How To Decorate For The Fall When You Don't Like Orange

It’s kind of hard to imagine fall decorations without seeing orange. The pumpkins alone automatically make you think that hue has to be part of your plan. But there’s one problem. What if you don’t like orange?

Choose a completely unexpected color palette for your fall decorating. Or opt for neutrals, like white pumpkins. Brown, beige, green, cream, and burgundy are other popular fall color choices, but even black can set a mood. Concentrate on cozy textures, incorporate metallics, and bring in natural elements to create your perfect fall decor look.

If you loathe orange, then don’t put it in your fall decor. Think it’s not possible? Think again! Fall includes a lot more hues than orange, and you have plenty of options to create a seasonal look you love.

10 Fall Decorating Ideas That Don’t Use Orange

The key is to look at fall in a different way. Instead of envisioning bright pumpkins and orange leaves, imagine cozy blankets, changing leaves, warm drinks, candlelight, and the colors you see in nature during the season. Once you do that, you’ll find plenty of decorating ideas that have nothing to do with orange.

1. White Pumpkins

A tried-and-true go-to for fall decorating without orange is to use white pumpkins. They still give you that classic fall look, but they’re more neutral. You can find real white pumpkins at many grocery stores, farmers markets, and garden centers in the fall. You can also find plenty made from ceramic, wood, fabric, or other materials.

Try placing a few white pumpkins on your front porch. You can also use them as a centerpiece on your dining table or arrange several on a shelf. If an all-white look feels too plain, add pumpkins in different sizes. You can also mix in beige, tan, burgundy, or light brown decorations to make the display feel warmer.

2. Brown And Beige

Brown may not be the first color you think of when you start to decorate for fall, but it works beautifully for the season. Think about tree branches, acorns, pinecones, and fallen leaves after their brighter colors fade. These natural shades can make your home feel cozy without using orange.

Other ways to incorporate brown is with baskets, wooden trays, woven decorations, or beige pillows. A soft tan blanket thrown over the back of a chair can also make a room feel ready for fall. The best part is that these shades easy to use all year long. You won’t have to pack everything away as soon as Thanksgiving is over, which is a nice bonus.

3. Go With Green

This might seem more like a spring or summer color, but certain shades of green work very well for fall. Deep green, olive, sage, and forest green have the potential to give your home a cozy, seasonal feel. These colors look especially nice with wood tones and other natural materials.

Think about green pillows, candles, or a pretty table runner adding the perfect hint of fall color. You can also bring greenery to your autumn decorations with branches, leaves, and plants to bring some of the outdoors in without adding a single orange pumpkin. For a darker and cozier look, pair deep green with brown and cream. If you like a lighter style, try sage green with white and beige.

4. Don’t Forget About Black

Black might not seem like a typical fall decorating color, but it can give your home a warm, slightly spooky feel and might be just the thing if you’re all about Halloween. You don’t have to turn your home into a haunted house. A few black decorations such as candle holders, lanterns, picture frames, or small signs can be enough to add contrast to a room.

Black also looks great with white pumpkins. Place several of these pale gourds on a black tray or use black candlesticks on a table with a cream-colored tablecloth. If you enjoy Halloween decorating but don’t want lots of bright orange, black and white can be a great combination.

5. Add Burgundy Or Dark Red

If you want a little more color in your fall decorations, try burgundy, wine, or a deep shade of red. They provide the warm feeling people often want from fall decor. They also look beautiful with cream, brown, gold, and wood tones.

A burgundy throw pillow or blanket can make a big difference in a living room.

You could also use deep red flowers or berries in a fall centerpiece. Just remember that you don’t need a lot of color to make an impact. Sometimes one or two decorations in a rich hue are all you need.

6. A Moody Plum Or Plum-Purple Palette

Plum, aubergine, or muted purple are also popular fall colors that don’t lean toward the expected orange. These deeper shades have the same rich, cozy quality as burgundy but feel a little less expected. Plum goes well with several neutrals, including cream, taupe, and brown. You can also pair it with warm wood tones for a softer look.

If you prefer something a little moodier, mix it with charcoal or black. Some different ways to introduce the color are throw pillows, candles, flowers, napkins, or a table runner. You don’t have to change your entire decor. Dried hydrangeas or mums in dusty purple hues create a beautiful fall floral arrangement or centerpiece. Add a few cream pumpkins and some natural wood accents to get a seasonal display that feels completely fall-inspired.

7. Bring In Metallics

Metallic decorations are a great way to enhance a fall look without using traditional fall colors. Gold is an easy choice because it adds warmth and works well with many other hues. You can use gold candle holders, picture frames, vases, or small decorative objects.

If gold isn’t your thing, try silver, which tends to give your fall decorations a cooler, more modern look. It works especially well with white, gray, black, and deep green. You can even mix metals if you’re game. There’s no rule saying every piece has to match perfectly.

8. Textures Instead Of Colors

One of the easiest ways to make your home feel like fall is to focus on texture instead of color. Fall is a cozy season, so bring in things that feel warm and snuggly. Think chunky blankets, soft pillows, woven baskets, wooden decorations, and fluffy rugs. Choose materials such as burlap, linen, wool, and cotton.

These textures can make a room feel ready for fall even if your color scheme is mostly white, gray, or green. For example, a cream-colored blanket may not look very “fall” sitting by itself. But place it next to a wooden basket and a few white pumpkins, and suddenly the whole area feels seasonal. And there’s no orange in sight!

9. Decorate With Nature

This tip is especially great if you’re decorating for fall on a budget. You don’t have to buy a bunch of decorations; just take a look outside. Go shopping in nature, making sure to clean and check items before bringing them indoors. Pinecones, branches, acorns, dried flowers, and leaves can all be excellent for decorating. A simple glass vase filled with branches turns into a pretty fall decoration. Pinecones in a bowl or scattered around a centerpiece become seasonal decor.

10. An Unexpected Color Scheme

Why not forget about traditional fall colors altogether? Maybe you love blue. Use blue. A dark navy can look surprisingly cozy when paired with cream, brown, or wood. (There’s a reason navy is becoming such a favored neutral in fall fashion.) You could also try dusty blue for a softer look.

Gray is another good choice. A lighter shade can give your home a calm, simple fall feeling, while charcoal gray creates a moodier ambiance. You could even use pink if that’s what you love. Dusty rose and muted pink can look beautiful with cream, beige, and brown. Your home doesn’t have to match someone else’s idea of what fall should look like. It needs to work for you.

There Are No Fall Decorating Rules, So Skip The Orange

The biggest thing to remember is that you don’t have to use orange just because it’s fall. Decorating should make your home feel comfortable and reflect your personal style. If orange makes you cringe, there’s no reason to fill your house with orange pumpkins, pillows, and leaves just because they’re popular this time of year.

Try white and cream. Add brown, green, burgundy, black, or another color you love. Bring in natural textures and seasonal items. Use pumpkins in colors that actually fit your home. Fall is about more than one color. It’s about making your home feel warm, comfortable, and ready for the season. So go ahead and skip the orange. Your fall decorations will still look festive, cozy, and even better, completely like you.

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