These DIY fall decor projects add a festive touch to your indoor and outdoor living spaces. We’ve included quick projects—including pumpkin candleholders and fall leaf placemats—along with whimsical wreaths and wall hangings. Whether you have just a few minutes or a few hours, you’ll find something to infuse your home with the spirit of autumn.
Marigold Garland
Kelsey Hansen
Visitors will be shocked to hear you made this expensive-looking marigold garland at home. Simply cut the marigold heads from the stems, and thread a piece of cording through the center of the flower with a needle. Continue until the garland is your desired length. Ties knots at the end of the cording to secure.
Mini Pumpkin Candleholders
Kelsey Hansen
Make natural candlestick holders using mini pumpkins and gourds. Trace the base of a metal candlestick holder onto the top of a pumpkin or gourd, and use a craft knife to cut it out. Cut and remove enough of the pumpkin flesh so the candle fits snuggly inside. Before lighting, make sure the candle is placed in the insert inside of the pumpkin.
Velvet Mushrooms
Brie Goldman
Add a whimsical touch to your fall decor by crafting a few fabric mushrooms. Start with a wooden mushroom base and then cut circles from velvet fabric. Hot-glue the fabric to the underside of the mushroom, making sure it’s pulled tightly.
Fall Leaf Placemats
Kelsey Hansen
Deck out your table for fall with festive placemats. Collect, dry, and flatten leaves from outside (artificial leaves will also work). Once flat, use craft adhesive to paste the leaves onto plain placemats. Apply a coat of adhesive on top of the leaves to secure in place.
Citrus Fall Garland
Carson Downing
Create this easy fall citrus garland using felt and string. Cut leaf, star, and orange-slice shapes from different colors of felt, and use an embroidery needle and thread to create details. To make the shapes three-dimensional, hot-glue two shapes together and stuff with cotton. Glue the shapes to yarn before hanging on a mantel.
Woodland Wonderland
David A. Land
Create a charming woodland display for a front entry focal point. Arrange a few logs in various sizes on a table. Construct mushrooms out of paper or clay and attach to your base. Finish the DIY fall decor by adding some branches with colorful leaves.
Carve a Fall Phrase
Adam Albright
Pumpkins are an autumn staple. Decorate your front porch with classic orange pumpkins etched with a message to welcome guests. For extra impact, add an array of pumpkins and gourds in various sizes and colors.
Bring Fall into Your Home
Victor Schrager
Take a little of the outside world and bring it indoors. This easy fall DIY project only requires a canvas and a handful of fall leaves. Arrange the leaves randomly, in a pattern, or in a gradient, then pin them to the canvas for an elegant fall addition to any room.
Braided Placemats
Jacob Fox
Add shades of purple, yellow, and blue to your fall tablescape with these multi-colored cornhusk placemats. Start with 24 dyed cornhusks, spritz them with water, and flatten with an iron on low heat. Once all of the husks are flattened, begin attaching them to a piece of cork with hot glue. Finish the placemat by adding a piece of braided cornhusk trim around the placemat.
Fresh DIY Fall Decor
Kritsada Panichgul
The season’s best produce can serve as supplies for fresh DIY fall crafts. Try carving out squash and gourds to turn them into vessels for beautiful fall blooms. Place the planters on a galvanized metal cake stand to complete the farmhouse-style fall display.
Make Nature-Inspired Art
Courtesy of Sara Albers and Melissa Fenlon
Borrow from nature to create custom fall artwork. On a canvas or piece of wood, glue trimmed twigs from longest to shortest to resemble a pumpkin. Use a thick twig as a stem. Add a small twine bow to finish your project.
DIY Fall Wreath with Mums
Carson Downing
Inexpensive and versatile, a grapevine gives a rustic touch. Use it in this cozy fall craft for a gorgeous wreath with seasonal color. Hot-glue dried or faux mum flowers to the wreath using your favorite fall colors. Finish the wreath by attaching mini faux white pumpkins with florist’s wire.
