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It may sound overwhelming to transition your home decor from summer to fall, but it shouldn’t be! Start getting cozy now with 15 easy steps!

Can I start decorating for fall in August?

It’s asked every year and every year my answer is the same!  You can start decorating anytime you want!  Trust me, if I lived up north and the air was starting to get that little tinge of fall feeling, you’d better believe I’d be pulling out all the bins and starting to transition my home decor from summer to fall!

Some people prefer to wait until after the Labor Day holiday break, which is understandable too, particularly for those who don’t begin the school year until after Labor Day!

So, what month can you start decorating for fall?

My general answer to this is mid August or early September.  I try to have all of my fall decor pretty much done by the middle of September so I can enjoy it for the next couple of months!

For me, I especially enjoy a S L O W transition from fall to summer with my home decor.  To be honest, I don’t like to start until after the kids are back in school.  I like to keep our “summer home” (see my summer home decor story HERE) for as long as possible.

But once we’ve started back to school, I’m ready for cozy evenings, earlier bed times, and filling my senses with a soft, calm, cozy atmosphere in the evenings!

How do I make my house feel cozy for the fall?

I’m so glad you asked!  Let’s jump in because today I’m going to give you 15 simple and easy ideas to kick off your fall decor.

Whether you put the pumpkins out in August, September, or wait until October, there are plenty of things you can do to transition your home decor from summer to fall and start getting those cozy vibes whenever you’re ready!

15 Simple Ways to Transition Your Home Decor from Summer to Fall

#1: Transition your home decor from summer to fall by removing summer decor.

I like to wait until we’ve started school for this first step and enjoy the “beach cottage” feel of our home as long as possible.  However, once school has started, it’s game on!

The first thing to do to transition your home decor from summer to fall is to pack up any summer-specific decor.  I collect all the shells, floppy straw hats, chippy blue architectural salvage, vintage seascape art, etc. and pack it all up!

These totes are our favorite for seasonal decor!  We’ve collected them over time and now all of our seasonal decor stacks so neatly.  My husband especially loves the durability and that they don’t slide around!

#2: Transition your home decor from summer to fall by adding wood tones.

I always love pretty wood tones and when I transition my home decor from summer to fall, you’ll find me pulling out more of my dough bowls, bread boards, wooden candlesticks, and wooden risers.  

These favorite pieces create the backdrop for all of my fall vignettes and the wood colors instantly warm up decor…even if you’re going slowly, like me, and leaving a basic, every day vignette that isn’t necessarily fall.

#3: Transition from summer to fall decor by switching up your greenery.

When I start transitioning my home decor for the fall season, I leave my live plants.  For faux plants, however, I pull out the brighter greens and begin replacing them with dried or preserved branches and sparse branches cut from my yard.

Fall is really a season that feels especially natural and organic and I try to bring that inside by following the cues of nature.

(Well, for up north, at least.  Our grass stays bright and green down here all year! 😂)

#4: Transition from summer to fall decor by changing your florals.

Whether fresh or faux, florals are a perfect seasonal transition.  You can transition your home decor from summer to fall by adding seasonal florals here and there throughout your home.

I don’t use a lot of floral patterns in my home, but I do love having a simple vase of sunflowers, faux pear stems, or deep-toned mums sitting in my kitchen or dining room!

If you’re looking for great faux florals for fall, I highly recommend these:

• This set of varied pampas grass decor
• These tan eucalyptus stems (love how it matches the color of sun-dried and bleached eucalyptus)
• These faux pear stems (I love the warmth of the color!)
• These faux Queen Anne’s lace stems (they are large and have great texture!)

#5: Transition from summer to fall decor by swapping out throw pillows!

Throw pillows are a really budget-friendly way to get a fresh look without having to change out furniture! Transition your home decor from summer to fall by storing away summer-colored pillows and swapping them with neutral pillows that have a lot of texture, such as chunky knit fabric, soft linen, light velvet, and fringe or pom pom detail.

I suggest starting the transition with neutral pillows and once you’re ready to go all in on fall decor, layer a few fall-specific colors and patterns with your neutral pillows.

I’m loving these pillows this year:

• These classic pillows with a pattern that will blend with most things!
• These burnt orange aren’t neutral, but I had to include them because I love pulling them out as I start adding some fall touches!  Plus, they are only $14 for the pair!
• These vintage grain sacks make the perfect oversized pillows for a sofa or bed and they are super cozy!
• I love the color, pattern, and detail on these pillows!
• This neutral pillow has great detail and the size and shape makes it perfect for layering!

#6: Transition your home decor from summer to fall by adding a few throw blankets.

No matter the season, I seem to have a few out to soften up our spaces.  However, the fall and winter seasons are definitely when they get used the most!  You can add throw blankets to a basket under the coffee table or simply toss them over the arm of a chair.

Whoever you place them, make sure they are easily accessible and inviting your family to get cozy!

Here are a couple of favorites this year:

• This one just came in the mail and it is so super soft!  A new favorite for sure and reasonably priced too!
• Add a soft, neutral like this for instant coziness!
• This basket is perfect to tuck cozy blankets and pillows for easy accessibility, yet tidy when you don’t need them out!

