13 Easy Fall Decorations And How To Create Them For Your Home

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Create easy fall decorations with 13 copyworthy ideas, simple recipes, and pro tips to add cozy seasonal style to every room.

Fall decor should be simple, beautiful, and doable. These easy fall decorations are small, pretty moments you can recreate in minutes to bring the season into your home.

Autumn is brief, so I like to carry a light touch of fall from room to room. Think one styled arrangement per space, then add a few well-chosen accents for a collected look you will love.

Each idea below includes a short “recipe,” pro tips, and options so you can use what you have. If you want even more budget-friendly inspiration, see Fall Decorating On A Budget: 11 Easy And Beautiful Ideas.

As I was perusing my blog for fall decorating ideas to inspire a few easy fall decorations, it dawned on me that so many of my fall centerpieces, arrangements, and seasonal decor are really very easy and just variations of a handful of simple recipes. I thought it would be both helpful and fun to compile my favorites and share a recipe for each one, along with what you need to make it, a pro tip to give it a polished look, and a few options.

Here are 13 easy fall decorations you can create for your home.

Wreath As Candle Ring

Wreath As A Candle Ring

If you have a fall wreath, put it to work as a big, showy candle ring. It makes such a pretty centerpiece and is one of the easiest fall decorations you can create in just minutes.

What You Will Need

Recipe

1. Lay a fall-inspired wreath flat on a table.
2. Place a glass cylinder or hurricane in the center of the wreath.
3. Add a candle.

Pro Tip

• Keep your look fresh by using a tight color palette. I love using all white for a chic and updated style—when surrounded by other fall decor, it still reads as seasonal.
• Choose a chunky candle that almost fills the glass cylinder.
• Fluff the wreath to make it look full, and if you want more height, place the wreath on top of a stack of books.

Options

• Wrap a loose fall garland around a hurricane if you don’t have a wreath.
• Use a smaller candle ring beneath a pumpkin or a bowl of acorns for the same effect.

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Make A Simple Dried Floral Fall Arrangement

This little arrangement is made with what I call “fluff”—bits and pieces of berries, sticks, twigs, leaves, or flowers cut from larger stems or garlands. I keep fluff sorted by color in clear boxes, and it always comes in handy.

What You Will Need

• Fluff: berries, dried floral stems, twigs
• Wide-mouth vase
• Scotch tape
• A trio of candlesticks with coordinating candles

Recipe

1. Use tape to make a grid across the mouth of the vase.
2. Arrange the fluff in a pyramid shape.
3. Place the arrangement on a table or countertop.
4. Add candlesticks and candles nearby to finish the vignette.

Pro Tip

Choose one strong color to keep the look cohesive. I used warm honey tones here and kept the arrangement full for a lush fall feel.

Options

• Swap candles for small seasonal accents, like acorns or mini pumpkins.
• Create a second version with a different color palette for variety.

For more inspiration, see Fall Coffee Table Ideas Using 8 Items.

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Dried Hydrangea Arrangement In A Basket

If you grow hydrangeas, drying them and bringing them indoors is one of the prettiest and easiest fall decorations you can make. Their soft, muted colors are perfect for the season, and when gathered in a basket, they create an arrangement that looks effortless and abundant.

What You Will Need

• Dried hydrangeas (freshly cut from your garden and dried or store-bought)
• A basket or wide shallow container
• Optional: floral foam, filler, or crumpled paper

Recipe

1. Add filler or floral foam to the bottom of the basket if needed.
2. Cut the hydrangea stems to a length that fits your container.
3. Place the largest blooms in the center and angle smaller ones around the edges.
4. Adjust the heads so they overlap slightly, creating a full, mounded look.

Pro Tip

• Harvest hydrangeas late in the season when the blooms start to feel papery—they dry more easily and hold their shape.
• Keep the arrangement out of direct sunlight to help the colors last longer.
• Mix a few faux hydrangeas with real dried ones if you don’t have enough from your garden.

