Decorating Your Texas Home for Fall

If it feels like this year has flown by, you can get a jump start on the change of seasons with some simple home decor changes. Anita Joyce, a Houston- and Round Top-based home decorating expert and editor at Cedar Hill Farmhouse, suggests a fall overhaul that’s easy and on trend, using navy blue and copper accents with fall foliage and crops.

A Fall Bounty of Accent Textiles

“The quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to update your home is with new throws and pillows,” this year in copper and navy blue, Joyce says. “When the season ends you can change them out for something new or move them to the porch.” Joyce says this approach works best if your sofas and chairs are neutral colors, to avoid visual overwhelm or clashing colors, but the living room isn’t the only place where you can make a seasonal switch with fabric. “You can also update your table with navy- or copper-colored tablecloths, runners, or napkins.”

A Table Full of Autumn Delights

Tabletop decor is one of Joyce’s specialty areas. Her popular article on putting together a fall table look in 10 minutes features cozy touches most of us can do at home, like a navy throw over the back of a dining chair, a vintage quilt as a tablecloth, and special dishes from her extensive collection. Not a dish collector? No problem. “If you have a set of all-purpose white dishes, you can mix in a few elements like copper chargers,” she says, for a fast update.

Special tabletop decor pieces and napkin rings let you change the scene in just a few minutes, and they don’t have to be new. Joyce, who has partnered with Sherwin-Williams, says spray paint is an easy way to rework items you already own. “They have some cool copper spray paints you can use, for instance on a glass vase. You can easily transform its look and then repaint it again later for a new season.”

A Cornucopia of Fall Harvest Decor

Joyce’s 10-minute tabletop features a centerpiece of mini pumpkins around a small sheaf of wheat from a decor shop. “The white pumpkins [grown] now are gorgeous, or you can spray paint them to get the colors you want,” she says.

Want a cost-free harvest look? “I like branches, and you can cut whatever’s in your yard and bring it in.” Grapevine wreaths made with foliage and berries from your own property are a great way to set the tone at the entrance to your home.

However you update for fall, Joyce recommends keeping it simple. “A little bit here and there goes a long way,” she says. “It’s really about creating a welcoming, cozy home that celebrates your family and friends.”

Looking for a quick, budget-friendly way to spruce up your home for fall? Texas Farm Bureau members receive a discount at Sherwin-Williams paint stores.

Anita Joyce is the author of the sell-out book French Accents and has been featured in more than 20 national magazines. She also hosts the podcast “Decorating Tips and Tricks.”