From Summer to Fall: Simple Ways to Transition Your Home for the Season

By Pamela Brown

There’s something about August in Minnesota. We’re still very much enjoying summer, but the little signs of fall are beginning to sneak in. The evenings get a little cooler, the sun sets a little earlier, and before long, I find myself thinking about making the house feel just a bit cozier.

But I’m never quite ready to give up summer!

The good news is that transitioning your home from summer to fall doesn’t require a complete decorating overhaul. In fact, after many years in interior design, I’ve found that the most beautiful seasonal changes are often the simplest ones. A few layers, a little texture, and some warmer touches can completely change how a room feels.

Don’t Rush Summer Out the Door

There’s no rule that says September means the bright, airy feeling of summer has to disappear. Instead of replacing everything, start adding to what you already have.

Keep the lighter colors and natural elements you love, then begin layering in warmer textures. A soft throw over the arm of a chair, a textured pillow on the sofa, or a woven basket near the fireplace can subtly shift a room toward fall without making it feel heavy.

I especially love mixing summer neutrals with warm caramel, rust, olive, deep green and muted gold. You don’t need much. Even one or two touches can change the entire mood of a room.

Shop Your Own Home First

This is one of my favorite decorating tricks, and it doesn’t cost a thing.

Before buying new fall décor, walk through your house and look at what you already own. That throw folded in the guest room might be perfect on the living room sofa. A pottery bowl tucked away in a cabinet could become a beautiful centerpiece. Move a lamp, switch a couple of pillows, or bring a basket from one room into another.

Sometimes simply rearranging what you already have makes everything feel new again.

Bring a Little of the Outdoors In

Late summer and early fall give us some of the prettiest natural decorating materials of the year, especially here in the St. Croix Valley.

Clip a few hydrangeas from the yard. Fill a vase with branches or late-summer greenery. Add a bowl of apples to the kitchen island. Natural wood, woven baskets, pottery and greenery all bring warmth into a room without making it scream “fall décor.”

And yes, eventually I love a beautiful pumpkin too. Just maybe not quite yet.

Add Layers and Texture

If there’s one decorating element that instantly makes a room feel warmer, it’s texture.

Think chunky throws, linen, velvet, woven materials, natural woods and soft rugs. You don’t need all of them. Choose a few that fit your existing style.

This is also the time of year when I start thinking about windows differently. During summer, we’re focused on keeping rooms bright and controlling heat and glare. As fall approaches, softness and warmth start to feel especially inviting.

Layering a shade with drapery is one of my favorite ways to add both. The shade handles privacy and light control while the fabric adds softness, texture, and that finished feeling that can completely transform a room.

Pay Attention to the Light

One of the first things I notice as summer winds down is how the light changes.

The sun sits lower in the sky, shadows become longer, and we’re turning lamps on earlier in the evening. It’s a great time to look around your home and notice where you might need a little more warmth.

Rather than relying only on overhead lighting, try layering your light just as you layer your décor. Table lamps, floor lamps, and small accent lights create a softer atmosphere and make rooms feel much more inviting as the evenings get darker.

And don’t forget candles. A few candles glowing in the evening might be the easiest fall decorating trick of all.

Keep Enjoying the Outdoors

Just because cooler evenings arrive doesn’t mean patio season is over.

In fact, some of my favorite outdoor evenings happen at the end of summer and beginning of fall. Add a couple of throws to the patio chairs, bring out the lanterns, and enjoy dinner outside while you still can.

Here in Minnesota, we know what’s coming. We might as well squeeze every last evening out of outdoor season!

Let Your Home Change With the Season

I think that’s what I love most about this time of year. Summer doesn’t disappear overnight. It slowly gives way to cooler mornings, earlier sunsets, and the familiar routines of fall.

Our homes can make that transition the same way.

You don’t have to redecorate everything or follow every seasonal trend. Add a little warmth. Move a few things around. Bring something beautiful in from the yard. Layer in some texture and turn on the lamps a little earlier.

Sometimes the smallest changes are the ones that make us fall in love with our homes all over again.

Until next month…

Here’s to loving where you live.

— Pamela