Bring on the wicker rattan pumpkins, gold mirrored trays, large bread boards, and vases because it’s late summer early fall decorating time! 

And no, it’s NOT too early to decorate for fall this time of year. 

One of the things my husband, Bobby (AKA Neal), misses about growing up in Canada is the change in seasons. You don’t get the experience of crunchy autumn maple leaves under your shoes in the fall living in Houston. 

To slowly simulate the change in season that he misses, I introduce touches of décor inside our home. When it comes to decorating for the fall and the upcoming holidays, we have to ease into it. It often feels ridiculous to go all out in the early fall décor while it’s still super hot outside. 

That’s why I compiled 7 ways to sneak early fall decor into our home using: 

1. Candlesticks
2. Heavy Bowls
3. Wicker Rattan Pumpkins
4. Large Breadboards
5. Statement Vases & Jars
6. Etched Smoky Glass
7. Gold Mirrored Trays

Candlesticks

The first area I’ll introduce early fall décor is in my dining room, right on top of the buffet.

These clawfoot chipped candle sticks just came into our shop, Village Antiques, and while you may not immediately think of these items as early fall décor, they add that warmth and charm that reminds me of the changing seasons. 

I’m layering candlesticks to bring in warmth and soft, ambient lighting for dinners. I’ll be using flameless LED tea candles for now. Over the coming months, I’ll be swapping these out for orange, brown, and tan colored candles to emphasize the season change. 

The buffet is also the perfect spot for adding beautiful cozy textures. This is an area that I will be adding velvet pumpkins onto later to transition into the season change.

Heavy Bowls & Centerpiece Ideas

In light of introducing more late summer early fall decorating ideas, I’m removing the brighter colors on my buffet. I’m swapping out the dried lavender balls I had on a tray. In their place, I’ve added a beautiful heavy bowl. 

This bowl is another piece I grabbed from my shop. I’m so glad that I did because it will be the perfect vessel to add boxwoods, dried flowers, and ornaments into in December. 

Because the bowl has a heavier presence than the tray I once had here, it already feels more fall-inspired. I intentionally left empty pockets between the candlesticks and bowl to continue to build on as the season carries on. 

Wicker Rattan Pumpkins

A perfect alternative to adding real pumpkins into your home are these wicker rattan pumpkins. They add a hint of fall without feeling like we’ve entered Halloween or Thanksgiving season. 

Yes, it’s still a pumpkin—but it doesn’t quite feel so season-specific because of how light and neutral it is. The color of the rattan feels very summer-to-fall transition. It’s a good start for when I add my more colorful velvet pumpkins in the upcoming months. 

I have a small countertop area right before you step into the kitchen that I love placing pops of seasonal décor. Normally, I have a ceramic bowl here with fruits, but this seemed like the perfect spot for a wicker pumpkin. 

Large Breadboards

We recently got an amazing collection of vintage-inspired large breadboards at Village Antiques. 

When I saw this round one, I knew I had to try it on my kitchen island. I love how the shade of brown is similar to what my husband may have seen in the Canadian maple leaves that he misses so much. 

Statement Vases and Jars

We have these huge glass jars that came in, and I love the oversized scale of them. I normally gravitate towards smaller vases, but as we’re getting into late summer early fall decorating ideas, I figured I’d go big this time around. 

I’m placing this vase in the center of the island on top of the breadboard because I love how large and dramatic the vase is without shouting that it’s fall time. I also love that the pop of green from the olive branches brings in an extra element of coziness.

If you’re concerned about visibility on your island, you can move the vase to one side. That way, you can make space for a low bowl to see over and give your centerpiece more balance. 

Etched Smoky Glass

While we’re in the kitchen, here’s a quick little addition to help you bring that early fall into your home—etched smoky vases.

I also found this vase at the shop, and I love how it brings in a subtle hint of warmth. This is a perfect late summer early fall decorating idea for that reason. I’m looking for pieces that have smokiness or tint without going too deep into fall and holiday décor.

The etched details make the vase a little more special without being season-specific with motifs like cherries, leaves, or wreaths. Vases like this are perfect for placing a single flower, fall stem, or excess kitchen utensils while I’m cooking. 

Gold Mirrored Trays

Last but not least, I love any excuse to bring back my gold mirrored trays.

I like to rotate my trays throughout my home to match the season. I’m sure you may have seen this one before because it’s one of my favorites. 

This tray will be the foundation for fun designs in my late summer early fall decorating, but also during the holidays. 

If you’re wondering, “what is early fall décor about this tray?”…

It’s all in the antique-look of the gold. The color reminds me of perfectly fallen leaves on the sidewalks that are just begging to be crunched on by my knee-high fall boots. 

To make the chest of drawers in my hallway feel reminiscent of fall, I’ve placed the tray on top of it. Over the next few weeks, I’ll start layering in my favorite velvet pumpkins in colors that go well in this area.

Where I Buy My Décor

People often ask me where I get all the beautiful decor in my home and throughout my tutorials. I get a ton of it from my shop, Village Antiques and Farmhouse by Amitha, located in Houston, Texas. 

You can check us out on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to see what we have going on in the shop. If you’re a local, please stop on by or just give us a call. 

How I’ll Be Transitioning My Home Into Fall

That about wraps up the seven different ways I’ll begin my late summer early fall decorating ideas. 

I didn’t get into Halloween or Thanksgiving décor today. Instead, everything I brought in is inspired by my husband’s nostalgia for the Canadian fall.

If you want to see how I transition these spaces richer, fall colors and textures, subscribe to my YouTube channel! I’ll be sharing all of these different areas of my home in our new segment called “Five-Minute Fridays.”

Let me know which one of these areas you’re most excited to see me transform in the comments below. 

And don’t forget to sign up for your free newsletter! You will get notifications every time a new blog comes out, receive exclusive inventory alerts, and get exclusive design advice. 

Keep using your amazing design gifts to create heart in your home, 

Amitha 

P.S. You can find all of these early fall decorating items at our retail store, Village Antiques in Houston.

Check out our collection of farmhouse-style furniture, French country home décor, antiques, vintage, chalk finish paints, and more!

We are open Tuesday – Saturday from 10:00am to 5:00pm. 

You can also reach us at (713) 468 – 3931.