Ask Joshua: How Can I Decorate for Fall Without Using Pumpkins?

Hi Joshua,

Maybe it’s a little too early to ask about fall decor, but I’ll try anyway! I’ve been looking around online at different stores for fall decorations for my home, but I’m not really liking any of the artificial or decorative pumpkins I’ve seen so far.

Would it look odd if I decorated my home for fall without using any pumpkins this year, at least until I find some that I actually like? I love decorating for fall, but I also don’t want to buy pumpkins just for the sake of having them.

Please advise!

Thanks,
Hannah - Beaverton, Oregon

A cozy fall living room styled without pumpkins, using warm fall colors, patterned pillows, a natural throw blanket, seasonal stems, and natural wood tones. This AI-generated image was styled by virtual interior designer Joshua Jones of JJones Design Co. specifically for this blog post.

Hi Hannah,

It is definitely not too early to ask about fall decor! In fact, this is a great time to start thinking about how you want to decorate your home for the upcoming fall season.

And no, I don’t think it would look odd at all to decorate your home for fall without pumpkins. You absolutely can create a beautiful fall look without using a single pumpkin.

I actually ran into the same problem myself several years ago. I wanted to decorate our home for fall, but I couldn’t find any artificial or decorative pumpkins that I really liked. Instead of buying something just because it was a pumpkin, I ended up purchasing live pumpkins for the season. Over time, as I found artificial and decorative pumpkins that I genuinely liked, I slowly added them to my collection. Now, I enjoy mixing live pumpkins with the decorative ones I’ve collected over the years.

One thing I especially love is how much the selection of live pumpkins has evolved. We are no longer limited to the traditional bright orange pumpkin that most of us immediately picture. Depending on where you shop, you can find pumpkins and gourds in beautiful shades of white, cream, pale green, blue-green, deep green, yellow, muted orange, and even pink. Yes, pink pumpkins exist! If you love decorating with pink, they are definitely worth looking for. Pumpkins also come in so many interesting shapes and textures, from smooth and round to flat, elongated, heavily ribbed, and wonderfully bumpy.

If you haven’t looked at live pumpkins recently, I would definitely recommend checking out local farms, farmers markets, nurseries, and even grocery stores once their fall selections arrive. You may discover something completely different from the artificial pumpkins you’ve been seeing online.

But what if you simply don’t want pumpkins at all?

That is perfectly fine, too. Pumpkins may be one of the most recognizable symbols of fall, but they certainly aren’t required to make your home feel like fall.

Bring in fall colors. You don’t have to cover your home in orange and brown. Look at the colors we actually see during the season and the deeper colors that pair beautifully with them: burgundy, rust, mustard, olive green, deep red, warm brown, cream, charcoal, black, and other earthy tones. You also don’t need to completely change your existing color scheme. Bringing in just one or two fall colors can be enough to give your home a seasonal feeling.

Swap or add a couple of decorative pillows. One of the easiest ways to get your living room in the fall mood is to swap out or add one or two decorative pillows on your sofa or chair. Choose pillows in a fall color that works with your existing decor, or add a subtle fall-themed pattern. You don’t need to replace every pillow on your sofa. Sometimes one or two seasonal pillows are all you need to change the mood of the room.

Use natural elements. Branches with colorful leaves, dried grasses, pine cones, acorns, seed pods, wheat, and seasonal flowers can bring fall into your home without relying on traditional fall decorations. A large vase filled with branches can sometimes make a stronger statement than a collection of small seasonal accessories.

Add more texture. Fall is a great time to bring heavier and cozier textures back into your home. Think chunky knit or woven throws, velvet pillows, wool, boucle, woven baskets, and natural wood. These materials can make a room feel warmer even if you don't use obvious seasonal decor.

Change your flowers and greenery. If you normally keep flowers or greenery around your home, simply changing what you display can make a big difference. Look for mums, dried hydrangeas, eucalyptus, branches with fall leaves, or arrangements with deeper and warmer colors.

Create a warmer atmosphere with lighting. As the days get shorter, lighting becomes an important part of making your home feel cozy. Table lamps, floor lamps, candles, and lanterns can add warmth without adding more decorative objects throughout the room.

Decorate with seasonal fruit. Apples and pears can be beautiful fall decorations on their own, especially displayed in a wood or ceramic bowl on a kitchen island or dining table. They bring in natural color while still feeling simple and useful.

The most important thing is that you shouldn’t feel obligated to buy pumpkins—or any seasonal decoration—just because you think your home needs them to look like fall. If you don’t love what you’re seeing in stores right now, skip them. You can always add pumpkins later if you find ones that you truly love.

In the meantime, focus on color, texture, natural materials, seasonal foliage, and warmer lighting. Your home can still feel every bit as cozy and beautiful for fall without a pumpkin in sight.

And who knows? Once the live pumpkins start showing up later in the season, you may find a few unusual ones—including a pink one!—that are exactly what you were looking for.

Warmly,

Joshua

Have interior design related questions? You can ask Joshua here.