In the South, we always find a reason to celebrate. We count our blessings and appreciate the little things. We know that holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries aren’t the only milestones on the calendar worth celebrating. When you rejoice in this season, every day and area of your home is filled with celebrations. While every season deserves some celebration, fall can be a particularly exciting occasion for home decorating.
As the leaves change colors and the weather turns cooler (in some places in the South than others), pumpkins, gourds, and mums come out to play on our shelves and countertops. With the arrival of fall, comfort takes top priority, accompanied by some spooky accessories and turkey decorations for Halloween and Thanksgiving, respectively. These classic fall inclusions will probably never change, nor do we want them to. However, just as the wind blows and the leaves change, so does the way we draw inspiration from the season. This year, fall is inspiring Southerners to decorate their homes in elegant and seasonal ways. Turn over a new leaf with these fall decor trends you’ll see everywhere in fall 2023.
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Plaid is the up and coming style of this season. It’s getting hotter and the weather is getting colder, says interior designer Lindley Arthur, who notices plaids popping up everywhere, from rugs to sofas and other upholstery. This season, interior designer Lauren Robbins also says that in some cases, popular plaids take on a new twist.
“Traditionally, we think of plaid in colors like navy blue, green and maybe a little bit of gray woven into it,” Robbins says. “But I also love bringing in plaids that look really fresh with more jewel-toned colors like purples, teals, and even a little bit of rust or yellow.”
Classic decor with seasonal details
When it comes to decorating for fall, interior designer Edith-Anne Duncan says it’s all about working with what you have and adding or switching up small details. Instead of completely redecorating each season, she recommends having decor in storage that can be swapped out, like pillowcases and accessories. Maintain your foundation year-round with these classic and timeless additions so they don’t fit any seasonal trappings.
Duncan’s favorite fall additions are bunches of fresh magnolias, Osage oranges, silver pheasants, and feathers. Another detail she encourages is using cookbooks as decor and keeping them open to display seasonal baked goods.
Autumn colors all year round
The colors associated with fall are among the most beautiful. These tones tend to be rich and saturated and are completely on trend for 2023, regardless of the season. This year, designers report that homeowners are embracing colors typically associated with fall but as more permanent additions to their homes to bring with them for many seasons to come. These colors for walls, furniture and upholstery include fall leaf colors and warm spices such as rich orange, moody brown, mustard yellow, navy blue, hunter green, velvet red and eggplant purple.
“I think we’ll see a lot of primary colors in deep, rich, natural fall tones. “It’s going to be big during fall, as it always is, but I think we’ll see that as a design trend over the next year or so,” predicts interior designer Stephanie Abernathy. “We’re moving away from some of these brighter, more springy tones that we’ve seen over the last couple of years, and moving into more moody spaces.”
Green paint
Duncan says dark green is the most popular of these colors, especially as a paint color. She expects to see this rich, attractive shade in many homes across the South in 2023.
“Moody green paint is very big now in kitchens and bars,” says Duncan. “It feels like autumn to me, and it feels like a rainy day when you turn on the fireplace.”
Comfortable and colorful sofas
One place where these fall colors are prevalent is on sofas. Rich, colorful, ornate furnishings are on the rise, says interior designer Amy Comer, who says she’s seeing fewer and fewer white-and-sand-colored sofas that were once what everyone wanted. In warm, bold colors, sofas can embody the coziness we all crave in fall.
“There is a trend towards more prints on sofas,” agrees Arthur. “People are moving away from wanting to have a solid sofa that’s just white or blue. Instead, there’s a real movement towards green velvet.
Natural materials
To accompany these nature-inspired colors, Abernathy says earth-mined materials are also on the rise. We see her predictions come to fruition in the appearance of natural stone for the countertops, dark wood for the flooring and furniture, and less perfect and more nature-inspired textures like rattan and slate.
Velvet, cashmere and wool
In addition to the great outdoor fabrics, Southern homes will also be bundled with tarps to protect them from the cold weather outside in the fall. Cozy cashmere, velvet and wool are just the thing to keep you warm and transform your home for the season. Duncan and Arthur recommend replacing your summer pillows and throw blankets with alternatives from these heavier materials.
