How to Decorate a Cabin or Vacation Home For Fall

Last Updated on March 31, 2023

Whether your vacation dwelling is a cabin in the woods or a home on the range, it’s always fun to decorate.

With a second home, you’re free to experiment a little more, of course.

Your vacation home is a place to have fun, so give it some personality and pizzazz. Explore the limits of your decorating creativity!

It won’t take much, and you can probably source a lot of the individual components like leaves, branches, etc right from your backyard.

Start with the large and broad areas like your dining room, for example, and work your way down. As you get the overall look completed, it’s much easier to spot what you’re missing on the mantle, on the couch, etc.

 

 

Utilize Fall Colors

When you opt for a lighter palette of paint or wallpaper you have more flexibility when it comes to seasonal decorating.

With a neutral backdrop, you can change the look of your home by adding bright spots of color with couch pillows, dresser scarves, sofa throws, and curtains.

 

a dinner table decorated for the Fall season

 

For fall you’ll want to go with harvest colors of rust, green, and gold, for example.

Take your inspiration from nature. So, think autumn leaves and fall produce, and aim for a cozy feel of candles, hearth, and home.

Here then, are a few suggestions:

 

 

Centerpieces To Highlight The Autumn Theme

A centerpiece can be anything you want it to be, from a rustic basket brimming with apples to a decorative jar filled with bright berries, acorns, and pine cones.

Utilize electric candles, floral arrangements, seasonal pumpkins or gourds, and anything else that catches your fancy. 

 

a table runner on a fall-themed table

 

A table runner can also be a nice touch. Have your centerpiece be the main attraction, and then use a runner with complimentary colors.

If you have too many centerpiece ideas, branch out from the kitchen table and decorate coffee tables, buffets, and any other inviting flat surface.

Coffee tables might be small, but unlike a dinner table, you can actually make use of the entire surface – without having to move decorations aside for meals.

 

Fall decorations on a coffee table

 

A few candles, some leaves, and a handful of mini pumpkins, for instance, can go a long way on a small table.

 

 

Decorate The Windows

Windows, especially when the surrounding wall is of a neutral color palette, are a fantastic spot to introduce a splash of color. You don’t need much – a simple valance, for example, will do.

 

A Fall-themed window valance

 

Something like the valance shown above pairs perfectly with kitchen windows. Likewise, for living or dining room windows, solid colors would be a more elegant touch.

 

 

Add Some Flair To The Mantle

Here’s a space for your collections.

Weave fall garlands laced with twinkle lights around antiques, photos, and bare autumn branches. Vary your heights and sizes, and place décor items in groups of three.

 

Fall season decorations on a fireplace mantle

 

Few things say fall quite like the scent of pumpkin spice! One or two scented candles on the mantle, for example, will do the job.

Mantles are long and narrow, so it can be a challenge to fit larger objects. So, to fully accentuate your mantle, try some tall picture frames.

 

 

Show Some Fall Love On The Porch

Fall is one of the best times to decorate your porch.

How about a wheelbarrow or wagon filled with cornstalks and fall produce? Line your walkway with late-blooming mums and colorful pumpkins.

 

a porch decorated with Fall decorations

 

Hang a leafy wreath on your door and gather a collection of garden tools with colorful handles. And, don’t forget the scarecrow.

The larger the porch, the more you can fill it without having it look too busy. Try to keep a balance of colors though. You don’t want too much rust, or too much green, etc.

 

autumn decorations on a porch

 

For a more contemporary look, add a splash of white or cream. Buy cream-colored pumpkins – or paint them, use white flowers or plant pots, etc.

 

 

Don’t Forget The Backyard

Treat your backyard as an extension of the porch. Whatever works on the porch, will work beautifully in your yard as well.

Do you like buckets of flowers? Great – add four or five. Do you like wagons? Try a wheelbarrow. Anything that you felt was just “too much” for the porch will easily find a spot in the yard.

Most backyards have tables as well. Perfect – add a centerpiece!

 

a backyard table decorated with fall decorations

 

 

Switch It Up With Seasonal Accent Pillows

Decorative pillows are a conveniently quick way of adding to whatever seasonal theme you’re trying to convey. You don’t necessarily need pillows featuring pumpkins or brown leaves.

 

fall-themed decorative pillows


You just need a little flair for fall colors! Rust, orange, brown, green – all of these can add that perfect pop of fall color to an otherwise plain background.

 

 

The fireplace

The fireplace is great for the not-so-delicate decor pieces. Anything iron, anything heavy, anything rusty – you get the picture.

On the other hand, if you don’t actually light fires in your fireplace, decorate however you’d like.

 

fall decorations on a fireplace

 

 

Themed Kitchen Linens

With the rest of the large spaces decorated, let’s focus on your kitchen.

Most kitchens are already cluttered with appliances, containers, etc., so we don’t want to add to that clutter. It’s better to replace some everyday common items, with fall-themed substitutes.

To dress up the oven, try adding some fall dishcloths or tea towels.

 

fall themed dishcloths

 

Then, spruce up your sink, or window sill with some fall flowers and leaves.

 

fall decorations around the sink

 

And if your kitchen has an island, then that’s a great spot for a centerpiece (or two).

 

fall decorations on a kitchen island

 

 

Finally, add some of that great pumpkin spice scent to your kitchen by replacing your usual dish soap with pumpkin-scented dish soap.

It’s the perfect way to interject a fall spice aroma, without adding more candles or items to your kitchen.

 

 

Meyer's Pumpkin-scented dish soap

 

 

 

 

Slight Touches To The Powder Room

For a complete look, don’t forget about your powder room. You don’t need to go all out here, just a few simple additions.

Maybe a fall-scented candle, or some guest towels. Perhaps some fall flowers or a few mini pumpkins.

 

fall decorations in the bathroom

 

 

When in doubt, err on the lighter side. A powder room is a relatively small space. There’s a fine line between elegantly decorated and tacky.

 

 

A Few More Fall Favorites 

Line mason jars with fall leaves, and then illuminate them with tea lights.

Fill antique watering cans or painted buckets with berry-laden branches. Got an antique milk can? Then fill it with dried sunflowers.

 

sunflowers in a metal bucket


For seasonal wall art, dry large maple leaves between the pages of a book. When dry, press between two panes of glass and seal them together with colored linen tape.

Remember, decorating is all about making your home a comfortable and inviting place to be. By surrounding yourself with things you love, you can make your vacation residence a cozy home away from home.

So, don’t be afraid to make things different.

Make a vacation home feel like an escape from your daily life. With new scenery and surroundings, you’ll feel more refreshed when you return back home.

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