Picture this: a warm living room filled with fluffy throw pillows, a fire burning, and a deep-piled blanket coaxing you to snuggle up. This is the vibe of the fall living room, making the perfect space to nest as you watch the colors dramatically change outside your window.
Whether it's through paint colors, your coffee table or mantel decor, soft furnishings, or flower arrangements, add a touch of fall decor for a fresh, updated look without breaking the bank.
For inspiration on how to bring this scheme to life, take a look at our edit of inspiration.
1. Style your mantel with fall decor
Fall decor trends call for the inclusion of natural elements like gourds and leaves that add an autumnal touch. While quite rustic, these elements can be showcased best in the form of fall mantel decorating ideas, and this example by Teressa Johnson, founder of Teressa Johnson Studio is ideal.
"I believe we’re meant to enjoy creation and natural materials, and I try to bring them into my home with every changing season," says Teressa. "For fall, especially, I look forward to dim candlelight, slow meals, and the burnished colors of leaves, fruit, and flowers. These elements make their way to the tabletops, mantel tops, and even the bedside."
2. Use fall colors for the walls
A living room color scheme for fall ranges from taupes, browns, and earthy yellows, to rust, burnt orange, and deep blues. In between all these nature-inspired colors, choose one that suits you and your style the most. If paints feel a bit too much of an investment, you can even bring in these colors via furnishings or decor for a soothing autumnal living room.
"Go for warm taupe or espresso tones," advises interior designer Nishtha Vashist. "These tones can double as a neutral backdrop, and add a rich, luxurious depth that’s more sophisticated than standard brown."
3. Add extra throw pillows
Adding soft and fluffy elements to the living room is the easiest way to inject a fall vibe. Add extra throws, pillows, and bolsters to create the most welcoming room.
"Layer in throws and accent pillows onto your sofa — the round shape is in," says Jane Lockhart, founder of Jane Lockhart Design. "The 3D spheres add a whimsy and dimension."
4. Or add a grounding rug
"This is my favorite room in this house; it has such a good vibe," shares Shona McElroy, founder of Smac Studio. "I love the textured, encompassing limewash on the walls and ceiling — Lambs Wool by Porters Paints — and the symmetry of the artworks and the theatrical-yet-natural styling elements, like the cloud tree and big branches we placed in the middle of the coffee table. The chocolate checkerboard rug is from a collection we designed in collaboration with Hali. Teamed with the tall branches and timber coffee table, the rug adds a grounding, autumnal element."
You could go in for wool, or shaggy living room rugs as these are extremely soft underfoot, and can create the perfect autumnal living room look. Without a doubt, these rugs add an extra layer of warmth and comfort to the space.
5. Place small pumpkins to signal fall
The days of oversized, bright orange pumpkins in interiors are gone. Today, an autumnal living room vibe is a lot more subtle. Many retailers like Anthropologie, Pottery Barn and Walmart are offering pretty decoratives shaped like pumpkins that can be easily incorporated into your interiors without them standing out. Think candles, pillows, plates, and trays.
"For the outdoors too, consider adding just one pumpkin on the porch steps for a clean and simple look," suggests Jane.
6. Accent with fall flowers
Bring the outside inside, literally. Gather fallen leaves, a garland of moss, pinecones, or dried branches. Even flower trends for fall point to gathering and displaying blooms that grow wild around your home and capture the mood of the season.
"Display fresh elements, such as eucalyptus branches or magnolia leaves, and add a pop of lush green that contrasts beautifully with the dried textures," suggests Nishtha. "Consider adding seasonal flowers like mums or marigolds in deep oranges and reds for a burst of color that truly captures the essence of fall."
7. Choose tactile wall paint finishes
Apart from the fact that Venetian plaster or limewash paint evoke the charm of old-world Europe, this centuries-old technique has a nuanced and warm touch to it, contributing heavily to fall living room decor ideas. The depth of color and a burnished shine set it apart, and it is a great way to lend an organic touch to a space, especially if you want to cozy it up.
"Venetian and limewash walls are gaining traction in this season," says Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem, founder of YSG Studio. "Venetian plaster creates an instantly worn-in, beautiful sheen that allows feature lighting and natural sunlight to pool across it, whilst lime wash surfaces have a matte depth like crushed velvet if you’re seeking a cocooning feeling in a room."
8. Envelope your living room with seasonal scents
Make your house smell like fall with scent-scaping. Gina Strain of Matalan says this is the way forward for pure comfort in the home. "You can never underestimate the power of fragrance — envelope your home in the perfect seasonal scents to create a cozy, autumnal feel," says Gina. "Smoke and leather, in the scent world, are intrinsically linked and are some of the oldest and most comforting scents known to man."
"Use a reed diffuser placed higher up and in open spaces to make the most of airflow and fill the room with luxurious scents but keep out of direct sunlight to avoid the oils evaporating," says Gina.
9. Scaled up wallpapers prints can be cocooning
Large prints and deep colors have an inherent coziness to them, creating an enveloping feeling, giving the room a jewel box-like look. If you are looking for new living room wallpaper ideas and are in the middle of a reno, we suggest you embrace this new trend of scaling up with designs.
"Many of our clients in New York City are pushing us for more of a visual statement in their rooms," says Jarret Yoshida, a Brooklyn Brownstone designer. "Wallpaper continues to get bolder and bolder, but I am steering them more and more to large abstract murals. Striking, without being specific, they make walls into a gorgeous backdrop that is, for me, a new 'paint' — encompassing, luxe, cozy and contemporary."
