It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the best season, era of the undefeated cozy vibe champ. Fall is here, and it’s time to decorate like it. If you’re in the mood for something crafty or just looking for affordable decor options, here are 12 of the best DIY fall decor ideas to get your apartment autumn ready.
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1. Dried orange garland
This beautiful dried orange garland is an excellent option to add an autumn flair in an elegant and understated way. To make this garland you’ll need citrus of your choice, each one has its own scent and look. We’d recommend navel or blood oranges but mandarins and grapefruit are great as well. Slice your fruit in quarter inch slices, pat dry, and place on a wire rack. Bake on 200 for 2 hours or until they turn slightly brown, rotate them every 30 minutes to ensure they dry evenly. Let the fruit cool completely and use a large needle to thread the slices on fishing line or twine and you’re ready to hang!
2. Golden gourds
Gold and gourds. Two fall staples combined in one easy DIY fall decor idea. Grab an assortment of mini pumpkins and gourds and lay out some newspaper (outside, ladies, please don’t spray paint indoors) and spray them down with a gold spray paint of your choice. While an opaque look is nice, we love the semi-sheer application shown above. We’d also recommend grabbing produce with a variety of textures, but going all in on one type can be effective, too. You can also use this technique for other fall fruit if gourds and pumpkins aren’t your thing.
3. Leaf jar votive
The orange glow of this votive radiates fall warmth and is a fun DIY project for a rainy day. Start by buying some fabric fall foliage from a craft or dollar store, then strip the raised plastic ribbing off and then iron them for best results. Wash and dry your glass jars, these can be mason jars or jars you’ve collected, and wipe them down with cotton balls and rubbing alcohol to remove any oils from them. Load up a cheap foam brush with mod podge and apply a thin layer to your jar, when it gets tacky, place a leaf on the jar and smooth it out using your finger or the brush. Once it is firmly in place, repeat the process with more leaves all over the jar. When they are all applied, let them dry until they won’t move and then carefully apply a top coat of mod podge over all the leaves and let dry. The next day, add your candle and enjoy your votive!
4. Pinecone garland
Source
For a more rustic and earthy look, consider making this pinecone garland. Measure out your twine and thread your wooden beads on in equal intervals, these can be painted, stained, or natural wooden beads. We’d recommend knotting the twine on either side of the beads to keep them in place. Then glue your pinecones at equal intervals between the wooden beds, let cool, and hang!
5. Corn kernel votive
Corn is a fall fundamental and it’s a great way to add some seasonal flair to your apartment without too much of a time or financial commitment (read: it’s cheap). You can use whatever vessels you like for these votives, old candle containers, jars, or small vases all work well. We love using vessels from thrift or antique stores for a sustainable way to add character to your space. Add a small amount of unpopped popcorn kernels to each vessel, pop a tea light candle in there, and call that decor, babe! It’s just that easy.
6. Chalk painted pumpkins
If you want to add pumpkins to your space but aren’t loving any of the colors, paint them! We recommend using foam pumpkins from a craft or dollar store so they can be reused next year. Pick up some chalk paint colors you like and be sure to get a suitable primer as well, also consider grabbing a white or ivory color to use as a dry brush top coat. Prime your pumpkins and let them dry for at least an hour before painting. Paint your pumpkins, let dry, and if desired, add a dry brushed top coat using the white paint. For an extra authentic look, yank out the fake stems before priming and replace them with real pumpkin stems if you can get ahold of them.
7. Pinecone bowl
Lazy girls unite. DIY fall decor doesn’t get much easier than this, and we love that. We are fans. Find bowl, add pinecones, call it a day. It’s easy, it’s effective, and it’s fall. What’s not to love? If you’re feeling extra snazzy, you can make your pinecones scented using essential oils.
8. Rope wrapped pumpkins
For fun textural flair, try wrapping a foam pumpkin with nautical style rope. You can get most of these supplies at dollar stores and it makes for a decor piece that can work with a variety of aesthetic styles. Cut lengths of rope based on the size of your pumpkin and apply them to the pumpkin using one line of hot glue at a time. We find it easiest working from the middle of the pumpkin out. You can also wrap the pumpkin in rope in a spiral to create horizontal stripes. For an added rustic touch, you can replace the stem with a wood stem that come in packs.
9. Bandana pumpkins
This bandana wrapped pumpkin moment is cute and can be replicated with any other fabric types you prefer. Silk scarves, fabric scraps, old t shirts, or denim would make great alternative options. Plus, besides a potential fabric replacement, all of these supplies can be found at dollar stores, which makes these a great affordable option. You’ll need a hollow foam pumpkin, your fabric, twine if desired, black acrylic paint, paintbrush, x-acto knife, and hot glue gun. Carve the stem from the pumpkin and set aside for later, this should leave a small hole that opens into the interior of the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin on the bandana or a 12″x12″ piece of fabric and tuck all the corners and edges into the interior of the pumpkin, make sure the fabric is pulled taught on the pumpkin. Paint your stem black, let dry, and reinsert and glue back into place. You can use the twine to make bows if desired.
10. Apple candle votives
This is fun autumnal apple votive is simple to make and looks great en masse, though they are somewhat short-lived. Start with some apples of size and color of your choice, trace an outline of your tea light on the top of each apple using a marker, and cut this outline with a knife. Lastly, use a melon baller to remove the interior of the circle to allow the candle to sit inside the apple.
11. Burlap wrapped pumpkins
DIY fall decor just doesn’t feel right without a burlap option. This one also uses dollar store materials and works similarly to the bandana pumpkins we covered. You’re going to remove the stem, paint the pumpkin a brown color to blend in with the burlap, and let dry. Next, cut your burlap into 18″ lengths and wrap the pumpkin in them, tucking the ends into the center of the hollow styrofoam pumpkin. Now you can either paint and replace your stem or use a piece of a tree branch to give it more of a rustic feel.
12. Foliage bucket
Ah, the humble foliage bucket. It’s easy to overlook such a simple vignette, but we love it for its simplicity and adaptability. You can use any vessel you have on hand or get one you feel reflects your aesthetic best. We’d also recommend buying faux foliage that suits your style and color theme, but you can also gather foliage from outside. Pine boughs, fragrant sumac, and oak branches are all great options, but be sure to check for insects before bringing them indoors.
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