6 Designer-Approved Fall Decorating Tips for Small Spaces

When the air starts to crisp, nothing says fall like a cozy, layered home. For those in small spaces, however, the idea of layering on pumpkins and plaid might feel excessive. Thankfully, with some careful planning—and pro tips—even small space dwellers can partake in the seasonal fun.

Try these easy and affordable updates to bring the essence of autumn into your home, no matter its size.

Create Custom Fall Artwork

In small spaces where you can’t sacrifice countertops or tabletop space to display seasonal decor, employ your walls to help you decorate. 

Since it’s a two-dimensional element, wall art occupies minimal space, making it easy to incorporate into any area, from entryways to mudrooms—even bathrooms. You can buy pre-made seasonal art, or for a more personalized touch, try creating your own. 

Lynn Vogeler of Living Large in A Small House loves decorating her home for fall by creating printable art that she frames and then places on a mantel shelf on her entry’s hook wall. 

Don’t have a printer to cue up your own artwork? Stop by a stationary store and browse the greeting card aisle for cards featuring seasonal designs. Mat your cards and then place them in a gallery-sized frame to create high-quality art without the hefty price tag.

Don’t think your art needs to feature textbook fall themes, either. When Vogeler creates seasonal artwork, she leans more towards elevated rustic designs like pinecones, dried hydrangeas, pheasant feathers, deer antlers, wheat, leaves, dried artichokes, and figs.

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Work a Tiered Tray

Surface area is really the name of the game when it comes to adding seasonal flourishes to a small space. One way to make more surface appear out of thin air? A stacked tray. Tuck one wherever you want some fall flair—be it an entry console, dining table, or even a bathroom countertop.   

If you’ve ever been envious of grand pumpkin displays in larger homes, tiered trays are a fantastic way to create a scaled-down display. Simply create a base layer with mini pumpkins or gourds, then fill in around your produce with dried or faux florals, ribbon, or small ceramic pieces like stacked saucers or mugs.

“I like to add some natural materials in earthy colors to a tray along with some white pumpkins,” Vogeler says. “I then tuck in some additional items like figs, fall plates, a vintage pot with vintage cutlery, and some natural beeswax candles to provide a fall focal point on my dining table.”

Keep the Table Set

Dining tables provide a substantial canvas for decorating, but too often they’re underutilized —usually topped with just a single piece of decor. To maximize its potential in a small space, keep your table set all season long with your favorite fall-themed dinnerware. 

Stephanie Perez of Stephanie Perez Studio often opts for more decor accents than not to create a festive statement. By partnering classic fall colors like sage, goldenrod, and burgundy with more summer and spring-leaning textures like wicker and checkers, Perez’s table feels both elegant and casual.

Keep in mind that a formal-looking table setting is likely to feel more like a museum display than a decor element. Incorporating touches of playfulness or casualness, as Perez does, is key to making a permanent tablescape feel like a natural part of your home’s design.

Layer on Fall Textures

Cooler weather calls for layers—and thankfully for small space-dwellers, bundling up your furniture doesn’t take up any space. Look for pieces inspired by the colors you see transpiring outside your window—russet reds, rich umbers, and toasted shades of green. 

While cable knits and chunky wovens are fall standbys, don’t hesitate to break away from predictable patterns and play with more unexpected motifs. Textiles in vintage tapestry patterns or pinstripes, for instance, feel spot-on fall, delivering coziness without feeling overplayed like plaids and buffalo checks.

Fill Your Vessels With Fall Florals

Taking a critical look at your existing decor can uncover opportunities for adding fall touches, Vogeler says, who recommends keeping an eye out for vessels, in particular.

Vintage silver pitchers, ironstone crocks, and stoneware cream pitchers can all be filled with fall florals to instantly give them an autumnal touch.

“My hydrangeas from my Quick Fire tree bring in a nice pinky color that goes so well with rust and copper,” Vogeler says, who encourages homeowners to think outside of the traditional fall flowers like sunflowers and mums to create more interest.

In recent years, Vogeler has used wheat shafts, dried chrysanthemums, and even cotton stems to create one-of-a-kind arrangements. She also recommends turkey or pheasant feathers, which can be tucked en masse into a pitcher, to create a striking fall-centric design.

Cozy Up Your Countertops 

“For me, my fall kitchen is more about the stews and soups on the stove in the fall than it is about the decor,” Vogeler explains.

If you’re the same, try swapping out your everyday Dutch oven for a pumpkin cocotte. If you’re hesitating because of the price, consider this: not only are these pieces heirloom-worthy, but they make a sound case for skipping the overpriced pumpkin patch year after year.  

Elsewhere in the kitchen, look for workhorses like stand-up mixers and Dutch ovens that can be recast as vessels for fall produce. Drained of tomatoes and summer stone fruits, fruit bowls can be loaded full of colorful mini pumpkins and squash. When not in use, your Kitchenaid’s mixing bowl can also host gourds.