Options

• Style a wreath using dried hydrangeas and use it like a candle ring. See above.
• Add a layer of pinecones to the bottom of a dough bow and fill the rest of it with dried hydrangea heads
• Tuck in a few dried grasses, seed pods, or pheasant feathers for more texture.

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Market Basket Arrangement

Baskets are a favorite in the fall. They are wonderful for displaying pumpkins, gourds, and seasonal plants, and they add natural texture to any space.

What You Will Need

• Basket
• Small white pumpkins or gourds
• Flowering kale or cabbage
• A large green pumpkin
• Optional: wooden cutting board

Recipe

1. Add filler to the bottom of the basket if needed.
2. Nestle in flowering kale or cabbage.
3. Tuck small pumpkins or gourds around the plants.
4. Add one large pumpkin off to the side.
5. Scatter a few more pumpkins around the base.

Pro Tip

• Use filler like pinecones to raise plants higher in large baskets.
• Add a folded napkin or scarf for extra seasonal color.
• Place plants in small bowls to catch water overflow.

Options

• Replace kale with mums.
• Mix gourds with pumpkins.
• Use a large bowl if you don’t have a basket.

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Planting Mums And Ornamental Cabbages

Mums and ornamental cabbages are classic fall plants that look beautiful indoors or out. Together they create a full, colorful display that feels both seasonal and timeless. Planting them in a soup tureen, ironstone bowl, or any wide container makes them easy to enjoy on a table, buffet, or porch.

What You Will Need

• A mum plant
• Ornamental cabbage or kale
• Wide bowl, soup tureen, or shallow container
• Small bowls or plastic pots (to protect the container from water damage)

Recipe

1. Place small bowls or liners inside the container.
2. Set the mum in the center.
3. Tuck ornamental cabbage or kale around the edges.
4. Adjust until the plants look balanced and full.
5. Water lightly, making sure excess water doesn’t sit in the container.

Pro Tip

• Use ornamental cabbage in contrasting colors for extra interest.
• If you use a soup tureen or ironstone, always protect it with liners so water doesn’t damage the finish.
• Rotate the arrangement every few days so the blooms grow evenly toward the light.

Options

Place the arrangement outdoors on a porch table where the cooler temperatures help it last longer.

Use two different colors of mums for variety.

Swap the cabbage for trailing ivy to spill over the edges.

Keep Potted Indoorm Mums Fresh: Care And Upkeep has lots of tips you can use to care for your mums.

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White Pumpkin And Bittersweet

This arrangement is timeless and always a favorite. Real bittersweet can be tricky to find, but faux works beautifully too.

What You Will Need

• Large white pumpkin
• Footed bowl or pedestal
• Real or faux bittersweet
• Small white pumpkin
• Optional: breadboards or wood accents

Recipe

1. Place the large pumpkin on a pedestal.
2. Wrap bittersweet loosely around the base.
3. Set the arrangement on a wooden board for extra texture.
4. Add a small pumpkin or a few rustic accents.

Pro Tip

• Add filler if the pedestal bowl is too deep.
• Wind bittersweet partially up the pumpkin for added movement.
• Fluff the bittersweet so it sticks out in spots.

Options

• Use leaves or hops in place of bittersweet.
• Replace the board with log slices.

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Candlestick Inside A Lantern

Lanterns are such versatile pieces, and using one indoors with a candlestick adds a touch of seasonal charm.

What You Will Need

• Lantern
• Candlestick
• Candle
• Faux fall leaves or berries on wire stems

Recipe

1. Clean the lantern glass.
2. Add a candlestick with a candle inside.
3. Wrap fall leaves or berries into a small ring around the candlestick.
4. Place the candle inside.
5. If you light the candle, always keep an eye on it.

Pro Tip

• Shorten a too-tall candle by carefully trimming it.
• Spray paint lanterns to refresh an old finish.

Options

• Use fairy lights instead of a candle.
• Add a chunky pillar on a small wooden stand.
• Try a ready-made candle ring for an even faster option.

