Bringing fall into your home can be as simple as stepping out the front door.
"It's not difficult to bring fall into your home, all you really have to do is step outside and there it is," says Janice Beaudoin, an interior designer based in North Vancouver.
Beaudoin says it's about layering and creating warmth.
"The least expensive way to bring fall into your house is to just go for a walk in the neighbourhood," says Beaudoin.
"At this time of year the foliage is gorgeous, there's so many stunning leaves and twigs and interesting things you can bring home. You can collect some random branches and put them in a vase. Pick up some pine cones and throw them in a glass bowl or put some leaves on the mantle and that's all so inexpensive."
She suggests wrapping a ribbon around a bunch of twigs, collecting acorns and pinecones, or even scattering leaves on a table runner.
Picking up some fresh apples and pears at a local farmers market can bring in a bright, natural element.
"Put them in a beautiful bowl and you've got instant decorating and a healthy snack as well," she says. "And then pumpkins, who can resist pumpkins?"
Beaudoin says there are a variety of pumpkins to choose from, including white, striped and blue pumpkins.
"I usually keep the big ones outside at the front door, I just do a little vignette," she says. "You can go to the market these days and there's all these interesting shapes in gourds. So just put them in little bowls. I've even got some in my bathroom right now. It's just an instant hit of fall colour in the house."
Changing up fabrics and throw pillows can also bring in a more outdoor element. "At this time of year, it's really all about bringing in more textures," says Beaudoin. "In the fall, fabrics are a little more luxurious and thick and tweedy and have more of an organic quality to them. Fur throws are really nice, anything that's soft and luxurious and cozy."
Beaudoin suggests fabrics such as shaneels, soft velvets or "anything with sort of a nubby texture to it," and tossing throw blankets at the end of beds or sofas.
"It's just nice to have it there and you'll use it if it's there," she says. "There's lots of beautiful throws out there."
Colour can be an
essential part of changing the look of a home's interior.
Think about adding rich earthy tones mirroring what is outside. "My favorites are mustard yellows, reds, oranges, burgundys and purples, all those sort of rich, earthy fall tones that you see," says Beaudoin.
"Paint is still one of the least expensive and most dramatic ways to change a space up," she says. "You don't always have to commit to painting the entire living room, you can do an accent wall, or maybe the dining room or the powder room. I always love warming up spaces, especially in the fall, with a rich, bittersweet chocolate or something a little bit earthy, or a sophisticated eggplant or an aubergine."
