As we enjoy the final days of summer, it’s time to start thinking about refreshing our homes in keeping with the upcoming cozy season, and what better place to start than the entryway?

The first room upon entering a home, the entryway is an important space that certainly shouldn’t be forgotten about when it comes to fall decor ideas, and there are so many ways to boost the appeal of these high-traffic areas with cozy and stylish seasonal decor.

So, if you’re wondering how to start decorating for fall, read on, where we share a roundup of our favorite fall entryway decor ideas, as suggested by the pros.

10 fall entryway decor ideas
From decorating with foliage to swapping out paint colors, there are plenty of decorating ideas here to cater to all types of homes – whether you want to go all out with a decorative display or keep things understated with smaller nods to the changing seasons.

1. Start outside the entryway

Fall front door decor is of course the starting point of your scheme and if you make a fall wreath yourself, you can tailor it to your fall color scheme indoors too, and tie it into your fall porch ideas.

2. Decorate with vintage

‘When I decorate for a season, I like to decorate in a way that doesn’t look decorated at all; it just invokes a feeling,’ says interior designer Christine Zippert. ‘For fall, I want to feel cozy, homey, and warm.’

‘In this entryway, we added a coo-coo clock that was a family heirloom, a handmade stool to pop your purse on, and warm natural flowers in yellow tones that came right off the tree.’

Decorating with vintage can be a great way to refresh an entryway for fall, adding plenty of charm and interest without feeling too fall-centric. Opt for a vintage dresser to double as a storage solution or style smaller decorative items such as antique vases.

3. Create an impact with oversized branches

‘When summer blossoms start to fade, we love to make large entry arrangements from oversized branches, mixing in autumnal blooms when available, but bringing in more of that drama and moodiness that the season is all about,’ say designers Austin Carrier and Alex Mutter-Rottmayer of Hommeboys Interiors.

Take inspiration from this pared-back arrangement for a timeless display, perfect for modern decorating ideas.

4. Stick to classic, autumnal hues

‘Nothing is prettier than the color of leaves,’ says designer Roger Higgins of R. Higgins Interiors. If you’re not sure where to start with decorating your entryway for fall, stick to the most classic, warm autumnal hues.

In this entryway, the orange of the leaves styled in a vase complements the warm neutral color scheme while elevating the home’s entrance with a timeless, seasonal feel.

5. Hang a fall wreath on a shoe closet

Entryway furniture can always be given a seasonal edge with a simple fall wreath.

‘Fall craft ideas are at their best when they use natural ingredients, and I really like to ensure those I make for my entryway, such as wreaths, are scented to make my house smell nice when I come home, or guests arrive. This means I’ll often use aromatic herbs I’ve pruned back in the garden in fall for my wreaths, such as rosemary, lavender, and sage,’ says Lucy Searle, Content Director at Homes & Gardens.

‘I tend to leave some growth on the plants and trim throughout early fall so that I can constantly replace old, dried herbs with new, fresh herbs.’

6. Decorate entryway walls with fall foliage

If you’re wondering how to decorate your walls for fall, the simplest answer is to use natural elements, whether that is cuttings from some of the best trees for fall color seasonal flowers in a vase or framed dried leaves.

Putting fall flowers for pots outside your front door is step one; step two is having these fresh flowers wound into wreaths or, simply on a vase on your entryway table. While wreaths are an easy way to welcome your guests into your entryway, a spruce garland over a mirror or door frame is another simple option that can be adapted as we move towards Christmas.

7. Introduce mood lighting to a fall entryway

Having ambient entryway lighting is a key way to make sure it radiates warmth as the days get shorter and it gets darker outside more quickly. You can achieve this with something as simple as candles or a lamp on an entryway table.

‘Another option is to switch out bright white lightbulbs for warmer ones,’ suggests Homes & Gardens’ Print Editor Jo Bailey. ‘The yellow light, especially when paired with a warmer color scheme, can make the space glow on dark afternoons.’

8. Layer up rugs

When summer ends, it’s a nice touch to lay a rug in an entryway. Firstly, it allows you to easily introduce fall colors – opt for textured rugs in rich fall hues such as burgundy, burnt orange, deep greens, or brown – and, secondly, it is a practical move to absorb any damp footprints for those who haven’t quite wiped their feet, or managed to remove their shoes at the front door.

‘You may also want to experiment with layering your rugs to add depth and visual interest to your entryway,’ says Jo Bailey, ‘though be sure you’re not creating a trip hazard.’

9. Embrace a neutral scheme with seasonal displays

‘The trick with decorating for a specific season is to avoid all the overused cliches,’ says Helen Bygraves, cofounder of Hill House Interiors. ‘Autumn can be alluded to through more subtle changes in the choice of accessories and smaller design details, without it feeling overwhelming.’

‘In an entryway, the console table is an avenue to bring in seasonal pieces, be it autumnal floral arrangements, fall-scented candles, or decorative accents. Keeping to a timeless, neutral color theme ensures each of the pieces chosen complements the rest of your decor and does not look out of place. Falling leaves are an obvious reminder of autumn and there are beautiful lighting and accessory designs that take on the color, shape, or texture.’

10. Opt for a dark and moody color palette

Dark paints have been having a moment in 2024, and what better time to embrace them than fall? As the nights draw in and we seek to spend more time indoors, switching out white walls for deeper hues can go a long way in making the entrance to your home feel snug and cozy.

Plus, the likes of dark blues, greens, or wine tones will maintain appeal year-long, so you don’t need to worry about needing to switch them out as soon as fall ends.

‘Bringing in darker colors and warmth through decor and greenery atop neutral pieces is a natural way to decorate for fall without becoming too seasonally abrasive,’ says designer Laura Williams of ATX Interior Design.