How can I decorate my walls in fall? 7 cozy ways to switch up your space

Fall is many people's firm favorite season. With the cooler weather and the warmer-toned interiors, it is hard to avoid the desire to decorate your home for the season. So, how do you decorate your walls in the fall for added flair? 

With fall decor ideas at the forefront of everyone's mind, decorating your walls for the season may not be the first thing that comes to mind. Despite this, adding either temporary wall decor ideas or more permanent wallpaper ideas can help to bring the fall season into your space either for the period, or to hail the season throughout the year. 

Here, designers have offered their ideas for decorating your walls in the fall.

How can I decorate my walls in fall?  

Decorating walls doesn't have to be a permanent change and can encompass ideas such as wall hangings or art, alternatively adding new wallpaper or paint can instantly change up a space and provide a semi-permanent new look for any space. 

1. Opt for wall sculptures

While decorating with art is an easy and obvious way to decorate your walls in fall, adding dimensional wall art and sculptures can help add texture and variety to the space. 

‘Instead of opting for prints or 2D art consider searching for wall sculptures. These could be unique ceramic, resin, or woven designs which can be easily displayed on a wall, when you push the boundaries of what art is, individual pieces like this look expensive and personal,’ suggest Jen & Mar, co-founders of Interior Fox. 

Consider adding wall baskets, for example, to incorporate natural textures that are so closely associated with the fall season. 

2. Change wallpaper for a long-lasting fall florish

While wallpaper and paint ideas are a more permanent wall decor idea, they can help to cultivate a fall feeling throughout the year for those that adore the fall season. 

‘Create a relaxing haven that evokes the soothing power of nature with the richly layered leafy wallpaper ‘Vine’ in Verde,’ suggests Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene. ‘This beautifully textured surface printed design adds a sense of depth, with birds and berries appearing to emerge from the canopy of deep green foliage.’

‘Our Fall 2022 wallpaper collection consists of six patterns inspired by the spice markets of Indonesia. Although we offer colors in soft greens and blues, we focused on warm colors you would experience while visiting the markets, warm golds, reds, and browns,’ Clay McLaurin of McLaurin & Piercy suggests. 

‘Our central pattern, Maluku in color Tiki, is grounded by a warm deep red and tells a rich story that marks a moment in time. Dash in color Earth, printed on grasscloth, will quickly warm up a space in a dining room or study. Include our Dash printed fabric on linen in the same space to continue the stripes on the furniture.’ 

3. Avoid bright shades

When it comes to curating the perfect fall color schemes for decorating your walls, it is best to avoid the harsher, brighter hues that are usually associated with summer and spring. 

‘Avoid harsh bright whites and instead combine with the natural stone hues and soft greys of ‘Portland Stone Dark’ and ‘Rolling Fog Dark’ and for a luxurious feel that envelops the space and adds warmth, paint the ceiling in the sumptuous ‘Purple Brown’,’ continues Ruth Mottershead.

‘Regal yet mellow, Tyrian Plum’s warmth, ripeness, and depth of pigment make it the perfect backdrop, but despite its richness, it’s not just for the winter months,’ says Annie Sloan, color and paint expert. ‘Deep purple pairs beautifully with navy blue and can be lifted depending on the season with cornflower blues, soft pinks and whites for a flattering year-round look.’ 

4. Add an accent feature

Accent wall ideas offer an excellent canvas for changing up a room without redecorating the whole space. 

'Accent walls, the back wall of bookshelves, or a small powder room would be ideal locations to use our new collection of wall coverings without spending too much on covering an entire room,’ says Todd Piercy of McLaurin & Piercy. 

‘Maluku used in a powder room would be beautiful and cozy as it would envelop the space telling the patterns rich story. Oasis would make a wonderful accent wall as the scale is perfect for a punch of pattern in a room. Batak, Meadow, and Dash used behind a bookshelf would add the perfect texture to such a small, yet busy space.’ 

5. Add a festive wall wreath or garland 

Fall wreath ideas should not only be reserved for your fall front door decor, just as festive fall garlands are not reserved for fall mantel ideas. Incorporating fall wreaths and garlands as wall art for fall walls can help to introduce nature into the space while keeping your decor on the walls, as opposed to simply decorating with plants or decorating with dried flowers on surfaces such as coffee tables or bookshelves that may already be cluttered, used frequently, or are already styled. 

6. Install sculptural sconces  

Lighting ideas do not have to be purely functional. There is beauty to be found in sculptural wall sconces that can be used both for functionality, layering lighting in a space and as a wall art piece. 

With the fall period bringing darker days, wall lights are also more practical than the long summer months in living room lighting ideas or bedroom lighting ideas so you can relax after a long day but also read a good book or enjoy another hobby.

Julian Page, head of design at BHS suggests using non-wired wall lights for a festive finish that can easily be removed or changed out with the seasons. ‘For wall lights, try a plug-in light. Wall lights with a plug work similarly to any table or floor lamp and don’t require any complicated electrician work. And when you would like another style, simply unplug and swap for another – it’s that easy!’ 

7. Change up a gallery wall

If you already have picture frames around the home or gallery wall ideas, changing out the images in existing frames or replacing artwork can help to decorate your walls for fall without permanently changing your space and decorate for fall on a budget. 

Choose images or art that have warm tones or autumnal themes – or even personal photos from fall days out.  

How do I start decorating for fall? 

If you're wondering how to start decorating for fall, consider changing out summer themes items for fall decor pieces such as warm-toned soft furnishings and artwork and layering luxe natural textures such as wool for a warm, cozy appeal. 

Sticking to a cozy fall scheme with deep greens, warm tans and deep browns alongside warmer neutrals such as creams and beiges take a step away from the crisp summer schemes to differentiate the two seasonal decorating styles.