MORE- The Top Fall Decorating Trends Of 2023

In the South, we’re always finding a reason to celebrate. We count our blessings and appreciate the little things. And, we know that holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries aren’t the only milestones on the calendar worth celebrating. When you rejoice in the season, every day and area of your home is full of festivity. While every season is worthy of some ceremony, the fall can be an especially exciting occasion for household decorating.

As the leaves shift colors and the weather takes a turn for the cooler (more in some places in the South than in others), the pumpkins, gourds, and mums come out to play on our shelves and countertops. Come fall, coziness takes top priority, accompanied by some spooky accouterments and turkey embellishments reserved for Halloween and Thanksgiving, respectively. These classic autumnal inclusions will probably never change—nor would we want them to. However, just as the wind blows and the leaves change, so does the way that we take decorating inspiration from the season. This year, fall is inspiring Southerns to adorn their homes in ways that are both stylish and seasonal. Turn over a new leaf with these autumn decorating trends you’ll be seeing everywhere in the fall of 2023. 

Plaid

Plaid is the up and coming pattern of the season. It’s only getting hotter and the weather cools down, says interior designer Lindley Arthur who is observing plaid pop up everywhere from rugs to sofas and other upholstery. This season, interior designer Lauren Robbins also says that in some cases, popular plaids are taking on a new twist.

“Traditionally, we think of a plaid with colors like navy and green and maybe a little bit of gray woven in there,” says Robbins. “But, I also like bringing in plaids that feel really fresh with more jewel tone colors like purples and teals and even a little pop up of rust or chartreuse.”

Classic Decor With Seasonal Details

When it comes to decorating for fall, interior designer Edith-Anne Duncan says that it’s all about working with what you have and adding in or swapping out small details. Rather than completely redecorating every season, she advises having decor in storage that can be switched like throw pillow covers and accessories.  Keep your year-round foundation for these additions classic and timeless so that it won’t class with any seasonal embellishments.

Duncan’s favorite fall additions are bundles of fresh magnolias, osage oranges, silver pheasants, and feathers. Another detail she encourages is using cookbooks as decor and keeping them open to display a seasonal baked good.

Fall Colors Year-Round

Colors associated with fall are among the most lovely. These tones tend to be rich, saturated, and exactly on trend for 2023—independent of the season. This year, designers report that homeowners are embracing colors typically associated with autumn but as more permanent inclusions in their home to bring with them into many seasons to come. These colors gracing walls, furniture, and upholstery include the colors of autumnal leaves and warming spices such as rich orange, moody brown, mustard yellow, navy blue, hunter green, velvety red, and eggplant purple. 

“I think we'll be seeing a lot more primary colors in the deep, rich, natural-like leaf tones of fall. It's gonna be big during the fall, which, as always, but I think we're gonna 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, springier tones that we've seen over the last couple years, and onto more moody spaces.”

Green Paint

Dark green, Duncan says, reigns supreme in popularity among these hues, especially as a paint color. She expects to see this rich, inviting shade in many homes across the South in 2023.

“Moody green paint is really big now in kitchens and bars,” says Duncan. “It seems very fall-like to me and it feels like a rainy day when you would turn on the fireplace.”

Cozy, Colorful Sofas

One place where these fall colors prevail is on couches. Rich, colorful and patterned upholstery is on the rise, says interior designer Amy Kummer, who says that she’s seeing less and less of plain white and sand colored sofas that used to be what everyone wanted. In warm and daring colors, couches can embody the coziness we all crave in the fall. 

“There’s a movement towards more prints on sofas,” Arthur agrees. “People are moving away from wanting just a solid, creamy white or blue sofa. Instead, there's a real movement towards green velvet.”

Natural Materials 

To accompany these colors inspired by nature, Abernathy says that materials from the earth are also on the rise. We see her prediction coming to fruition in the rise of natural stones for countertops, dark wood for the floor and furniture, and less perfect and more nature-inspired textures like rattan and zellige. 

Velvet, Cashmere, and Wool

In addition to textures from the great outdoors, Southern homes will also be bundled up in fabrics to protect them from the chilly weather outside in the fall. Cozy cashmeres, velvets, and wools are just the thing to keep you warm and transform your home for the season. Duncan and Arthur recommend swapping out summer pillows and throw blankets for alternates in these more heavy materials.