Forage for Fall Decor
Carson Downing
Take a trip to your backyard to find three similarly sized twigs. Tie them together with a string in the shape of a triangle. Decorate with ribbon and fall foliage. When finished, use ribbon or string to hang your fall accent from a door or window.
Recycle Fabric Scraps
Kathryn Gamble Lozier
Recycle discarded fabric scraps with this unique embroidery hoop gallery wall. Select swatches with warm colors or fall prints. For an unexpected twist, layer smaller hoops on top of a larger one or add buttons or other embellishments.
DIY Fall Wall Decor
Jacob Fox
Above a console table in your entryway, this fabric greeting adds a festive touch as soon as you walk in the door. Purchase a piece of fabric with an autumn-inspired pattern. Then stitch around all four sides to create clean edges (press on fusible interfacing first for crisper lines). Along the top and bottom, create a rod pocket and push a wood dowel through the opening. Use iron-on letters to spell out a seasonal phrase. Thread a cord through the top pocket and tie it off to hang the fall wall decor.
Cozy Sweater Vases
Kritsada Panichgul
Use old cable-knit sweaters to repurpose plain vases. Start by cutting off the sleeves of thrifted or no-longer-worn sweaters. Stretch them over cylindrical vases, folding the edge over the rim and securing with double-sided tape if needed. Fill the vases with gathered branches that showcase colorful fall foliage.
DIY Chalkboard Sign
Carson Downing
Welcome guests to your home and create an inviting fall front porch with this handmade chalkboard sign. Instead of a DIY wreath, upcycle a picture frame by painting a sheet of craft wood into this easy message board. This quick fall craft for adults is ready as soon as the chalk paint dries!
Fall Farmhouse DIY Wreath
Jay Wilde
Celebrate the simple beauty of farmhouse style with this easy piece. Transform a plain grapevine wreath into a one-of-a-kind fall wreath with a few faux leaves, wooden flowers, and an oversized burlap bow. Secure the elements with floral wire and hot glue.
Welcoming Pumpkin Craft
Carson Downing
This easy craft will turn your front porch into a sweet welcoming space for fall guests. Use a large basket (we love the natural colors in this one!) to hold a pile of mini pumpkins. Choose a white pumpkin with a nice shape, and use a permanent marker to transfer our free “gather” pattern to the front of the pumpkin.
Cornhusk Flowers
Jacob Fox
Create a unique bouquet of flowers using dyed cornhusks. Cut cornhusks into flower petals, and hot glue them onto a small cardstock circle with a poked hole in the center. Once finished with the petals, twist pieces of floral wire together, and thread them through the hole in the cardstock. Hot glue a pom-pom to the center of the circle to create the flower pistil.
Fall Welcome Mat
Carson Downing
Creating a beautiful fall front porch starts with a painted welcome mat. Our free fall-themed stencils and some paint are all it takes to transform a plain coir doormat into a stunning piece. Plus, you can customize it with any colors you like. It also makes a great handmade gift.
Fall Corn Decor
Helen Norman
Changing leaves and colder nights mean that harvest is underway. Use some of the season’s bounty to decorate your home. Use wire to gather a few stalks of ornamental corn. Then hang them on a door or cabinet in the kitchen or dining room.
Felt Acorn Wreath
Carson Downing
Create a stunning fall wreath that combines natural elements with fun felt pom-poms. Craft a trio of felt acorns by gluing colorful felt balls to real, foraged-from-the-ground acorn tops. Display your whimsical acorns on a plain gold wreath hoop with a small branch and felt leaves. This eye-catching wreath will welcome guests all autumn long.
DIY Thankful Banner
Carson Downing
Create a quick Thanksgiving decoration with our free, printable banner. All you’ll need is some brown kraft paper and thick twine to hang it. Use it as part of your fall mantel decor or hang it above your dining room table.
Give Thanks Corkboard
Marty Baldwin
Get ready to celebrate fall with an acorn-shaped corkboard that inspires you to give thanks. Simply cut an acorn shape from a piece of craft-store corkboard and use punched cardstock circles to create the cap. Hang it in your kitchen, at a party, or save it for Thanksgiving. Bonus: Kids will love helping fill the board with their favorite things.
