Skip to main content

How to incorporate harvest decor without being cliché

When you think about decorating for the fall, you likely think of pumpkins, festive gourds, brilliant hues of red, orange, and yellow, and anything that makes you feel warm and cozy. Of course, as with any seasonal or holiday-themed decor, it’s easy to go overboard, picking cliché items that can make your home feel outdated or uninspired.

Gone are the days of cornucopias filled with plastic gourds and husks of corn. Instead, incorporate harvest decor in more creative ways, all while keeping it classy. Here are a few ways to say, “Hello fall!” without making your home look like the seasonal aisle of a party supply store.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Bring on the pumpkins

Bringing in real pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colors will never go out of style when it comes to home decor. You can use them both inside your home and outside on the front porch to welcome friends and family. Pumpkins and gourds come in so many varieties, and they are such iconic aspects of fall that they really deserve a place somewhere in your design. You can place them in threes and fours throughout the living room, kitchen, and dining room to offer a classic design for the season.

Traditional doesn’t always mean cliche — you just need to decorate with a light hand and try not to fill your home with pumpkins top to bottom.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Use seasonal flowers

There is nothing more eye-catching than a dramatic floral arrangement, and fall is the perfect time to make one the focal point of your kitchen or dining table. Don’t just stop at flowers, though. Get a little creative and use all the elements of the season including tree branches, cranberries, pussywillows, and wheat stalks. For a more natural, rustic look, opt for wildflowers and mix up the colors and heights of the arrangement so it doesn’t look so carefully curated.

DIY that isn’t cliche

You can display some of your own handiwork in your home as well, and we aren’t talking about your run-of-the-mill Jack-O-Lanterns or styrofoam ghosts (though they still hold a place in our hearts). Instead, use seasonal fruits like pears or squash and line them up on a mantle or kitchen island. Write letters on each like “W-E-L-C-O-M-E.” You may also want to try your hand at creating your own wreath. All you need is a circular template, flowers (fake or real), and some twine to hold it all together.

plaid fall decor in living room
Kristen Prahl / Shutterstock

Preppy farmhouse

Take different design styles and mix them together in a classy way. Bring out some preppy elements like gingham ribbons or pillows, and mix them together with antique wood baskets filled with seasonal fruit. Find an old copper umbrella stand and fill it with solid wood walking canes tied with checkered ribbon. This gives the home an updated, but still cozy, rustic style.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Go neutral

To celebrate the bounty of the harvest without creating a style that’s too “in your face,” consider using a muted color palette like shades of ivory, light gray, or light green. The neutral or monochromatic allow you to fill the space with your favorite fall decor, but the simplified color palette keeps it classy and elegant.

Less is more

Your home doesn’t need to scream fall in order to appropriately celebrate the season. Your guests will appreciate the small touches like a few pumpkins leading up the stairs to your front door, a fall wreath inviting them in, apple pie-scented candles in the living room, and a dining table layered with a burlap table runner, a vase of seasonal flowers, and mini-pumpkins. You don’t need to transform every square inch of your home to show your love for the season.

These few ideas are certainly not the only ways to incorporate fall decor into your home. At the end of the day, it comes down to what design and decor speak to you. Take these ideas as jumping-off points, then edit and customize them to design a space that’s uniquely your own. Also, don’t be afraid to try something you haven’t done before. You may be surprised to find that the colors, patterns, and textures you tend to shy away from may end up looking exciting and fresh.

Editors' Recommendations

Julie Scagell
I am a freelance writer based in Minneapolis, MN. My passions include my dogs, talking about my dogs, and taking pictures of…
What a hardwood contractor says your wood flooring says about you
According to a hardwood contractor, the species, stain, and cut of your wood floors can say a lot about you
bleached light wood flooring in an entryway

The home is a canvas for your personality, and your interiors should reflect your personal aesthetics. A professional hardwood contractor on TikTok, @lumberjackwoodsupply, says your wood flooring may reveal more about you than you might have thought. Here is what the species, color, and style of your wood flooring say about you (though, of course, some of these are a bit tongue-in-cheek).

https://www.tiktok.com/@lumberjackwoodsupply/video/7296136450888846623
What your wood flooring species says about you
Pine
If you have lighter, slim, natural pine floors, this TikToker says you likely fall into one of two categories. “You definitely have an appreciation for old things,” says @lumberjackwoodsupply. Alternatively, “you most likely own an old house that had these floors underneath.”
Walnut flooring
Walnut flooring is classy, elegant, and often sold at a steeper price. The hardwood contractor says homeowners with walnut flooring “have taste.”
Red oak
“There’s a good chance you didn’t choose to install this. It was just already in your house,” says this TikToker. But if you did choose to install red oak flooring, “you are either on a budget or you like to go against the status quo.”
Brazilian Cherry
“You probably live in an upscale but slightly outdated suburban home,” says the hardwood contractor. “There’s a good chance you hate the red.”
Maple
If you favor the sleek light wood tones of maple flooring to curate an airy and uplifting aesthetic, “You either live on the beach, or you want to look like you live on the beach,” says this TikToker.
Hickory
Hickory flooring is well-known for its boldness. It’s a unique wood with a quirky grain and various hues. If you have hickory flooring, “you like unique things,” says the hardwood contractor. “You want to be different.”

Read more
Don’t celebrate Christmas? Try these winter decor ideas instead
Here's how to decorate in favor of seasonal winter themes
Christmas decorations in house with wall sign on floor

Not everyone celebrates Christmas. But that doesn’t mean you can’t join in on all the festive fun. Sure, you may not want a Christmas tree in your living room or stockings hung over the chimney with care, but who said you had to decorate solely for the holiday?

If you want to take part in decking the halls but prefer a more seasonal approach to your decor, then we have some amazing winter decor ideas. Decorating the home during the winter months can be a great way to celebrate the season and welcome in the new year. And even if you don’t celebrate on December 25, you can still make your home look fabulous without opting for classic Christmas tropes.

Read more
Want a luxe living room or bedroom? Upgrade your TV wall with an IKEA fave and this easy DIY project
Use this IKEA TV stand idea from TikTok to upgrade your entertainment center
Luxury beige wall living room, modern flat television on brown wood panel wall, gray leather sofa, mid century style shelf in sunlight from window white sheer curtain for interior design background 3D

 

There are several living room trends that aim to add a luxe touch to our interiors, especially when it comes to dressing up the TV and TV stand. TVs can be a bit of an eyesore in the home, especially in modern designs that beg for more simplicity and elegance. While there are several fantastic trends like the picture frame TV or the classic built-in consoles that hide the TV behind a cabinet door, this idea from TikTok helps dress up the space without draining your wallet.

Read more