Fall decor without the pumpkins
Ah, fall. Time for pumpkin spice, pumpkin decor and pumpkin colors, right? Not necessarily, designers say.
“If you really love shades of orange, plaid blankets and trios of pumpkins, by all means, embrace that and enjoy the season,” said Kathy Kuo, founder and CEO of Kathy Kuo Home. “I am a big proponent of getting creative and going beyond the traditional while exploring different and slightly more elevated dimensions of the fall season.”
Paul de Andrade, founder of Studio Kestrel, which has projects around the East End, added that the season is about more than ghosts and gourds. “Fall is a time for new beginnings and reinvention,” de Andrade said. With summer over and school starting again, it’s a chance to freshen your living space.
It’s spooky season
That said, it’s good to have some fun too, Kuo noted.
“I like to lean into the naturally spooky essence of fall and bring in dark and moody decorative objects that speak to the mysteries of nature,” she said. Think skull and snake motifs in bookends and mantelpiece sculptures mixed with “luxe-witch” accents like crystals, dried flowers and apothecary-inspired barware. “The mood is just spooky enough to be an obvious nod to the season, but nothing feels cliche or over the top,” Kuo explained, adding: “I do have two children who love Halloween, so I can’t escape pumpkins entirely!”
Layers and textures
With the temperatures getting chilly, adding layers and textures to a home decor helps it feel warmer and cozier.
For example, “sheer curtains a beautiful and breezy way to filter sunlight and add privacy in the summer, but they also create a warm and ethereal glow during the bleak winter months,” de Andrade said. Pair them with blackout curtains or high-opacity roller shades to insulate your windows.
Elena Frampton, founder of Frampton Co, a studio based in Bridgehampton and New York City, agrees that a layered look with pops of color creates interest throughout the season. “Mixing architectural materials such as natural wood finishes or a textured stone or concrete with [colorful] elements balances a beachy vibe,” she said.
Embrace the colors
“The fall color palette is one of my very favorites!” said Kuo, whose dining room is a deep green that easily accommodates a “haute-haunted” vibe for fall.
Start with traditional warm earth and spice tones — including burnt orange — and mix in unexpected contrasting fall colors, like winter squash green or the evening sky’s slate blue.
“When in doubt, look to nature for a guide as to which seasonal colors work harmoniously together,” Kuo suggested.
Frampton likes to celebrate the season of color with an unexpected palette: technicolor. Try adding it to a wall and or ceiling, upholstery in an armchair or adding it through works of art, she said. “For year-round living on the East End, I enjoy a more layered look, with colorful elements that add interest all year long,” Frampton explained.
