Joe’s and are much more inexpensive than at your local garden center – but these faux pumpkins from Pottery Barn look like the real deal and can be used year-after-year as long as they are on a covered porch.
Don’t neglect the produce section at your local grocery store, either! It is a great place to pick up items like gourds and pumpkins that can also be great for decorating.
But not just the staples like pumpkins and gourds – don’t forget about the fruit and veggie aisle.
Seasonal fruits vegetables like artichokes, figs, and apples are inexpensive and can be eaten so there’s no waste which is an added bonus.
This also gives you the freedom and flexibility to change them out several times throughout the season if you get tired of them or decide to eat them.
As you can see, I was able to take some fresh artichokes and use them in a rustic vessel for fall decor that looks like it came straight out of a magazine. Apples also give a similar look, along with a dash of pretty color.
Think beyond just putting these items in a bowl, though.
Use them as place settings or to form a pretty fall themed tablescape.
Some very simple seeded eucalyptus draped down the center of a table can create a gorgeous canvas for some delicious fall food for your friends and family to share.
If you’re not much into foraging, you can always stop by a local flower shop or a grocery store like Trader Joe’s and pick up some flowers and foliage for your home.
Make sure to look out for things that will last longer like roses (if it’s not too cold) and mums. Round out the arrangement with some eucalyptus (always my favorite addition to my fall and holiday decor!)
Add Texture With Pillows And Blankets
One of my favorite things for the fall season are the textures you can bring in to add depth and warmth, especially when in regards to your decor.
Adding pillows and blankets to the mix is an affordable way to spruce up your living room or bedroom without spending a ton of money.
Every fall I add a throw pillow and some blankets that align with the fall aesthetic.
A warm fall color palette can include tons of colors like rusty reds, burgundy, mauve, or touches of cream and brown. These colors can work as neutrals, but provide great pops of color as well.
Embrace different textures than what you would have used in warmer months – heavier knits and velvet not only add texture but warmth and coziness, too.
When it comes to blankets, make sure not to skimp on quality.
Yes, they are great for using for decor and to store on a blanket ladder, but they will also keep you warm on those cool fall nights and you don’t want to have a cute blanket that’s not cozy or makes you itch.
If you’re on the hunt for some new fall blankets, some great materials to look for are fleece, cotton, soft flannel, velvet or knit. Look for a blanket with a large-woven pattern and in a neutral color palette such as ivory, cream, or brown.
Pro tip: Don’t forget to shop your own home! Year to year, you may forget things that you’ve purchased for the fall season so before you head to Walmart or Target to see the latest things for the fall season, check those bins you have in the attic or in storage.
Create Fall Vignettes
A simple vignette on a coffee table or mantel can be the perfect nod to the season.
It can include everything from decorative objects, coffee table book and candles to a vase of flowers or branches, or even the aforementioned foraged acorns or grocery store artichokes.
Think Simple
Sometimes we overthink decor which can lead to overbuying which ends up in clutter.
Do you have a Samsung Frame TV? Change out the artwork on it to a more “fall friendly” scene.
Switch up artwork, even print something from the internet and frame it.
Put a white candle in a fall colored glass votive and add it to your mantle. Alternatively, you can light your favorite fall scented candle so your home feels and smells warm and inviting.
Sometimes even the most subtle addition can have exactly the impact you want.
Make Fall Crafts
If you’re looking for a quick fall DIY project, grab some inexpensive decorative pumpkins from the local dollar store and add some decoupage napkins on them in your favorite fall theme or color.
If you already own a plain wreath, add burlap ribbon or other fall colored ribbon to it and it will become a great piece of fall decor!
Final Thoughts
Fall is a season of renewal and growth, so it’s the perfect season to use that to your advantage in your decorating.
Whether you go the minimalistic route with your decorating, or embrace all the mini pumpkins, pinecones and pillow covers that you can gets your hands on, you can add that autumn touch to your home without spending a small fortune.
Hopefully these inexpensive fall decorating ideas will help inspire you to design an inviting space where friends and family feel right at home at this season!
