Home » blog » How to Decorate for Fall on a Budget: Easy Things You Can Do Now!

How to Decorate for Fall on a Budget: Easy Things You Can Do Now!

|

Find out how to decorate for Fall on a budget with simple decorating ideas that will make a big impact for less.

I like fancy things. But I don’t like to spend a lot of money. Can you relate? 😉 Today I’m sharing our elegant Fall home tour with cheap Fall decorating ideas so you can recreate the looks for pennies.

Decorate for Fall on a Budget

Affordable fall decor usually starts with what you have. I recycle seasonal and holiday decor every year so I don’t have to spend any money. When I do a new project my first stop is the dollar tree or the thrift store for autumn crafts.

A beautiful view of a foyer with Asian decor and hallway with floor to ceiling gallery wall in neutral colors. A colorful hallway rug leads to a large mirror and small table. DIY dollar store marble pumpkins sit in a pottery bowl for how to decorate for Fall on a budget ideas.
Our foyer is ready for Fall in an open concept one-story ranch.

Inexpensive Fall Decor that Looks Gorgeous

In our foyer, I added three DIY marbled dollar store pumpkins right on top of our catch-all bowl. It may not seem like a lot for Fall but when you step back you can actually see pumpkins on the fireplace, at the end of the hall, and these in the foyer. All of them are in the same line of sight so they make a bigger impact!

A close up of cheap Fall decor with DIY marble pumpkins in a beautiful Japanese bowl on top of decorative books and black asian cabinet. A gold Asian art piece hangs above.
Close up of DIY marbled dollar store pumpkins.

Marbling is really easy to do and there are a lot of great tutorials out there. If you have any older Fall decor that can use a fresh update, pull out your nail polish and try this fun technique!

Fall decorating ideas in a foyer with grey walls and Asian decor. Pink flowers sit in a tall vase and pink lotus art on wall. Black asian cabinet with a beautiful motif completes the vignette.
Asian cabinet $50 estate sale, large gold Asian art $5 estate sale, little art deco round mirror $1 thrift store

Moving on to the living area I decided to repurpose faux pumpkins I have had for years. I snagged them on clearance 11 years ago and the following year I painted some with a tree silhouette and gilded a few others.

A full view of fireplace with german smear technique on tan stone and a built in bookcase for tv and decor. A floating mantel in dark blue with pumpkins on top and black and white art. You can see a full gallery wall and two green velvet chairs. A large white coffee table with more Fall decor sits on a pink rug.
Our fancy living room is full of thrifted furniture and a lot of DIY!

This year I gave the “tree” pumpkins new life by painting them with leftover furniture paint I had. I also used a Dremel tool to cut off a few faux stems and glued on real ones I picked up for free at a pumpkin farm. This is a fantastic recourse for pumpkin stems if you are making DIY velvet pumpkins FYI!

A beautiful german smear fireplace with heirloom pumpkins and gilded gourds, black and white art, and gold peacock fireplace screen.
Brass peacock found on FB marketplace for $40.

If you are looking to add to your pumpkin collection with inexpensive options I would try the dollar bins at Target, coupons and sales at Hobby Lobby or Joannes, and thrift stores. Don’t worry about their coloring because you can always paint or gild them. Here is how created my DIY gilded pumpkins but craft or spray paint is another option!

Side view of black floating mantel with heirloom pumpkins, gilded pumpkins and gourds, and black and white ink art of NYC.
DIY a German Smear Mortar Wash for under $10 on your brick or stone fireplace!

I usually put out pinecones, feathers, and antlers for Fall but this year I decided to just rearrange some of my decor to create a more cozy feeling apart from adding pumpkins.

A colorful and eclectic decroated built in on german smear fireplace with Fall decor. A brass peacock screen, pumpkins and gourds, brass candlesticks and colorful candles and color coded books are in this view.
Brass from thrift stores and metal scrap yard.

On our coffee table, I added two tall brass candle holders with blue and purple candlesticks to our existing decor. Love the moody autumn vibe with this setting. Brass and wood can really warm up a space.

A close up look at a modern white and chrome coffee table with a large white tray holding brass cranes and books and a wood bowl with air plant, brass candlesticks with purple and navy taper candles, and decorative grapes sit on interior design books.
All of the right colors and textures for Autumn.

Consider switching pieces around in your house for the season. Bring in colors and textures that remind you of Fall to the space you use most in the house for free Fall decor.

Another look at the air plant in a wood bowl and colorful taper candles in tall brass candlesticks with precious stone grapes and decorative books on a white wood coffee table.
Inexpensive Fall decor can start with your decor!

On the other side of the living room are a piano studio and sitting area which is really an ode to my grandparents. I had two of their recliners reupholstered and a portrait of my grandmother hanging on the wall on one side. The other side has my grandfather’s display cabinet that I updated with paint and removable wallpaper to house my music.

A living room corner with a dark green accent wall featuring a large portrait of a woman, two navy velvet wingback chairs, light blue faux mantel and two gold mirrors.
A cozy reading nook next to the piano.

I love the Asian theme I have going on in this corner with the crane fabric, tropical Asian pillows, and bamboo birdcage. I added a trio of wooden pumpkins I picked up in Japan in a local shop with their after holiday sale. Sometimes finding cheap autumn decor is about patience! But you can also find items going on sale before the season is even over.

A trio of wooden Japanese pumpkins sit on a light blue faux fireplace mantel surround with a small glass top gold table, books, glasses, china cup, and reading lamp.
Slightly damaged faux fireplace surround $80 fixed with paint and a cheap Ikea table painted gold.

