(PCM) Autumn brings a lot of changes to the landscape. One great way to invite the color and spirit of the new season to your home is through redecorating your patio or porch. Here are several simple décor ideas that can easily transform your home to reflect the change in season:
Candles in Warm Tones
With the drop in temperature and shorter days, candles are a lovely addition to a crisp fall evening. Placing several decorated wax candles on your porch or patio table, or even on the floor, instantly highlights how pretty your home exterior is. If you enjoy scented candles, try a pumpkin-scented one or one of my personal favorites, Autumn Wreath by Yankee Candle.
If it’s windy outdoors, place white candles inside glass lanterns and hang them from your ceiling as faux pendant lights. This provides nice accent lighting for cozy autumn dinners. You can also add autumn leaves to your table for a truly rustic effect.
Colorful Potted Plants
There are more than a dozen different flowers that come out into the open during fall. Some of these are asters, chrysanthemums, camellias, hydrangeas, orchids, and lavenders. Placing these colorful blooms in clay pots and arranging them on your porch or patio add color to your space and bring a fresh atmosphere that accompanies the changing season.
Hanging these blooms from your porch or patio ceiling or placing them on your steps in tasteful pots is also a great idea. Don’t be afraid to pair various colors and mix different kinds of plants. You’ll be surprised with the wonderful effect you’ll produce.
Cozy Fire Pits
Homeowners who enjoy relaxing in their backyard can keep themselves warm with a portable fire pit, which is especially excellent for stone patios. In places with colder climates, the autumn air gets pretty chilly, so a fire pit comes in handy during cold evenings.
Fire pits also add a rural appeal to your space and provide the light you need to highlight your outdoor décor pieces and your garden. They also make outstanding focal points during evening get-togethers and small parties with friends and family.
For an even cozier outdoor area, prop up some pillows on the chairs by the fire. Change out your old pillow covers and replace them with red or orange ones to match the season. You can also take out your throws from storage and drape them on your outdoor seats to help you stay warm.
Bright Pumpkins and Gourds
Finally, nothing symbolizes the fall season more than bright orange pumpkins and yellow gourds. They make charming accent pieces for your front porch. For a sophisticated decorating option, take an unused lantern, remove the old candle or bulb, and fill it with tiny pumpkins. You can also display some yellow and orange autumn leaves to create a more striking décor.
Using pumpkins and gourds of varying sizes and colors also makes for an outstanding display of fall’s abundant harvest. Spread them out and place them in different containers. Use baskets, or even an old wheelbarrow, and fill them to the brim with these crops. You can pair the produce with white wicker chairs and cream tables. You can also add some of the lovely flowers mentioned in the previous section.
Another great way to incorporate the season’s harvest into your outdoor design is to lay out a tablescape with mini pumpkins (they’re relatively affordable!) and flowers. Place mini gourds of different sizes and colors on your porch table even if you won’t be entertaining anytime soon.
If you’re feeling particularly crafty, you can also monogram a pumpkin and place it on your porch steps. You only need to print out your preferred font and font size, tape it to a piece of transfer paper, and trace and paint it. In case you want something a bit more traditional, you can carve out the initial you’ve traced on the pumpkin.
With these lovely décor ideas, your outdoor spaces are sure to be well-suited for fall!
Jennifer Lutz writes about home décor and holiday decorating for www.christmastreemarket.com. Check out Jennifer’s Home Décor 101 series for the basics of painting and decorating at http://blog.christmastreemarket.com/category/home-decor-101-2/.
