Easy and fun decorating ideas for autumn

It’s time to start thinking about holiday decorating. If that makes your palms sweat or gives you a headache, take a deep breath and don’t worry! Decorating for the holidays doesn’t need to be a huge or expensive production. Craft and grocery stores are great places to pick up inexpensive ingredients for your seasonal decorating. Here are some easy ideas that will make your autumn decorating simpler, less expensive but still seasonal and fun.
• What makes you think of fall more than pumpkins? Pumpkins, squashes and gourds are available in endless shapes, colors and textures. Grab a pretty basket or tray and pile in a variety colors, sizes and shapes for a quick centerpiece.
• Swap out your light summer decorative pillows for autumn-inspired motifs and heavier fabrics like richly colored velvets and add some luxurious throws.
• Fill your hurricane vases with candy corn and pop in a candle. Dried beans and un-popped popcorn work equally well. Layer different colors and types of dried beans in cylinder vases for a natural look.
• Light up that collection of glass pumpkins with a string of little rice lights inserted into the bottom. Battery operated strings work well in spots where you don’t have an outlet nearby.
• For an autumn mantle scape that easily converts to Christmas, arrange various sizes of ivory candles with fall-colored leaves, wheat stalks and a few mini pumpkins. Add some cute owls for a trendy look.
• For an easy Thanksgiving table scape, use an autumn-colored runner with small pumpkins and gourds with fall leaves and tea candles.
• Cut a hole in a gourd for a vase. Use florist’s tubes to hold some pretty mums.
• Hot-glue ears of Indian corn to a straw wreath with the tops pointing out for a fun wreath for your front door.
• Hang a garland of fall-hued leaves from your chandelier.
• Brighten up your front porch with pots or baskets of autumn-hued mums and pumpkins.
Don’t forget to have fun and use your imagination!
Next time I’ll have ideas for winter and Christmas decorating and simple ways to convert your autumn decorations to winter. For more great ideas, call your local decorating professional.
Pamela Ryalls-Boyd is an interior decorator who lives in Morgan Hill. She is a Decorating Den Interiors business owner and enjoys working together with Janet Cunningham. Reach Pamela at (408) 776-1412,

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or visit www.decdens.com/decdenmh.