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Wreath On A Mirror

This is one of the most understated and chic fall ideas. The wreath itself doesn’t need to shout “fall”—when styled this way, the season speaks for itself.

What You Will Need

• Small, understated wreath
• Ribbon
• Hooks or ties for attaching to a mirror

Recipe

1. Tie ribbon to the wreath.
2. Hang it on the top of a mirror.
3. Adjust so the wreath sits neatly in the center.

Pro Tips

• Keep wreaths smaller for this look.
• Fluff the branches so they aren’t flat.
• Use a soft ribbon like velvet or silk.

Options

• Hang on a kitchen hood or glass-front cabinet doors.
• Swap in wheat or pampas grass wreaths.

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Fall Branches In An Urn

Big branches of fall leaves always make a statement. Real branches wilt quickly, so faux is the way to go.

What You Will Need

• Large faux fall branches
• Tall urn or container

Recipe

1. Place two or three branches in an urn.
2. Position in a corner or next to a large piece of furniture.

Pro Tip

• Make sure most of the leaves face into the room.
• Choose high-quality branches with realistic leaves.

Options

• Lay branches across a long basket or tray for a horizontal arrangement.

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Pheasant Feathers In Glass

Pheasant feathers are a fall favorite that carry right into Christmas. They’re tall, textural, and add instant seasonal charm.

What You Will Need

• Pheasant feathers
• Glass cylinder or hurricane

Recipe

1. Clean the glass cylinder.
2. Hold the feathers together and slide them into the cylinder.
3. Let them fall and fan out at the bottom.

Pro Tip

Turn the feathers so the fronts face into the room for the best look.

Options

• Mix pheasant feathers with dried grasses like wheat or millet.
• Add a few branches of faux fall leaves for extra color.
• Tuck feathers into a fall arrangement or wreath for height.
• Use shorter feathers in small vases on a mantel or bookshelf.

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Make Your Home Smell Like Fall

A fall home should smell as good as it looks. Nothing beats the natural aroma of a simmering potpourri.

What You Will Need

• Small flameproof pot
• Water
• Seasonal fruits, herbs, and spices

Recipe

1. Fill the pot halfway with water.
2. Add fruit slices, herbs, and spices.
3. Simmer on low, adding water as it evaporates.

Pro Tip

• Add whole spices like cinnamon sticks or cloves—they can be reused several times.
• Keep extra ingredients in a jar so you can refresh your simmer pot quickly.

Options

• Try sliced apples or pears for a fruity twist.
• Add evergreen sprigs in late fall for a woodsy note.
• Use a slow cooker on low as a safer option if you’ll be out of the kitchen.

See how to make one here: Easy To Make Fall Simmering Potpourri.

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Layer Your Doormat

This look has been around for a while, but it’s still one of the easiest ways to polish your front door for fall.

What You Will Need

• Seasonal doormat
• Coordinating indoor/outdoor rug

Recipe

1. Place the larger rug first, centered at your door.
2. Add a smaller seasonal doormat on top.

Pro Tip

• Coordinate other fall accents with the colors in your rugs.
• Choose a washable rug for easy care.
• Keep one base rug year-round and just swap seasonal mats.

Pro Tip

• Use a non-slip pad under your rugs to keep layers secure.
• Choose rugs in a material that dries quickly after rain.

Options

• Layer a plaid rug under a pumpkin-themed mat for a classic fall look.
• Use a neutral striped rug as a base for multiple seasons, swapping only the top mat.
• Add a pair of potted mums or pumpkins on either side to complete the look.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Easy Fall Decorating

Best Idea

All of these easy fall decorations can be tweaked for other seasons and holidays. Once you learn the recipes, you’ll be able to create beautiful seasonal looks all year long.

As you decorate this fall, choose one or two of these ideas to try right away. They’re quick, simple, and use items you probably already have at home. Bookmark or pin this post so you can come back to it year after year for inspiration.

And if you want even more seasonal decorating ideas, you might enjoy 60+ Charming Ideas For Setting A Fall Table.