Now that the weather is getting cooler, it’s time to swap out any sunny decorations in or on your yard, entranceway or front door for colourful fall embellishments. It’s the time of year to decorate with pumpkins and earthy items like leaves.
Here are some of the simplest ways to give the outside of your home some autumn ambience.
1. Create a pumpkin patch
To make a gorgeous display that cascades effortlessly down the sides of your front steps, gather pumpkins and gourds in different shades (white, cream, deep russet, orange) and in various shapes (round, triangular) and sizes (mini to massive). “Varying the colours, sizes and shapes will give your display more visual interest,” says Celeste D. Chambers, a DIY landscaping coach at the Gardening Nerd in Charlotte, N.C. Keep in mind the distance from which your display will be viewed. “If you are decorating your front porch and your house sits far back from the street, you will need to buy larger objects for them to stand out.”
2. Have a painting party
If you have a limited selection of pumpkins, paint them for colour variety, says Chambers. “Spray paint is the best option if they’ll be exposed to the weather.”
If you want to be creative, use permanent markers or acrylic paint to draw white stripes, black polka dots, gold chevrons or any pattern you like. Use metallic glitter paint or foil transfers to add some all-over shine.
3. Change out your seashell wreath
It’ll be clear you’re all in for fall when you hang an autumn-appropriate wreath on your front door. Because it’s the season of harvest, your wreath should incorporate natural elements in the colours of fall, says Chambers, such as reds, golds, oranges, greens and purples. “Use a grapevine wreath as your base, and add small gourds, miniature pumpkins and dried floral.”
Mix in a few silk flowers and leaves for added colour and texture. Finish with wide, wired ribbon or wrap the wreath (in and out of the centre) with burlap ribbon for a rustic look or bronze and gold metallic ribbon for a hit of glitz.
4. Fill pots with seasonal flowers
“Chrysanthemums will put on a show in a container for weeks,” says Chambers, “and they come in a range of quintessential fall colours, from bright yellows and golds to burgundies and purples.” Buy them when most of the buds are not open for the longest display of blooms. Want to try other fall favourites? Plant pansies and violas.
5. Go beyond kale
While ornamental kale is widely used in fall displays, Swiss chard and colourful leaf lettuces are also great edible additions to fall containers, says Chambers.
“By harvesting the lower leaves of the lettuce, it will continue to grow to hard frost.”