Fall Decor Trends 2023 (and how to get them on a budget!)
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Cool evenings, warm drinks, crunchy leaves… are you ready for it? Fall is coming soon as so is all the gorgeous & cozy home decor that comes with it. Here are my favourite Fall decor trends for 2023 and how you can get the look on a budget!
General Fall 2023 decor trends
In general, this Autumn’s home decor seems to be a lot more understated than we’ve seen in the past. Rather than having the obvious, more traditional Fall decorating in our homes like…
- bright orange colours
- wall signs that say “Welcome, Fall”!
- pumpkins everywhere
- a Fall leaf wreath
… we’re seeing more subtle changes in the home to welcome the change of season. I like this concept because it creates more of a timeless feel, it’s less clutter, and it’s less expensive. Rather than changing out absolutely every accent pillow and decorative item, many of these trends can be used throughout the year. Now, we’re seeing these elements in Fall decor trends:
- warm earth tones
- vintage, “collected” accent pieces
- lots of layered texture in furniture and decor
- natural elements
A note on home decor trends:
As someone who loves art and decorating, I always find researching the latest trends in home decor fascinating. It’s interesting to see what’s gaining popularity and why, and to experience the shifts in the industry. Personally, I enjoy switching up my decor now and then, so I often incorporate trends in our home IF I love them, if we can afford them, and if they work for our family. As a general rule, though: you should decorate your home for YOU and YOUR FAMILY regardless of what’s trending. If you love a trend, have fun with it and give it a try! If not, decorate your home in a way that makes YOU happy and comfortable.
Where to find decor trends
As someone whose job is to scout out what people are loving in home decor and DIY, I’m always on the lookout for what’s new. I find decor trends online and in stores, and here’s where I usually look:
- social media (what are people sharing and loving on TikTok, Instagram & Pinterest?)
- Google Trends (what are people searching for?)
- my favourite home decor stores (what’s new at Pottery Barn, Anthropologie, McGee & Co, Target, Crate & Barrel and could I make it for less?)
- interior designers (what do some of my favourite interior designers have to say about this season’s trends?)
Warm accent colours
Rather than the cooler accent colours of years past (blues, greens and greys), we’re seeing lots of warmer tones take center stage. Colours like amber, terracota and brown are adding more of a handmade, cozier feel to homes. Wood stains are also going warmer and darker, like shades of walnut or warm & natural oaks.
How to get this look on a budget?
- painting an accent wall in a warm shade will make a huge difference and usually takes a gallon or less of paint!
- sew DIY throw pillows in warm tones, or a warm faux leather
Vintage accessories
Accessories this season are looking a lot more worn and vintage (or vintage inspired). Throw pillows from vintage Turkish rugs are extremely popular, and so are antique side tables and thrifted decor accents. I love this trend because it encourages thrifting and upcycling which is so good for our planet (and usually our pocketbook)! Check out my 31 items to always buy at the thrift store.
My favourite places for budget-friendly vintage accessories:
- thrift store (Value Village, Goodwill, local stores)
- antique mall
- garage sales & yard sales
- Facebook Marketplace
Dried grasses and florals
Dried over faux has been the theme in florals for a while now, and these are especially trending for Autumn 2023. You can add a few dried pampas grass stems to a large vase to add some texture to a corner of a room, or even create a DIY wreath from dried flowers for your front door.
Where to find budget-friendly dried grasses & flowers?
- dry your own by hanging garden flowers and grasses upside down for a few weeks, or pressing them between newspaper and a heavy book
- use a coupon and find them at Michaels
- look on Amazon for some surprisingly beautiful pressed and dried flowers
- wait for a sale at Luxe B Co
Cottagecore
Speaking of dried grasses and flowers, the “Cottagecore” look is still popping up all of social media… especially for Fall. What is it? It’s a focus on handmade accents, homemade food, cottage style decorating, and soft colours and shapes inspired by nature. This term was created in 2020 and I’m quite certain it was born from so many people staying home and enjoying the comforts of making things from scratch.
