Our Designers’ Fall Favorites: Colors, Textures and Little Things We’re Loving
· 4 min read
Our designers, Kayla and Lee, rounded up what they’re loving this fall: earth tones, textures you want to touch, warm lamplight, a few vintage finds and a little spooky fun. Here’s how to bring each one home without redoing a thing.
Every fall, our designers start reaching for the same things: deeper colors, heavier fabrics, a few more lamps. Kayla and Lee recently rounded up their favorites for our social feed, and the list was too useful to leave there.
None of it calls for a redesign or a big shopping trip. Most of it is swapping a few things out and turning a few things on.
The Short Version
Lean into earth tones like olive, brown and clay. Layer textures you want to touch, like velvet, plaid, chunky knits and houndstooth. Trade overhead light for lamps and candles. Add two or three seasonal pieces instead of ten. Mix in a vintage find. Have a little Halloween fun, then let the house stay cozy straight through Thanksgiving.
Currently Loving: Earth Tones
Olive greens. Rich browns. Warm clay.
These are the colors fall is already wearing outside, and they settle a room down. They also play nicely with what most homes already have: white walls, wood floors, a neutral sofa.
Start small. A pair of olive pillow covers, a rust throw, a brown leather ottoman, a cluster of clay-colored vases on the mantel. If you want to go further, one deep green wall or a painted built-in carries the season quietly, and it still looks right in March.
The More Texture, the Better
Velvet. Plaid. Chunky knits. Houndstooth.
Texture is what makes a room feel warm, even when the colors stay quiet. Put a velvet pillow next to a linen one, or a knit throw over a leather chair. A plaid blanket at the foot of the bed works too. The contrast is the point.
A simple rule: mix at least three textures in a room, and repeat each one somewhere else so it looks intentional. You don’t need new furniture for any of this. Pillow covers and throws do most of the work.
It’s All About the Glow
Lamps, candles and warm, layered lighting.
Fall evenings come early, and even earlier once the clocks fall back in November. Overhead lights on their own make a room feel flat. Light at a few different heights is what makes it feel like evening.
Turn on table and floor lamps before you reach for the ceiling switch. Use warm white bulbs so everything glows instead of glares. Put candles on the mantel or the dining table, real or flameless. And if you have a fireplace, this is its season.
A room that’s been collected over time feels warmer than one bought in a single trip, and those pieces come back out every year.
A Little Goes a Long Way
A cozy throw. Seasonal florals. A wreath.
You don’t need a box of decor for every room. A few pieces in the right spots make the whole house feel like fall: a throw on the sofa, a vase of seasonal stems on the kitchen island, a wreath on the front door.
The florals don’t have to be fresh, either. Dried stems, a few branches from the yard and a tray of mini pumpkins all count, and they last for weeks. Pick the two or three spots people see first, like the entry, the living room and the table, and let the rest of the house breathe.
Less Matching. More Meaning.
Vintage finds over disposable decor.
The seasonal aisle fills up fast, and a lot of it is in the trash by December. We’d rather see one piece with a story: an old brass candlestick, a hand-me-down quilt, a crock from an antique shop, a painting from an estate sale. Fort Worth’s antique shops and weekend estate sales are a great place to start looking.
Nothing has to match. A room that’s been collected over time feels warmer than one bought in a single trip, and those pieces come back out every year.
A Little Spooky Never Hurt
Creative themes. Personal touches. Halloween fun.
October is allowed to be a little weird. A themed mantel, a few spooky touches, the kids’ art taped up in the window. The trick is layering it on top of your fall base instead of replacing it.
Keep the Halloween pieces to one shelf or one basket so they’re easy to pack up on November 1. What’s left, the earth tones, the texture and the glow, carries you right through Thanksgiving.
Fall Looks Different for Everyone
Keep it cozy. Make it yours.
Some people want a full harvest table and some want one candle and a good blanket. Both are right. The best fall decor is whatever makes you want to stay in on a cool Saturday night, and that looks different in every house.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I decorate for fall without it looking like Halloween?
Build a base that isn’t tied to one holiday: earth tones, layered textures and warm lighting. Keep the Halloween pieces in one spot so you can pack them up on November 1 and leave the rest out through Thanksgiving.
What colors work best for fall decorating?
Olive green, rich brown and warm clay are our designers’ picks. They pair easily with white walls and wood floors, so you can bring them in with pillows, throws and florals without repainting.
Want Help Making It Yours?
If you love the look but aren’t sure where to start, or you’re thinking about something bigger than a few new pillows, our interior designers would love to help. We work with Fort Worth homeowners on everything from paint colors to full rooms, and the first conversation is free. Tell us what you’re picturing.