Taper candles
The tall, slender candles stood tall, making a splash on many Southern dinner tables and shelves last fall, and designers say they’ll be back in the fall of 2023. Use candlesticks at different heights and different-colored fall candles to create a dynamic display that rivals last year’s display. .
Not very topic-y
As much as we want to go all out this season, designers are warning us not to fall into the trap of a theme. Weave in gorgeous seasonal colors but be careful not to overdo it with tchotchkes or tricks. Instead of decorating your entire home in orange and black and overusing pumpkins and lanterns, experts recommend a subtle approach that augments your home with charming details reminiscent of the season.
“I think you can bring it in[festive decor]in tasteful ways,” Comer says. “I like to put little white pumpkins on the mantelpiece, and if you have ginger jars, you can use a velvet ribbon to tie a bow around them. Small additions like that are usually all you need to do.”
Movable outdoor spaces
While summer is actual porch and patio season, it’s sometimes too hot and humid to spend much time outside during the height of summer in parts of the South. So, just because summer is over doesn’t mean leaving your outdoor living spaces to dry out. In fact, once the temperature drops a bit in the fall, these may be the perfect conditions for hanging out outdoors. Prepare your outdoor areas for use throughout the fall by warming them up for the season with fall-colored pillows, a fire pit, and a blanket that can withstand the weather. Robbins especially recommends washable fleece blankets for worry-free gathering, enjoying the foliage, and watching football outside.
Fall color blue and white
“Everyone loves blue and white,” Duncan says. We couldn’t agree more. This classic color combination is a standout in many Southern homes. Although these shades aren’t typically associated with fall, Duncan and Arthur stress that blue and white can be a great base for fall additions. While Duncan takes a decorative navy blue route, Arthur chooses a different path.
“A lot of our customers love decorating with blue, so we make it more moody and add more depth to fall,” says Arthur. “In a room that is predominantly blue and white, adding a touch of aubergine and plum tones can give it depth and comfort for the fall season.”
Official entertainment
Summer is the season for backyard barbecues and parties, but come fall, we head back inside and head to the dining room for our entertaining needs. In recent years, this room has seen a resurgence, and in 2023, designers are anticipating a big year for formal entertaining starting this fall. Robbins says it’s time to break out the good china, and Abernathy recommends mixing in seasonal items like brown and orange accents and tabletop items like dried flowers. This year’s Thanksgiving promises to be one to remember.
Colored glassware
Stemware shines in a bright array of colors as tabletop focal points throughout 2023. This fall, designers say we won’t have to miss out on these eye-catching additions to the table. Beyond colorful drinking glasses, designers expect the trend to extend to other forms of colorful glassware such as bright hurricanes to house cozy candles. This season, try replacing playful blues and pretty pinks with richer, moodier colors like red-orange or saturated purple to blend in with fall.
Lamps galore
Designers agree that layered lighting is the best way to create a cozy, cozy atmosphere just for fall. Robbins recommends adding more lamps to your collection, placing them on the floor, shelves, and side tables so you can adequately light the room without the help of overhead lights. In 2023, designers will rely on bulbs to do the heavy lifting for mood lighting as well as decorative flair.
“Pleated lampshades are making a big comeback right now,” Cummins says. “Currently, we are replacing all our regular linen drum shades with pleated shades in all colors and prints.”
Dried branches and flowers
In spring and summer, newly bloomed flowers and planted vegetables decorate our homes. But in the fall, this is not possible. In addition to evergreen houseplants, Abernathy says fall 2023 homes will have many branches and dried flowers. Japanese maple twigs, dried hydrangea, and dried pampas grass are some of her best choices.
Warm scents
Home decorating is not just about what the eyes see; It can be a complete sensory experience. Just as comfortable materials like wool are important to touch, scent can have a big impact too. What says fall more than the scent of pumpkin spice?
“The smell of your home is very important,” Arthur says. “Find a scented candle you love that has the scent of fall and will make your home feel more festive.”