I personally love this aesthetic and have incorporated it into our Tiny Lake House renovation. It makes sense to play it up in a small cottage!
How to achieve the Cottagecore look on a budget:
- incorporate thrifted accessories into your home
- DIY things from scratch like curtains and pillows from thrifted floral bed sheets
- bring nature inside (use clippings from the yard in thrifted vases on the table, add a pile of branches or logs beside the fireplace, press ferns and frame them as art)
Boucle fabrics
Boucle is a soft and textured fabric that feels cozy and luxurious, so I’m excited that it’s going to be huge this season. Of course a boucle sofa is beautiful, but don’t think you have to drop a lot of cash to incorporate boucle in your home decor this year! It could be as simple as sewing a DIY accent pillow or two in boucle fabric and adding those to your decor.
You can also usually find some accent pieces at a thrift store or antique store and reupholster them in a boucle fabric.
Thrifty tip:
Don’t forget to look in the clothing and blanket section for pieces you might be able to use as fabric for accent pillows!
Tons of texture
One way to instantly make your home look cozier for the cooler months is to add lots of different textures to your decor. Even if you have a neutral colour pallette in your space, adding a variety of textures will elevate your room.
Think about adding…
- something fuzzy (a faux fur pillow)
- something rough (a seagrass basket)
- something soft (a velvet accent chair or throw blanket)
- something shiny (a brass candlestick)
Mixed metals
Mixing different metal accents still seems to be popular, and now we’re seeing lots of black metal accents added to the mix. It’s no longer important to keep your metallic finishes consistent. Mixing two tones together (brushed brass and black, for example) can give your home more of an eclectic and interesting vibe.
Budget friendly metal mixing ideas:
- swap out the hardware on a cabinet for a different metal tone (try brushed brass!)
- paint your light fixtures with a metal-friendly spray paint
- thrift some brushed brass picture frames and swap out the art
Get my Fall living room look
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Budget friendly Fall decor from Amazon
More of my Amazon finds for Fall decor —>
Watch my YouTube video on Fall home decor trends
I hope this list inspired you as you decorate your home for Fall! Don’t forget to focus on what YOU and your family love regardless of trends and most importantly… have fun being creative this season!
More Fall DIY & Decor Ideas
More Fall DIY & decor ideas —>
For dozens more Fall decorating ideas, check out my affordable DIY ideas to decorate for Fall right here!
I wonder if the desire for more simple, natural and thrifted items is a reflection of the current worldwide vibe. We have got through a pandemic, facing inflation and obviously the Russo-Ukraine ware so people are wary, nervous and generally insular. When we are on a “high”, we go for more outlandish, bright, spectacular looks; when on a “low”, we retreat into ourselves.
Just a thought.
It’s a good thought. I have been finding myself bringing all kinds of nature stuff home when I go on walks. I have donated tons of stuff and found things in nature to replace. For example, I found a chunk of a fallen tree that was in a state of decay, it was shaped like a bowl. I brought it home, let it dry out and now I am using it as a bowl and put leaves, pinecones, acorns and other assorted stuff in it. I wonder if in addition to the social upheaval if we aren’t just getting sick to death of all the plastic, manufactured rot that is out there. I know I am. That stuff gets replaced with natural. Gone are the fabrics made of man-made fibers and they are replaced with wool, cotton, linen, flax. This stuff can get expensive new, but you can find some good stuff on ebay and thrift shops. Trip to the dry cleaners and ready to go. I just don’t want man made “junk” around me anymore, so I am making it go away, and replacing it with the real, unprocessed, unfinished, way it was made by Nature. I also decorate with the colors of Nature. I think you are onto something tho. I think we are exhausted and are looking to go “home.” I feel pretty certain that is what is driving me.
These are really great thoughts. Thank you for sharing.
Yes on the dried plants/flowers! They are also still usable even after fall.
Kelly