Take heart, procrastinators! It’s not too late to decorate, even if you have people coming over tomorrow. Here are a few ideas to help add fall style to your space without taking too much time or money. Pick a couple to try or do them all.

SWAP

Image:  Kirklands

Adding fall vibes to your space can be as simple as swapping out accessories like pillows and throws. Plaids, soft textures and fall themes or prints can help your space feel fresh. Tip: Using pillow covers makes it easy to store themed looks between seasons. To take your refresh a step further, change your usual coffee table books to something autumnal and/or temporarily replace your usual artwork with pieces in fall hues or themes.

LIGHT

Image: Kaboompics.com

Candles are the quickest, easiest way to bring fall looks and scents into your home. Plus, they look great anywhere—dining table, fireplace, kitchen island, bathroom…you name it. Bonus: a lit candle tends to call attention to itself, so it can distract the eye from areas you might be less happy for guests to notice. That said, please keep a watchful eye on burning candles or opt for the battery-operated flameless variety.

Having people over for a fall party or Thanksgiving dinner? Consider making luminarias with leaf cutouts to line the entrance to your home. Small paper bags, sand, LED tea lights and a pair of scissors are all you need.

GATHER

Image:  The Grit and Polish

Nothing says “fall” quite like things that literally fall from trees. For a cost-effective option to fresh flowers, gather fall leaves, acorns, pinecones and the like to display in vases, as part of tablescapes, or even in terrariums. For ideas on how to make a lighted fall terrarium, check out this post from Clean and Scentsible.

CRAFT

Image: Martha Stewart

A pomander is a fun project that will look good and smell great. Plus, they’re easy to make. Seriously, anyone can do this. Pomanders—a piece of fruit studded with cloves—have been used for centuries to add style and scent. Oranges are usually the fruit of choice, but you can go all Martha Stewart and use pears to send a message as shown above. If that seems like too much trouble, you can get the same look by painting letters on faux mini pumpkins (white ones work well). Or skip the painting and use letter stickers from the scrapbooking aisle of your local hobby store. See? Easy-peasy.

HANG

Image: s.u.s.a.p.

A fall wreath on the front door makes a good first impression, but why stop there?  Wreaths made from straw, leaves, fall flowers, corn husks, cotton bolls and the like also look great in windows, on mirrors, hanging from hutches…basically, just about anywhere. If you’re up for a DIY project, check out this tutorial from The Art of Doing Stuff, which promises a “simple, elegant wheat wreath” that takes “about half an hour” to make.

DRAPE

Image:  Hymns and Verses

Just like wreaths, garland doesn’t have to be limited to one location. Sure, it looks great on a fireplace mantel, but it also looks good on bookshelves, chandeliers, etc. You don’t have to be loud about it; there are plenty of neutral options if that’s what suits your style. Garlands are also easy to make. We’ve seen cute ones made from Indian corn tied to a cord, bunting-style triangles glued to a ribbon, and too many more to list here. On the other hand, there’s certainly no shame in picking up a pretty garland at a store. Whatever works for you!

And there you have it. Whether you decide to decorate for the season or wait until next year, have a happy fall, y’all!