Our Editors Share the Micro Makeovers That Made Their Homes Feel Like Fall

Crisp air, golden leaves and pumpkin spice everything—call us basic if you must, but The Spruce team lives for fall. So it’s no wonder that, when presented with the opportunity to show off their decorating skills, our editors grabbed some gourds and leapt into action. Some chose to add subtle touches to their space, while others attempted to recreate childhood visits to the pumpkin patch (and we bet you can guess which editor owns more than one apple cider-scented candle.) To help inspire your own autumnal decorating adventures, we’ve pulled together photos of our homes before and after they received a splash of seasonal style. Are you a fellow fall fan? We want to see your space! Share your festive fall decor photos on Instagram and tag us @TheSpruceOfficial or use the hashtag #TheSpruce—we’ll repost our favorite micro makeovers to our stories!

01 of 08

Kate's Gourd-geous Pumpkin Cascade

The Spruce / Kate McKenna

"I live in a building that was built in the early 1900s, and my apartment still has a lot of the original features—including two amazing fireplaces. Both fireplaces are blocked off so I can’t actually use them for heat, but it makes them incredible features in my living room and bedroom. I love fall, so it was a no-brainer to turn my living room fireplace into a cozy, autumnal focal point. I filled the center with a cascade of pumpkins in varying shapes, sizes, and types, from heirloom pumpkins to mini white pumpkins and gourds. For the mantel, I filled a glass vase with dried decorative grasses, and on the other side I replaced my Christmas cactus with more seasonally-appropriate potted mums. I’m so happy with how it turned out, and I’m already plotting what I’m going to do with the fireplace for Christmas." —Kate McKenna, Email Editor

25 Fall Mantel Decorating Ideas to Make Your Hearth More Homey

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02 of 08

Mélanie's Less-is-More Outdoor Escape

The Spruce / Mélanie Berliet

“I chose to autumnify my balcony seating area because I love sitting outside when it’s a bit chilly with a hot cup of coffee or tea and a blanket at the beginning or end of a day. There’s something about sitting on the balcony right before it becomes way too cold to do so that makes it particularly satisfying. To add a touch of fall to our outdoor space, I mounted a triangular burlap banner to the wall and placed a couple of pumpkins (one large, one small) atop our live edge wooden coffee table. I’ve been waiting for an excuse to buy a burlap banner after spotting one in our downstairs neighbor’s apartment and I have high hopes for the potential to reuse it for birthday parties and other celebrations to come. I don’t typically go overboard with seasonal decorating so this feels like the exact right amount of autumn for our home.“ —Mélanie Berliet, VP & General Manager

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03 of 08

Karli's Festive Front Door

The Spruce / Karli Bendlin

"When I was growing up, my absolute favorite day of the year was pumpkin day. Every October, there would be an afternoon when I'd get off the school bus to find the front of my house covered in more pumpkins than you can possibly imagine—one of the very few (but amazing) perks of having an uncle who worked in produce. While my current budget doesn't allow for the purchase of hundreds—yes, hundreds—of pumpkins, I wanted to bring back the tradition on a smaller scale this year. I bought corn stalks, a bale of hay, mums, and a perfectly appropriate number of pumpkins at a local farm. I love that it's full of natural elements, and gives my front door a much more welcoming look. I think I'll finally start taking those afternoon walks I've been putting off, just so I have an excuse to come home to my new fall setup." —Karli Bendlin, Email Editor

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04 of 08

Candace and Kitty's Cozy Living Room

The Spruce / Candace Madonna

“As the focal point in my living room, the mantel was the natural choice for my autumnal makeover! The gilded mirror over my fireplace inspired me to incorporate some additional metallic elements into my decor, so I used gold spray paint on mini pumpkins and scattered them throughout. Amber glass is a mainstay in any fall decor statement, so I added a tall canister filled with scented pinecones. I knew I wanted a garland of some sort to round things out, and the wool balls felt fun and playful. The festive decor along with the fire going makes this space feel next-level cozy.” —Candace Madonna, Visual Editor

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05 of 08

Kim's Simple, Layered Display

The Spruce / Kimberly Carvalho

“When decorating seasonally, I tend to focus on areas of my home that I spend the most time in, like the living room or my kitchen. But for this time, I wanted to switch things up and autumnify a tiny corner of the dresser in my bedroom. Instead of purchasing all new items, I decided to find some special pieces secondhand––the uniqueness of every treasure you find while thrifting makes it all the more fun. I swapped my previous vase filled with pampas grass for a “new to me” ceramic vase and filled that with some dried grasses I found at my local Whole Foods. I also added one more piece of artwork I found thrifting that was the perfect, moody landscape to add some dimension to the space. And of course, is it fall without at least one pumpkin on display? I love the stripes on this one and it breaks up the neutral tones and adds a pop of color. When I think of decorating seasonally, my mind automatically looks ahead toward Christmas, but I’m so glad I took the time to create the cozy, autumnal space I’ve been dreaming of.” —Kimberly Carvalho, Associate Social Media Editor

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06 of 08

Allison's Gourds of Many Colors

The Spruce / Allison Bean

"Every fall, I would look forward to pumpkin picking with my family—I’d meticulously examine nearly every gourd available before picking the perfect one to carve, paint, or display. While my scrupulous squash selection tendencies have carried over into adulthood, I am no longer limited to choosing just one pumpkin to take home so, well, you see what happens. This year, I decided to skip the traditional Crayola-orange pumpkins in favor of some funkier hues, deep orangey reds, greens, peach, white, and even blue. Plus a few mums and some ornamental cabbage to complete the arrangement. My neighborhood really gets into decorating for all holidays, so I wanted to create a display that stood out, and maybe make someone smile." —Allison Bean, Editorial Director

18 Front Porches With Fall Flowers

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07 of 08

Emma's Arty Nook

The Spruce / Emma Glubiak

"I’ve always hated the space above our TV. The rest of my tiny living room is full to bursting with color and art, so the blank bit of wall above the television always stood out like a sore thumb. During the Christmas season we hang stockings and garlands up there, but for the rest of the year it sits empty. Rather than buy a wooden sign or something else autumnal from a store, I decided to paint my own fall-themed art piece to hang. I mixed up some colors in an autumnal palette and went for it. I’ve always hung art by friends and family on my walls, so it was about time I contributed something I made myself. I love that this feels autumnal without being tacky and making the painting was a ton of fun. I also added some fall florals and some fabric pumpkins I got a few years ago at Target. I love the result and I can’t wait to paint more!" —Emma Glubiak, Social Media Editor

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08 of 08

Margot's Neutral Display

The Spruce / Margot Cavin

"I’m not usually one for seasonal decor, because I think it can easily get cheesy. This little end table looked lonely with the one plant so it was ideal for refresh. I kept it simple by grabbing a tall white washed wood vase I never found use for before and added some dried plants, an acorn squash and white mini pumpkin all from Whole Foods and found a cute straw pumpkin from Target. I surprised myself how much I actually love it!" —Margot Cavin, Photo Producer