We’re well into the fall season (yay!), which means it’s the ideal time to spruce up your entryways, patios, indoor spaces and beyond. And what’s better than fast growing trees (evergreens, of course) and other autumnal staples to get the job done? Today, we’re featuring a guest post by Nikki Gwin, fromGwin Gal Inside & Out: Making Your Home and Garden More Inviting, and her perfect tips and tricks for elevating your fall décor.

As the seasons change, a lot of us get the urge to update our décor. We see all the pretty pictures with magazine-cover style, and we want that elusive look. But the reality of it is that it can get expensive to buy new décor every season, or it just takes too much effort to get all your stored décor out of the attic…and even worse, to put it all back again.

I fall into this latter category. So, what is the busy, tired person to do now that fall is here? Choose more timeless outdoor fall décor!

Structure

Start with some basic pieces that will be the structure of your décor. These should be pieces that will work with every season and continue to work well with your home, month after month.

Some ideas for these structural pieces are:

• Seating (chairs, benches)
• End tables (something to hold your glass of tea, cider or hot chocolate)
• Coffee tables (for magazines, drinks and snacks)
• Plant stands
• Larger pieces of furniture if your porch is protected (a bookshelf or a buffet)

Classic Décor

Nothing says classic like fast growing trees, especiallyevergreens, in pots on either side of the front door or the steps. Fresh and fast growth = instantly lush looks, after all.

And they’re a perfect, timeless backbone for your home décor. They fit in with every single season, with no changes to make – they will always be green and look good.

Tip: Try smaller dwarf evergreens, like the American Boxwood, for entryways and fast growing trees, evergreens larger in stature, for foundation plantings and borders.

Statuary is another ageless component to any well-curated outdoor area. You can use one statue as a focal point, or you can have two matching statues on either side of your entryway.

To start, focal point statues should be larger in size in order to make a statement. If you choose to use two matching statues, they should be smaller, like the classic “welcoming pineapple.” For larger homes, dog statues and lion statues are popular.

Seasonal Décor

Once you have your structural and classic décor in place, you can then use more tailored, seasonal décor to freshen up the area periodically. And because you have your timeless, welcoming elements to start, seasonal décor isn’t a necessity.

Must-have items for seasonal décor include pillows and throws with hues of red, yellow and orange, reminiscent of the autumn leaves. These tones complement evergreen trees and emanate an instant fall feeling. Table centerpieces and textured components are other essential pieces to a cohesive fall look.

However, trends are also moving towards non-traditional colors for fall. Deep purples are used often with fantastic results. And personally, my front porch sports a dusty blue with yellow accents for fall.

Furthermore, going with more neutral colors such as white, beige, tan and brown will allow your décor to span multiple seasons. White and beige would be perfect to ease into winter, as well as tans and browns with added touches of red for the holidays.

But my main recommendation is to have fun with your décor. If it feels like work, scale back and look at the basics: simple and fun is the way to go! And whether you use fast growing trees, evergreen and beyond, around your home’s perimeter, smaller dwarf varieties to complement statuary, or varying seasonal hues, your home will be transformed in no time.