Taper Candles

Long, slender candles stood tall so many Southern supper tables and mantels last fall and designers say they’ll be making a reappearance in fall of 2023. Use candlesticks in varying heights and different autumnal colored candles to create a dynamic display that will rival last year’s. 

Not Too Theme-y

As much as we want to go all out for the season, designers warn us not to fall into the trap of a theme. Weave in gorgeous seasonal hues but be mindful not to go too far with the tchotchkes or gimmicks. Rather than completely bedecking your home in orange and black and overloading on gourds and Jack-O-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,” says Kummer. “I love to put little white pumpkins on the mantel and If you have ginger jars sitting out, you can use a velvet ribbon to tie the bow around them. Little small additions like that are usually all you need to do.”

Transitioned Outdoor Spaces

While summer is the de facto season of the porch and patio, sometimes it's just too hot and humid to spend serious time outside during the height of summer in parts of the South. So, just because summer ends, doesn’t mean that outdoor living spaces are left out to dry. In fact, once the temperature cools down a touch in the fall, it may be the ideal conditions for outdoor lounging. Prepare outdoor areas for use throughout the fall by cozying them up for the season with throw pillows in autumn colors, a fire pit, and a throw blanket that can withstand the weather. Robbins recommends washable wool blankets in particular for worry-free gathering, admiring foliage, and watching football outside.

The Fall-ification of Blue and White

“Everybody likes blue and white,” says Duncan. We couldn’t agree more. This classic color combo is a standout in so many Southern homes. Even though these shades aren’t typically associated with fall, Duncan and Arthur maintain that blue and white can be a great foundation for autumnal additions. While Duncan takes a navy blue route for embellishments, Arthur opts for a different path.

“A lot of our clients love decorating with blue so we make it more moody and add more depth for fall,” says Arthur. “In a predominantly blue and white room, adding a touch of aubergine and plum tones can really give it a depth and coziness for the fall season.”

Formal Entertaining 

Summer is the season of barbecues and backyard bashes, but come fall, we come back inside and turn to the dining room for our entertaining needs. In recent years, this room has seen a resurgence and in 2023, designers predict a big year for formal entertaining beginning this fall. Robbins says it’s time to break out the good china and Abernathy recommends mixing in seasonal elements like brown and orange accents and tablescape elements like dried flowers. Thanksgiving this year promises to be an affair to remember.

Colored Glassware 

Stemware in a bright range of colors have shone bright as tabletop focal points all of 2023. This fall, designers say we won’t have to miss these attractive additions to the table. On top of colorful drinking glasses, designers predict that this trend extends into other forms of colorful glassware like bright hurricanes to house cozy candles. This season, try swapping playful blues and pretty pinks for richer and moodier tones like orangey red or a saturated purple to ring in fall. 

Lamps Galore

Designers agree that layered lighting is the best way to set a cozy, intimate mood fit for fall. Robbins recommends adding more lamps to your collection, placing them on the floor, shelves, and side tables so that they can sufficiently light a room without the help of overhead lights. In 2023, designers are relying on lamps to do the heavy lifting for mood lighting as well as decorative flair. 

“Pleated lampshades are making a big comeback right now,” says Kummins. “Right now, we're swapping out all of our plain linen drum shades with pleated shades of all colors and prints.”

Branches and Dried Flowers 

In the spring and summer, freshly bloomed flowers and growing greens decorate our homes. In the fall however, this isn’t so feasible. In addition to evergreen houseplants, Abernathy says that fall 2023 homes will feature many branches and dried flowers. Japanese maple branches, dried hydrangeas, and dried pampas grass are her top choices.

Warm Scents 

Decorating a home isn’t limited to what the eyes can see; It can be a whole sensory experience. Similar to how cozy materials like wool are important for the touch, scent can have a big impact, too. What says fall more than the smell of pumpkin spice?

“The scent of your home is so important,” says Arthur. “Find a scented candle that you like with a fall scent to it and it will make your home feel much more festive.”