#7: Transition the seasons with art!

To me, you don’t need a lot of seasonal art.  However, just switching a couple of pieces can instantly refresh a room and add a touch of the fall season.  I recently purchased this vintage pear painting from my friend Deb over at Seeking Lavender Lane.  She has an online vintage shop with a lot of great vintage art options!

You can find a similar pear art piece HERE for a great price!  Perfect for a seasonal touch!

This pheasant print is similar to one of my favorite thrifted art finds and I’ll pull it out a little later in the season!  Can’t beat vintage-inspired art for under $15!

#8: Add woven texture to transition your home decor from summer to fall!

Admittedly, I love woven texture and use baskets all year long.  I think they get overlooked a little in the fall though.

I loved adding these wall baskets with dried gourds to my gallery wall last year.  The woven texture adds those warm, wood-like tones but in a little softer way.  And they definitely add texture too!

You can get a similar look this year with:

• This pretty wall basket
• These pretty, dried gourds
• These faux Queen Anne lace stems
• These tan eucalyptus branches

#9: This should probably be #1…

Don’t underestimate the power of deep cleaning your home to help transition your home decor from summer to fall!

A clean, organized, decluttered home is one of the best feelings and definitely makes physical and emotional space to add all of the cozy favorites for the upcoming seasons!

#10: Bring the cozy factor to your transitional decor with taper candles!

That being said, I have younger kiddos myself and taper candles on the mantel are just unsafe in every possible way!  I love to pull out my set (okay, several sets) of favorite battery-operated taper candles and add to my vintage brass candlestick collection!  Brass candlesticks are one of my favorite thrifted things to collect!

You can find 6 other things I recommend thrifting for the fall season over on THIS POST!

You can find my favorite battery-operated taper candles in white or ivory HERE!  Trust me…they are so good!

#11: Transition into fall decor by adding mixed metals.

I might be the odd one out on this, but in my summer decor, I realized I don’t actually have a lot of metal other than a few zinc buckets and wire baskets.

For me, one way to quickly add a touch of that fall vibe is to add some metal texture and colors.

You can transition your home decor from summer to fall by adding a mixture of vintage brass, silver, and copper.  

And yes!  You can even mix the three!  Of course, my preference is for metal finishes that have some tarnish but you can always polish them up a bit if you’d like!

#12: Transition your home from summer to fall with amber bottles.

Old amber bottles are a great way to bring in those warm fall hues.  If you’re looking to add a bit of a transitional look, but don’t want to add all the pumpkins, scarecrows, and orange colors, amber bottles can be a great compromise!

Of course, then you can just leave them out with your fall decor too!

Amber bottles can look great on their own, gathered in a collection, used with taper candles, or holding flower or greenery stems!

Flea markets and antique malls are great places to find old amber bottles.  But if you want some right away, these are some great vintage-inspired options:

• This cute little amber vase already has pretty flower stems with it and it’s only $5.99!
• This vase comes in 3 sizes and is an excellent price point!  Get one of each size to make a really pretty vignette!
• This pack of six amber bottles are perfect for a tablescape!
• This set of 6 gives a little taller options and is perfect for flowers or taper candles!

#13: Use vintage books to help with seasonal decor transitions.

You all know how much I love vintage books.  In fact, you can find a whole post with ideas for using vintage books in your home decor HERE.

Transitioning your home decor from summer to fall is a perfect time to use some budget-friendly decor and old, thrifted books are my first go-to!

You can use vintage books in warm fall colors, such as neutrals, browns, rust, and gold tones.  Just swap a stack of lighter, summery colored books in any vignette with your fall-toned books and ta-da!  Quick and easy transition!

I always hit up the book section in any thrift store.  You can find great deals and use them for all the seasons!  I also like to look for titles that could relate to the particular season.  It’s a small detail, but one I take great delight in finding!

#14: One of the most simple ways to transition is starting with a neutral base!

This may seem basic, but to transition my home decor from any season to another, I peel back the layers of seasonal color and texture.  Take my home back to the basics, so to speak!

At that point, I can slowly start adding as much or as little, as subtle or as bold seasonal accents.

I always recommend investing in large pieces that you love and have a neutral base.  This allows you to play around and experiment with your decor in more budget-friendly ways!  

This would include sofas, chairs, larger tables, cabinets, and wall colors (though that can be a fun way to accent for a season if you love to paint!)

#15: Fill your home with the scents of the season!  

Nothing says cozy like a great candle and a favorite fall scent, right?!  In fact, when I want to start transitioning my home from summer to fall decor, I usually pull out one of my favorite candles to help me get in the mood.

There are a lot of great options out there but these are definitely my personal favorites:

• This oil for my diffuser
• This candle for any room (and the jar is pretty too!)

Are you ready to transition your home now?

It’s totally okay if you’re not!  

Save these pins and ideas for whenever you’re ready.  That’s the beauty of our own homes…we can just do what works for us and enjoy it!

I do hope that these 15 favorite ideas have given you some inspiration, sparked a creative or new idea, and help you to love and enjoy your home even more in the coming season!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)