Creating a Cozy Home for Fall (Using What You Already Have)
As the days grow shorter, there is something so comforting about turning our attention inward—making home feel a little warmer, a little cozier, and a lot more welcoming. No need to buy all new decor to capture that autumn feeling; sometimes it’s simply about rearranging what you already have, pulling out a few favorite vintage finds, and layering in texture, warmth, and history. A cozy home for fall isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating spaces that invite you to slow down, light a candle, and stay awhile.
I’m joining a few friends to share our cozy fall home ideas. We all live in different parts of the country, and so it’s fun to see what the changing seasons bring to each of us. I’ll have links to everyone’s post below! Thank you for being here!
The living room
Adding cozy throws and pillows
I switched out our linen pillow covers for wool and faux sheepskin pillow covers. The wool pillows are all from Serena & Lily, where I worked several years ago. They needed a little care, but now they look like new. I used my sweater shaver to remove pilling, just as I do when caring for cashmere sweaters. It took only a couple of minutes, and now they look beautiful!
On the back of the sofa, I used a wool throw. I love black and brown together in home decor and fashion. I am looking for a beautiful piece of fabric for the sofa, but for now, the throw works fine. I got the idea from the Better Homes & Gardens stylist. She added a piece of fabric from her textile collection when styling our home for a photo shoot. You can read that article here.
Rotate your rug
Fall is the perfect time to rotate your rugs to ensure that no area wears out more than others. Our rugs in the living room and den are from Quince. They no longer have this exact rug, but this one is similar in navy. Quince has beautiful rugs at amazing prices. We have been very happy with ours!
Bring outdoor pottery indoors
I love the rustic combination of beautiful ferns in outdoor pottery. While you could still use Bergs pottery outdoors in the fall, I never leave it out all winter. Fall is the perfect time to start bringing it indoors and resting the clay pots on vintage plates and saucers. This is both practical and beautiful. Clay saucers could cause water stains indoors, but placing a clay pot on a plate will protect the table or surface. Plus, I like the mix of rustic and vintage.
In the living room, we have a Frame TV above the fireplace. I took a photo of some fall leaves last year, and it became the “art” above the fireplace. On the mantel, I have two vintage Christofle christening cups from a Paris flea market, and the last cosmos from our little garden.
Our cozy corner banquette is an ever-changing display of books, plants, and objects. The custom cushions are from Patio Lane. Pillows are from Pottery Barn. You can read more about the banquette in this post.
I just received my copy of The Essentials, the new design book by Caitlin Flemming and Julie Goebel. It’s a wonderful book full of inspiration. I could not help but notice on the cover two vintage wooden peg racks from France in an entryway. We still have a few in the shop!
Warm up the kitchen with a cake, copper pots, a lamp & vintage crocks
Nothing says welcome like a freshly baked cake. The smell of butter and sugar lingers in the air. I love to have a cake, muffins, or scones on the counter when I know the kids are coming home.
The vintage crocks are available in the shop. The small lamp is the Petite Como Lamp from Serena & Lily. It has a dimmer so you can adjust as needed for a little ambiance.
In the dining room
Adding a tablecloth like this one from Terrain really adds some coziness. Hand-stitched embroidery adds texture and warmth. I’m using the set of antiqued iron vases as a centerpiece. They are so beautiful, even empty. I’ve used them on many tables with flowers and fruit, but sometimes I like them just as they are.
Amber glass goblets and tumblers with gold linen napkins and vintage art. The vintage oil painting of pears and flowers inspired the color theme.
Display useful everyday items in vintage crates
Spices, nuts, and chocolate chips with small bowls, wooden bowls, and little dishes. Cookbooks and our Maple Garden Carry-All to gather our tomatoes from the garden.
In the den/office
The den or office is just at the end of the dining room. We used the same rug in a larger size in the living room. The window along the back can be seen from the dining room, so I love to use seasonal plants. In the summer, geraniums, mums in the fall, and small evergreens in winter.
The inspiration board is one of my favorite things. It’s behind the door. Not as curated as some I’ve seen, with all its items in one or two colors, but mine is a mix of memories I hold dear, in a blend of every color imaginable!
Shop Most Lovely Things
The above items, along with many more, are available in our shop. Three to four times a year, my husband and I travel to France and log hundreds of miles, going from flea market to flea market across the country. Our next trip is in November! We will be closing the shop on November 10th and reopening in December in time for Christmas delivery!
Make sure you are signed up for my Sunday email to get exact opening dates, and follow me on Instagram here and here.
Let’s see what Mary Ann, Cindy, Molly & Melaine have to say about cozy fall home decor.
Classic Casual Home – Mary Ann
Cindy Hattersley Design – Cindy
Molly In Maine – Molly
My Sweet Savannah – Melaine
If you enjoyed reading Creating a Cozy Home for Fall (Using What You Already Have), you may also enjoy these posts:
10 Easy Ways to Use Vintage in Your Home Decor
This makes me wish I could drop in for a cup of tea and enjoy your spaces, Annie. But I am so glad its documented here so I can come back!
Annie
I love the idea of bringing your outdoor pots in for the winter. Since we don’t really have a real winter, that isn’t a good option here, but on the East Coast what a fun idea. Yikes I didn’t realize your office was at the end of the dining room. Thankfully mine is not since it is usually a disaster area!! All your shop goodies are so tempting!!
Cindy- you didn’t realize it, because the door was always closed due to the messes within! But making it more open and using one of my knoll barcelona chairs meant I could leave the door open making the small house look a tiny bit larger.
Hi Annie — I love the natural simplicity of your home and the easy way you decorate for fall. So fun to join you today for this feature!
We often forget to shop our own homes but sometimes it is the best “store” Thanks for sharing these ideas!
I love how you’ve shown that creating a cozy fall home doesn’t have to mean buying all new decor! The way you mix vintage finds with seasonal touches and practical updates like bringing outdoor pottery indoors is so inspiring. I especially appreciate the little tips, like rotating rugs and layering textures, which make a home feel warm and inviting. Definitely giving some of these ideas a try this season!
Khatija-Thank you for your kind and generous comment! It’s not always about buying new…Thanks for reading MLT!
xo
I love how this post emphasizes creating warmth and character using what you already have, rather than constantly buying new decor. The attention to small details, layering textures, and capturing seasonal touches reminds me of the same care we take in Photography when styling and editing images to tell a story. It’s a wonderful reminder that thoughtful arrangement can make any space feel inviting.
Kathryn Elise