The arrival of Autumn means different things to different people. It may mean the welcome return of Friday Night Lights to local high school football fields. It could mean the reappearance of long missed “pumpkin-spiced” items to restaurant menus. It might also mark the exchange of flip flops and tank tops for boots and sweaters, as well as the return of fall festivals, corn mazes, haunted houses, hayrides and the prospect for loads of fall fun. Whatever it means to you, it’s likely a season wrapped in warm memories of childhood that you can’t wait to recreate with the ones you love. With a season as well-loved as Autumn, it’s not unusual for people to literally want to surround themselves with the look, smell and feeling of the season. Paran Homes is happy to offer up a list of five tasteful ways you could bring a touch of fall indoors at your own home.

Autumnal Aromas

One of the easiest and most effective ways to set the scene in your home for fall is through seasonal scents. By filling your living spaces with aromas typically associated with the season, you’ll be setting a mood for every guest who walks through your door. From apple cinnamon and pumpkin spice to pecan pie and spiced cider, you can recreate these scents through a series of well-placed candles or diffusers.

Picture This

A very simple way to make the switch from one season to the next is by switching out your wall art and cherished family photos. Your wall art for Autumn could merely reflect colors associated with fall – like the vibrant oranges, reds and yellows – or may portray a fall scene like trees with changing leaves. You could also place a series of images in your favorite frames that show your family during different seasons – like your family at the beach in summer or your kids jumping into a pile of leaves in Fall or the whole family making snow angels on last year’s ski trip. By keeping them all inside the same frame, you could switch them out with every season AND use the frame as a storage space for photos from other seasons until winter, spring and summer roll back around.

Fall Fluff

Much like switching out your photos and artwork to reflect the corresponding season, the same holds true for your throw pillows, rugs and blankets. If you have a neutral backdrop with regard to your walls and furnishings, this should be fairly simple to do. In addition to colors that are commonly associated with fall, there are also prints that often coincide with the season like big bold buffalo check pillows or plaids. Toss a throw blanket here and there to send the message “cozy up and stay awhile.” Tie your rugs in to the season, as well – a great place to add a touch of color like a warm pumpkin geometric area rug or a multi-color stripe that combines rich shades of denim, hunter, crimson and more OR an in your face fall-themed rug that showcases fall leaves. Just make sure all of these elements play well together with one another, your furniture and your artwork.

Seasonal Place Settings

Set your table to reflect the season, as well. From placemats and napkins to napkin rings and plates, find a color story and pattern that gels with your other décor while letting your guests know they’re in for a real seasonal treat. Don’t forget your centerpiece! This is a wonderful place to set the scene for an epic autumnal meal.

“Nature” Up Your Nest

Probably the BEST way to bring a touch of fall indoors is to ACTUALLY bring a touch of fall indoors. Get creative with different sized pumpkins, gourds, acorns, pinecones, dried berries, leaves, dried wheat, twigs, dried corn stalks and more for wreaths, entry hall décor, centerpieces and mantle displays. Don’t be afraid to leave surprising seasonal touches in the powder room and guest rooms so that feeling your trying to create flows throughout the whole home.

If you’re in the market for a new home and hope to move in time to greet trick-or-treaters at your front door, be sure to visit our page of Move In Ready Homes. If you’re hoping to find the ideal community, homesite and floor plan where you and your family can welcome the change of seasons for years to come, visit us at www.paranhomes.com.