DIY Pumpkin Planter
Jacob Fox
Instead of plain pots, display your fall flowers and plants in a DIY pumpkin planter. Simply cut the top off a real or faux pumpkin, add drainage holes, and you’re ready to get planting. Set it on your front stoop for a welcoming fall porch.
Leather Acorn Garland
Jay Wilde
Looking for a Thanksgiving decoration that lasts all season long? This handmade fall garland fits the bill. Create cut leather acorns in neutral shades and string them up with thick twine or ribbon. Add it to your mantel for a stunning piece of fall decor.
Temporary Tattoo Pumpkin
Carson Downing
The new trend in pumpkin decorating? Tattoos! This fall Halloween craft idea comes together in a jiffy, thanks to a few of your favorite temporary tattoo designs and a little bit of water. Opt for faux pumpkins instead of real for a darling decoration you’ll use year after year.
Metallic Magnolia Wreath
Adam Albright
This DIY wreath is made with painted magnolia leaves and not much else. To make this easy fall craft, spray-paint dried magnolia leaves (collect some yourself or purchase them online) in a variety of metallic shades. Attach them to a plain wreath form, and you’re done.
Pastel Beaded Corn
Jacob Fox
This pastel corn is made from wooden beads and corn husks. Feed wooden beads onto a 14-inch piece of wrapped wire. Repeat three more times. When finished, fold the wires in half and stack them across each other, crossing the wires until a cob shape forms. Twist and hot-glue the ends to secure. Place in a dyed cornhusk to complete the look.
DIY Clay Leaf Dishes
Dana Gallagher
Perfect for holding salt or spices, these small dishes bring a hint of fall to your table decor. To make these dishes, roll out air-dry clay on linen and use leaf-shaped cookie cutters to cut out. Place leaves, pattern side up, on a sheet to dry. When completely dry, paint leaves with a mixture of two parts liquid fabric dye to one part water.
DIY Succulent Pumpkin Planter
Matthew Clark
This quick fall craft will be the star of your Thanksgiving table. We used a white faux pumpkin to create a DIY holiday centerpiece that’s filled with a variety of fresh succulents. Pops of decorative moss add color.
Felt Mum Garland
Carson Downing
Showcase the beauty of mums with this DIY fall garland. Create felt mums in a variety of sizes, and then use a needle to thread them on a string with wood beads. Hang them outside in protected areas or on your fall mantel.
Wax Paper Lanterns
Dana Gallagher
Grab the wax paper from your pantry and turn it into adorable lanterns made for autumn. Using ironing cloths and a few leaves leftover from raking your yard, iron the leaves onto 8-by-8-inch squares of wax paper. Use washi tape to adhere each square together. Then add a flameless tea light in the center to give off an inviting glow.
Surround your lanterns with even more fall color and texture by adding red twig dogwood branches or pine cones.
Fall Acorn Treats
Marty Baldwin
Make adorable acorn treat holders that your family will go nuts over this fall. Not only are they great for sending in school lunches, but this easy craft is a thoughtful party favor or decoration, too. To make, simply hot-glue twine around the wide end of a plastic Easter egg. Then fill it with snacks, candy, or other fun treats.
Dyed Cornhusks
Jacob Fox
Take fall crafts to the next level by dyeing cornhusks any color you want. First, soak the husks in hot water for 8 minutes. Then transfer them to a second container filled with a hot water and fabric dye mixture. Let the husks soak for 5 minutes; then remove them and let them dry for 24 hours.
We used 6 cups of hot water with 2 tablespoons of fabric dye to dye our cornhusks. Feel free to use more or less dye, depending on how dark or light you want your husks to be.
Shimmering Fall Votives
Steven McDonald
Let your lighting set the mood for any fall get-together with this easy craft idea. Start by spraying a light mist of water into a glass holder. Working inside the glass only, spray a light layer of metallic gold paint over the water beads, leaving the glass slightly translucent. Let dry, then add a layer of gold glitter spray to finish.
