Get Your Kitchen Ready For Fall With This Essential Decor Tip

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Crepe-paper ghosts, gourds a'plenty, baskets of shiny red apples ... fall is approaching, and, with it, your desire to decorate for the season is undoubtedly roaring back from the sluggish hibernation of a long, hot summer. 'Tis (almost) the season for autumn cocktails made with allspice dram and pumpkin spice seasoning blend on everything, so your kitchen should look the part. But don't go just covering your kitchen island in jack-o'-lanterns or hanging garlands of fiery leaves all willy-nilly. An underrated décor tip for your fall decorating ... is to decorate in underrated places with underrated items.

While great seasonal décor is tasteful and festive, too much of a good thing can be a visual punch in the kisser, creating an overstimulating mess that borders on obnoxious. That's why we urge you to focus on unexpected areas of your kitchen for decorating. The corners of your countertops, your coffee bar, and your dining room chairs are all less-obvious suspects when it comes to placing decorations and will look much more understated and elegant if you focus your efforts there.

Keep in mind that your kitchen shouldn't look like a HomeGoods seasonal aisle threw up all over it. A light hand and healthy dose of mindfulness when decorating will pack more of an inviting impact than going all-out on spooky skeletons, toothy scarecrows, and farmhouse signs that use any permutation of the phrase "fall, y'all" (unless that's really your thing, of course). A little restraint will pay dividends in compliments from visitors.

This fall, we're skipping the obvious candy corn hues (do you know the origin and history of this famous Halloween candy?) and incorporating sage, dusty blue, and neutral tones with pops of orange. Imagine a goldenrod and ivory plaid runner on your table, sprays of thistle-blue blooms in your seasonal flower arrangements, or an ivory-colored pumpkin casserole dish on your sideboard ... these are all tasteful, subtle touches of autumn that invite the eye to look more closely in unexpected locations.

Break out of literal thinking when it comes to your autumn decorating, too. Instead of displaying fruit or miniature pumpkins in a ceramic bowl festooned with witch's hats, for instance, how about placing a shallow terra cotta pot off to the far side of your kitchen island or on a lower shelf? The color and shape evoke a pumpkin without screaming "Halloween!" and your neighbors and family members will subconsciously be put in the fall mood.

Keep in mind that fall is, ultimately, the harvest season and that effective, subtle decorating can be done by bringing the bounty of nature indoors with you. A long walk on a crisp day gathering fallen twigs and pine cones can lead to a gorgeous wreath or arrangement for a vase or bowl. Consider putting it on an unexpected door (your pantry, perhaps?) or in an out-of-the-way corner, and your kitchen will look fabulously autumnal without the garish, expected touches.