With September approaching and school starting at the end of this month, I wanted to share some great ways to slowly transition your home to fall for the cozy season. Here in New England, fall is a really beautiful time of the year. I decorate with pumpkins and mums outdoors, but indoors I think about how we are using our spaces this time of year. What decor pieces say fall that are not just pumpkins and gourds. I might bring in pumpkins for a tabletop or mantel display, but I think more in terms of seasonal color, texture, and pattern.

I wait until September to make my decor changes, but I can’t promise that a fall candle or fall hand soap won’t appear in our home before then. I love the smell of crisp apple and cinnamon, and already have some fall candles burning. Even though I don’t transition my interiors with fall touches until September, I do love to dream and plan ahead of time. Fall decor and furnishings are starting to drop, and here are some ideas and decor pieces you can shop now to prepare your interiors for the cozy season.

My Fall Tips & Finds

books

One of my favorite ways to transition the seasons is by showcasing different coffee table books. This Ralph Lauren book is a favorite with its blackwatch tartan cover. It works well for fall and holiday. Another favorite for the season is Audubon’s The Birds of America large hardcover. Anything equestrian, hunting, cabin, or Ralph Lauren is what I tend to put out for autumn.

deeper hues & earthy tones

Autumn automatically makes me want to infuse deeper hues and earthy tones into my spaces even more. I don’t know if it’s all the Ivy League schools around here or the old money homes we are surrounded by, but richer colors and textures are something I crave this time of year. I adore a tufted brown or chestnut leather ottoman, adding in more navy and deep greens, sometimes even some crimson. Woolen patterns with herringbone, tweed, and houndstooth are fall staples, and I love those menswear inspired nods.

I’ll pull in more of this with decor, and that’s the nice thing about keeping some spaces more neutral in our home. It makes it easy to transition the changing New England seasons here. Great ways to achieve this are with pillows, blankets, smaller furniture pieces, and objects. My burl wood tray is a favorite to add to my coffee table and it’s on sale now.

stock the fireside

Readying the fireplace is a nice thing to do ahead of time. You never know when that first cold night will arrive, and you will want to be fireside. I’m so thankful we have a wood-burning fireplace in our home. I love the crackle and warmth they bring to everyday living. I grew up with them, and it was a non-negotiable when house-hunting in Connecticut.

I always like to stock up on matches and fatwood starters at the beginning of the season. My large seagrass basket makes a great holder for firewood, and I love our brass and iron equestrian fireplace tools. I found ours at an antique store here in Connecticut, but there are plenty for sale here.

board games

Another thing I like to do is put some board games & playing cards in the living room. Our favorites include Euchre, Backgammon, Chess, and Scrabble. We tend to play more of them in the cooler months by the fire.

add interest & warmth

Adding in decor that brings another layer of warmth and interest is a nice way to richen your interiors for fall. Think about mixing brass and silver and accessorizing with horn, hide, leather, tortoise glass, burl wood, and agate.

tabletop planning

Gatherings in the autumn season feel so warm and special. We have quite a few birthdays in our family this time of year, so I like to keep tabletop pieces at reach that play nicely with the fall aesthetic. I tend to dress my tables with more browns. My Thanksgiving settings with our turkey dinner plates are always one we enjoy this time of year.

Those are some key things I do once the fall vibes start to arrive here. I love that there are some great pieces to shop right now. I’ll share our fall home once the season arrives.

xx Kristy

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