10. Unwind with a daybed
A daybed in the living room is a fantastic piece of furniture, great for reclining or leaning on to read, playing video games, or working on a laptop. With the colder days taking over, when all you want is laid-back luxury at home, there is no better piece than this.
If you don't want to invest in a fresh, new piece, consider upcycling an old bed hiding in your attic or garage. Find a local carpenter to fix the piece and use it as a charming addition to your living room. The daybed can be used as a second sofa or the primary seating as well. If you want your daybed to look more like a couch, you can add large sofa cushions on it to make it look more like a seater than a bed.
"A chaise lounger or daybed enhances a room’s aesthetic with its sculptural silhouette and tailored upholstery," says Marie Flanigan, founder of Marie Flanigan Interiors. "I especially love using this piece to create visual interest with an unexpected pattern or pop of color."
11. Color drench the room
Besides choosing a warm tone for your paint, consider how you plan to paint your space for an autumnal living room look. Color drenching or painting the ceiling and walls the same color is one of the biggest paint trends currently and has staying power. Aside from the fact that it can create a visual illusion that can help with the dimensions of the room (it can give depth to a small room, or bring down the ceilings in a double or triple-height room), it also creates a wonderful feeling of coziness – of being enveloped.
"Rich, bold colors work best," says Justyna Korczynska, color consultant at Crown. "If you feel brave you can go for a dark shade for a strong, dramatic effect, but it's better to avoid too bright shades, as they could become overpowering, especially in smaller spaces."
"When using more than one color, choose shades with similar intensity," says Justyna. "Or you can use the same color in lighter and darker shades. When choosing furniture and accessories for a color-drenched room you can go two routes: Use similarly strong shades and rich patterns to add another layer of color to your room for a strong bold look, or go for bold saturated jewel greens and teals as they work very well for color drenching. Dark greys to near black and deep navy shades are also good choices."
12. Add effective window treatments
Window treatments are an important piece of the design puzzle in any home. These not only complement a decor scheme but also are important for privacy, light, hiding awkward features, providing insulation, and more. With the winter setting in, while it is imperative to close and seal the windows, take modern window treatments from something that merely suffices to something that makes a statement in your autumn living room.
Cellular shades, roller blinds, blackout curtains, shutters or stained glass can up the style factor of your living room while also ensuring you're happy and snug inside.
"If you only do one thing to help a living room look cozier, make it the window dressing," says Andrew Griffiths, founder of A New Day. "Softening the light in a space and putting some warmth and texture between you and the outside world is so important to the look and feel of a cozy living space. I like to layer window treatments, so I use sheer curtains or blinds for daytime privacy and light filtering, and use either curtains or blinds to frame a window, giving the option of covering the windows fully in the evening for a warm space."
13. Cozy up with warm lighting
Yes, the sunshine-filled days are dwindling but that doesn't mean your home can't remind you of summer or warmth! Another important element to layering is lights, but ones that create an ambiance. In your living room, swap out the white lights with yellow LED bulbs. Also, make your home more colorful with smart lighting that looks good and can even cozy up the interiors.
Wall lights are an excellent option as they don't occupy floor or desk space. Choose plug-in sconces for quick installation in living room corners. Long pendants and paper lanterns when used with dimmers can create the perfect, pensive mood indoors, ideal for those lazy weekday evenings when all you want to do is curl up and watch TV.
And finally, no one can deny the charm of candles. "This season, bring in a statement lamp—perhaps a ceramic lamp with a textured base that echoes the earthy tones of fall, or a sleek, metallic lamp in a warm copper or brass finish for a more modern touch," says Nishtha. "A current trend is the use of lamps with sculptural bases, such as those inspired by organic shapes like pebbles or branches, which add an artistic element to your decor."
14. Don't forget to revive the fireplace
With fireplace season soon approaching, you might be thinking about updating the old one or building a new one. There are so many fireplace ideas that picking one can be challenging. After all, it is the most commanding element in any room it’s in. Perhaps add a slab of marble, granite, or another solid surface for a dramatic and minimalist aesthetic to your fireplace cladding. Copper is not only a beautiful facing choice but a conversation piece in any room. If you are longing to update your old red brick but are short on budget, paint it. Any color can work, but white works with so many different styles.
Remember to decorate the mantel above with flowers, vases, or candles as well. You could also personalize the space with a charming collection of dishes or pottery that is special to you.
What are the popular fall living room decor ideas at the moment?
The colors that are currently trending are orange, red, and yellow, but these conventional hues aside, nature-inspired shades of pistachio greens and browns are taking over interiors as well. Curving furniture pieces with an inherent softness are cozying up autumnal living rooms. Chunky knitted blankets and velvet decorative pillows will be big this fall season.
Another big trend is snug nooks with window seats or corners, outfitted with plaid throws, and soft cashmere and fur pillows. Dark and moody kitchens have been a trend for a while but will see a lot more love this fall and winter. Bold, large patterned wallpapers that tell a cultural story of its place of origin will take over homes.
How to decorate a couch for fall?
First, prioritize coziness in an autumn living room. If you're up for it, consider changing the couch covers to ones drenched in moodier shades of rust, brown, terracotta, or ochre. Also, focus on the fabric material — go for wool blends or slubby textured materials. Add a throw, double up on the pillows, and even add a rug under the sofa for extra padding and softness.
