Homes

Fall Decorating Ideas | 10 Simple Ways to Add Garden Style

Fall is in the air, and with the gardening season just about over, now is the time to make the most of nature’s bounty to fill our homes with the ambiance of autumn. Here are ten simple and affordable ways to subtly acknowledge the beautiful shift of the seasons that New England is famous for. […]

pinecone wreath

Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine

Photo Credit : Katherine Keenan
Fall is in the air, and with the gardening season just about over, now is the time to make the most of nature’s bounty to fill our homes with the ambiance of autumn. Here are ten simple and affordable ways to subtly acknowledge the beautiful shift of the seasons that New England is famous for.

Fall Decorating Ideas inside the Home

pinecone wreath
Make a pine cone wreath.
Photo Credit : Shelley Wigglesworth
Collect 25-40 small to medium pine cones and arrange in a pattern. When you find a pattern you like, use floral wire to begin entwining single pine cones around a double ring circular floral wreath frame. Continue to securely tie individual pine cones to the wreath frame until the frame is covered. Spray with a clear coat of varnish to preserve if desired. 2. Fill a fruit bowl with a sampling of freshly picked apples. 3. Showcase ornamental gourds on a mantel, windowsill, or in a rustic tray on the dining room table. 4. Partially fill individual clear glass jars of various shapes and sizes (for visual interest ) with any of the following: acorns, miniature pine cones, dry milkweed pods, rose hips or dried rose petals. Arrange the jars as a collection on a shelf or side table. 5. When pumpkins become available, save a small to medium sized pumpkin or gourd to use as a centerpiece for a coffee table. Simply carve out a circular opening around the stem of the squash and remove the seeds and guts. Be sure to save the seeds for roasting in the oven for a delicious snack later on, slip a small vase or a floral sponge into the cavity and fill with mums, sunflowers, zinnias, kale or other favorite fall flowers. Tiny potted mums may also be nestled inside hollowed out pumpkins. 6. Keep apple cider and cinnamon sticks on hand to simmer for guests or to just permeate the air with that well loved fall fragrance of warm apples and spice. Fall Decorating Ideas inside the Home 7. Decorate a twig wreath with seasonal flora. This is a fun way to make a simple change that reflects the autumn metamorphosis. Bittersweet and paper lanterns are abundant and easily harvested this time of year. Simply twist the vines and flowers throughout a twig wreath to create a welcoming fall focal point for your door. Miniature gourds may also be tied to the branches of twig wreaths using basic floral wire, and can be easily removed when the season is over. 8. Tie bundles of cornstalks to a mailbox post, lantern post or porch railings. Embellish the cornstalks with bunches of colorful Indian corn. 9. Stagger a variety of pumpkins and squash in different sizes and shapes on your front steps or in a small wheel barrow in the yard. Don’t limit the pumpkins to the ordinary orange kind. Ghost pumpkins that are all white, and warty pumpkins covered with bumps add visual interest, especially when grouped together with fun squashes like butternut and blue hubbard. 10. Make a scarecrow or two just for the fun of it. Gather the kids and stuff some old clothes with leaves and straw. If someone in your home works where uniforms are required ( firefighter, surgeon, letter carrier, police officer etc.) or if a member of the family is an athlete or artist personalize the scarecrows with accessories to reflect each family member’s personal style. These scarecrows are always a hit with the neighbors and visitors alike.

Shelley Wigglesworth

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  1. Dear Yankee Magazine Person,

    Several years ago on the cover of Yankee Magazine, there was a picture of an initial (of the owner’s last name) fall decoration on a front door. It was made from vines and bittersweet and was so memorable I still remember it. I have since retired and joined the Atkinson Garden Club in Atkinson NH. I would like to have a workshop for my club and enjoy everyone having one of these decorations on their doors. Can you find a picture of this? I think there were instructions inside on how to make this. That would be appreciated too! I would be so grateful if you could help me with this project!!!!

    Linda Jette

  2. Hello Linda. You’re thinking of the October 2003 issue of Yankee Magazine. On the cover are a bunch of bittersweet. The project you are describing is inside. Unfortunately, we don’t have issues going back that far available online, but perhaps you can find a copy at the library or online through sites like Ebay. Good luck! Hope this helps!