I had a few more DIY marbled dollar store pumpkins I sat on the piano. I love the reflection and the colors are perfect.

The top of a black baby grand piano with two large monstera leaves in a glue vase, books, and marbled pumpkins in front of a large pictures window.
Dark paint on the window pane makes it pop and frames the piano nicely.

The other side of the piano is the music cabinet and is right next to the foyer. My recycled pumpkins went a long way as far as inexpensive Fall decor in the living room.

A grey display cabinet full of music books sits in front of a dark green wall with a beautiful oil landscape, bamboo birdcage, and woman's bust with colorful necklaces. A pink tassel hangs on the cabinet lock and key. There's a bamboo cane chair in front against the wall and a glimpse of the mint green front door sidelight.
Updated hand-me-down furniture.

Now back to the foyer and hallway. I mentioned I had a couple of pumpkins at the end of the hallway. They are sitting in a glass lantern on the floor. But you can spot them right away from the living room.

A floor to ceiling gallery wall is displayed in a hallway that leads to another hallway with a large mirror and small table underneath. Colorful hallway rugs on wood floor.
Wall gallery with a mix of fine art, thrift store finds, photographs and prints.

The hallway is pretty dark so I took a close-up picture with the lights on. Excuse the weird lighting, please. But how cute are the pumpkins in the lantern?

A view of a small accent table with books, plant, and brass rino. A large glass lantern with colorful pumpkins sit on the floor next to the table. .

If you turn to the right you are right in front of the master bedroom. It’s the last spot for this Fall home tour and features the DIY velvet pumpkins I made on the cheap a few years ago.

Walking into the master bedroom you see a tall dark wood eterey with plants on the right and a french provincial cream dresser ahead under a window with Fall decor on top.
View of the master from the doorway.

Reviving old Fall decor with paint is one way to decorate on a budget but just styling your existing autumn decorations in new settings and rooms every year is a great way to decorate for Fall.

Pretty Fall leaves in a black asian vase with a large brass crane and velvet pumpkins are the perfect Fall touch on a cream French provincial style dresser. Botanical art hangs on a green khaki painted walls.
DIY velvet pumpkins and faux fall stem because it’s still 100 degrees out.

Find decorating ideas for your velvet pumpkins in this post! This year I kept it simple with a small collection on my recently painted hand-me-down dresser and another grouping on the bench at the foot of the bed.

A cute upholstered wooden bench imported from Asia is at the foot of a bed. A pile of pretty velvet pumpkins add an Autumnal flare in how to decorate for fall on a budget.
A cute spot for a touch of fall!

I haven’t shared out master bedroom too much because it is a work in progress. With foundation issues, I’m waiting to do any more painting or wallpaper in the house. I did put up a mural in here though and have been dying to share it with you! So here’s a little bedroom update.

The master bedroom is colorful and eclectic with a gold cabopy bed in front of a grey and white wall mural. An antique gold mirror hangs on the wall and warm toned pillows and blankets sit on the bed for Fall. Floral lamp shades on the night stands add a feminine touch.
Anthropologie mural

I was struggling with the off-centered window but decided to ignore it and feature a gorgeous mural instead and really love how it turned out! My inspiration came from Swoon Worthy’s master bedroom and K. Laing Design’s bedroom.

View of white campaign style side table next to a gold canopy bed in front of an anthropologie wall mural with global bedding.

Our bedroom because the colors are perfect for fall so I wanted to share a little more of it. The velvet pumpkins in purple, white, and brown look so good in this space. Even the mossy green walls with the wooded mural says autumn to me!

A fun side view of the gold canopy bed with pink, purple, and red accents looking at a green khaki wall with an antique gold mirror. White sheer curtains.
Garage sale mirror snagged for $30

The bedroom is small but full of style and interest. You can see that here in another view that captures more of the room.

Green walls in a small master bedroom are the backdrop for global decor. A dark mahogany etagere features coastal decor and plants while a cream French provincial dresser is styled with Fall leaves and pumpkins for how to decorate for fall on a budget.
Thrifted etagere for $90 from Japan.

Aren’t all of the warm colors wonderful for the season? We’ve been in this house for just about a year. It’s coming along nicely!

A closer look at a cream dresser with fall leaves, brass crane, art, plants, and pumpkins.
Painted dresser with Fall styling

I hope this post inspired inexpensive or free fall decorating ideas for you. Recycling old decor, using thrifted and dollar store supplies, and shopping those after-holiday sales will go a long way to keeping your seasonal decor on a budget.

A view of a cream dresser styled elegantly with lucite sculpture, art, velvet pumpkins, brass care, and hanging botanical art prints. A lovely example of how to decorate a dresser in front of a window.
A large collection of botanical art prints was found on eBay for $5. Off the sale rack frames and matting (which I painted).

Before I wrap this up I do want to mention a couple of more cheap fall decorating ideas that look expensive. For instance, Monica Wants it DIY blue and white chinoiserie pumpkins. They are perfect for making dollar store pumpkins look like they came right out of a high-end boutique!

Likewise, you’ll also want to check out PMQ for Two’s floral painted pumpkins with velvet bows. They are so pretty and look really fun to make!

Lastly, find over 50 decorating ideas and DIYs with printables on my Fall decor and holidays page.

Do you have any favorite ways to keep your fall decor on a budget? I would love to hear about them. Leave me a comment and let’s chat!

kathy

6 Comments

  2. You have such a beautiful home! I love the way you added fall touches through out it, and your suggestion of reviving the decorations you have by moving them to new locations is very smart! Thank you for sharing. Blessings, Loni

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *