4 Outdated Decor Trends To Skip This Fall

According to People Magazine, 56% of Americans say that they feel happier during the autumn months. With the return of pumpkin spice lattes, cooler temperatures, and warm, fuzzy sweaters, what's not to love about this people-pleasing season? While it may continue to be warm where you live, it's never too early or too late to decorate for fall. As the summer heat continues to fade, autumn is the perfect time to clean up and revamp your home, setting positive intentions for the busy holiday season ahead. 

Are you excited to pull out your storage bin of fall décor? Looking forward to curling up in your cozy autumn-inspired living room? As always, you should decorate your home in whatever way makes you feel happy, but you still might want to make sure you're up-to-date on the latest fall décor dos and don'ts. Some items will always remain classic, but here are four dated schemes to avoid if you want to stay trendy and fresh. 

According to Realtor.com, farmhouse chic is on its way out, and with it goes kitschy signage and word art. In 2022, it's time to reconsider random décor and signs that say anything like "hello fall," or "sweater weather." These kinds of items do little to bring the true aesthetics of fall into your home nor do they express your unique tastes or personality either. To avoid looking too literal this fall, opt for items that capture the colorful vibe of autumn instead. 

Swap your white throw pillows for warm earth tones and add elements of wood, leather, and gold around your home. Well-placed wooden coasters, amber glass bottles, and candles will always invite in the autumnal season. Pumpkins are one literal fall item that is an exception to this rule, but if you can, choose real pumpkins over Styrofoam lookalikes. Interior designer Lory Bernstein declares that faux pumpkins made with plush knits, rattan, or other organic materials will also be trendy in 2022 and beyond (via PureWow). If you simply can't resist some cheeky signs, look for subtle wall art with fall colors and themes, rather than cursive declarations.

Not everything has to be red, orange, and black, especially if you don't love those colors. Do fall your way in your home. Expand the typical fall color palette to include more of the colors you like. These could be greens, browns, yellows, or even pink and blue. Fall is a great time to experiment with jewel tones, metallics, and pops of bold color. To help everything stay cohesive in the season, look for similar undertones, such as a warm teal, mustard, or mauve. 

Warm colors will always be classics for fall décor, but interior designer Garrett LeChic recommends sticking to a color scheme that you already know you'll love (via The Irish Sun). For example, if you mostly decorate your home in cool tones, neutrals, and dusty pastels, there's no need to overhaul it into earth tones for fall. Find décor with autumnal textures in colors that you already like, such as a navy blue knit throw. You can also switch out the pieces you already have, putting away the items with light colors in favor of darker shades. 

If you want your space to feel fresh and trendy this season, avoid overdecorating your home with faux florals. Some faux florals are fine and festive, especially in hard-to-reach areas, but too many fake plants and plastic leaves can make your home feel cheap and artificial. If you must use faux plants, interior designer Vanessa Francis recommends investing in high-quality, modern pieces that look nearly identical to the real thing. Smaller florals tend to look more convincing than large plants. For example, Francis uses faux orange wild starflowers to decorate her table for fall; the small leaves and organic textures create a very natural appearance. 

For an updated take with more planet-positive vibes, opt for fresh or dried flowers. Mums, sunflowers, orange lilies, dahlias, and even roses are great for fall. You can also decorate for fall with other natural items, like dried oak leaves, pine cones, acorns, and live ferns. Foraging in nature for décor can be a fun activity to share with kids, and it associates positive memories with any permanent artwork you create. As fall turns into winter, foraged décor and dried flowers can be returned to nature, reducing their impact on the environment. 

People Magazine's article suggests that the majority of people love fall decorations, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If you have to rearrange objects to actually use your furniture, put down the pumpkin spice latte; you may have gone a bit overboard.

Overzealous decorating makes a space feel more cluttered than curated, which cheapens the look of each element. When it comes to decorating your home for fall, a "less is more" approach will keep things classy and on-trend. If you can't resist the look of pumpkins and leaves, look for usable items that influence the scene, rather than small knick-knacks without purpose. Switching to a pumpkin-shaped teapot, fall-printed blanket, or earth-toned shower curtain are simple ways to incorporate fall into your everyday actions.

Another way to cut down on clutter is to pick décor that can translate through Halloween and into Thanksgiving. This Girl at Home recommends thrifting for flex-use items like brass candlesticks, baskets, wooden bowls, and vintage books (via YouTube). Keep purely decorative items confined to decorative areas, like bookshelves, and off of high-traffic areas, like nightstands.