Spring and summer get a lot of attention when it comes to outdoor decor and landscaping ideas, but we think fall is the real star of the show. You can achieve any kind of mood, from restrained and classy to all-out spooky. You can focus on harvest themes or hang ghosts from the trees and nobody is going to think it’s odd. Plus, as the leaves fall, your front yard decorating efforts will become more of a focal point. Why not have some fun and make your front yard pop with some of these ideas that will take fall decorating from passé to popping?
Monochromatic mums
We love mums, and they look great displayed on a porch or along the sidewalk. Take your mum display up a level by sticking to a single color for maximum visual impact. Monochromatic might seem boring but the results are stunning. Choose your favorite chrysanthemum color, then group the mums in planters, on the porch stairs, or plant along the front of landscaped beds once you clean out the summer annuals.
Match the mood with lighting
Now take the monochromatic mum display to top-level decor by using exterior lights that match the mums. Modern landscaping LED lights have all sorts of magical color-changing capabilities. Use a few strategically placed spotlights that are color-tuned to match your mums. Hang string lights across the front porch, set to the same color.
Harvest at home
We love pumpkins and hay bales and scarecrows as much as the next person, but what most people do gets kind of boring: a pumpkin or two on the steps, maybe a little hay bale peeking out behind the mums, a scarecrow wall-hanging by the front door. You can do better, and here’s how: get maximum harvest-themed curb appeal by grouping all these elements together. Choose a flower bed, a spot in your front yard, or the base of a tree that has gorgeous foliage in autumn. Arrange the elements together in one place for a beautiful, high-impact harvest display.
Glittering gourds
For an eye-catching fall decoration, gather up gourds in all sizes. Get a variety of shapes for a more interesting arrangement. Spray paint gourds with sparkling metallics. You can stick to silver or gold, or do a mix of metallic shades for more depth and interest. Let the paint dry thoroughly, then arrange the glittering gourds in a basket near the front door or place in planters along the sidewalk. Be sure that some of the exterior lights are angled to catch the painted gourds and show off that glitter at night.
Trim a tree
Yes, yes, we know it’s not time to get out the Christmas tree decorations yet. But who says tree trimming is only for the winter holidays? Autumn is the perfect time to highlight trees as their foliage moves through each stage of beautiful color. First, consider lighting: you can use spotlights aimed upward at an angle to show off the tree. Pull out the smallest varieties of those glittering gourds and hang from the lowest branches with twine so they catch the light. Want to amp up the spooky factor? Add Halloween decor like ghosts and bats as part of your tree decor.
A few final fall decoration tips
There are two factors that will help any type of fall decoration look best: first, grouping for visual impact and second, smart lighting to show off the decor. Grouping by color (like those mums) or pulling elements together into a single display creates a stronger visual impact and is cheery and fun while looking impressive. Grouping doesn’t mean you’re limited to one color; just find ways to build groups rather than scattering the decorations out. Groupings catch the eye. And the right lighting will let your decorations stand out even as the days grow shorter and dusk comes earlier and earlier. Plus, with the fun color capabilities of LED lights you can get creative with how you show off different elements of your fall decorations at night. Your front yard can have a whole different look when the lights come on.
Here’s to a great fall! Get in touch for help with your exterior lighting, from color-changing LED string lights to lighting effects like moonscaping. We’re here to help.
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