Fall Garden Banner
Adam Albright
Create an all-natural look with our easy fall garland, using treasures from your outdoor autumn garden. Silvery twine loops form a scalloped garland. Chinese lanterns, fall leaves, nigella pods, and ginkgo leaves make special additions; attach using fine wire.
Cornhusk Butterflies
Jacob Fox
Scatter these colorful butterflies among your usual fall decor to add extra whimsy. Trace our free butterfly template onto dyed cornhusks and cut them out. Create two sets of wings for a layered look, and attach them to a yarn-wrapped piece of wire to form the butterfly’s body. Use a bead for the butterfly’s head and wire for the antennae.
Lacy Fall Leaves Craft
Marty Baldwin
Set the table with these gorgeous metallic place cards. Window screen and paint are all it takes to create a flurry of cut-mesh fall leaves. Use real leaves (or a template) to trace your shapes onto the screen with a permanent marker and then cut them out with tin snips or a pair of old scissors. Spray paint with a metallic finish and add veining, using metallic puffy paint. Use the finished leaves as part of a fall wreath or garland, or on your Thanksgiving table.
Leafy Vases
Dana Gallagher
Fall vases don’t get much cuter than this. Start with leaf-printed decal paper. Soak the designs in a bowl of cold water and then apply the leaf shapes to plain or colored vases to decorate your living room with fall spirit.
Painted Wine Glasses
Steven McDonald
This pretty wine craft is perfect for a party. Add simple fall romance to party stemware using pearl and glitter glass paints. Coat the underside of the glass base with the pearl paint, swirling a pattern out from the center; let dry. Alternatively, add a coat of glitter glass paint on top of the base and up the stem.
Marker-Magic Vase
Greg Schiedemann
The vibrant blooms of fall deserve a striking display. With this easy technique, a plain vase gains autumn style with a few strokes of a pen. Plan a design to coordinate with the flowers, and use a white oil-base marker to draw the design on a plain ceramic vase.
Think beyond fall mums for your arrangements. Consider the berries of a dwarf cotoneaster, suggests Fine Gardening magazine, or an evergreen branch, for instance.
Layered Wreath
Jacob Fox
Switch out your regular fall wreath for a homemade corn husk version. Simple fold and hot-glue strips of dyed cornhusks around a wire wreath form. Start on the outermost ring of the wreath form, and work inward to create a layered look.
Fall Gratitude Journal
Adam Albright
Gratitude journals are perfect as fall gifts or just to record your own favorite moments of the season. Download the illustrated cards and attach to the fronts of blank journals with photo corners. Keep one for yourself; give one as a gift.
Painted Vases
Cameron Sadeghpour
Paint makes it easy to add metallic accents to a variety of containers, turning plain glass vases into something special. Pour a small amount of metallic crafts paint inside a vase; tip and twirl the vase to cover as much of the interior as desired. We love gold for fall, but you can pick the paint that matches your home decor.
Sparkling Wheat Wreath
Greg Scheidemann
Simple upgrades can transform even the most ordinary fall crafts into something extraordinary. Start with a purchased wheat wreath. Buy a separate bunch of dried wheat and divide into three groups. Paint each group a different metallic color (such as gold, copper, and brass) and tuck into the purchased wreath. Hang a sweet message off-center to finish.
Metallic Painted Leaves
Cameron Sadeghpour
A smattering of leaves can make a pretty fall centerpiece when grouped together. You can also place one at each place setting for an unusual accent. Here, we sprayed thick mature sycamore leaves with copper paint.
Wooden Trivets
Steven McDonald
Organic in style and easy to design, these stylish natural coasters provide a practical boost to your side tables. Start with a 4-by-4-inch wood block; make straight cuts of varying widths. Sand the edges and corners, and apply a coat of natural wood stain and sealer; let dry. Apply cabinet bumpers on the four corners of each of the bases to keep surfaces scratch-free.
Thankful Tree Decoration
Marty Baldwin
Fall is a natural season to step back and reflect on what you and your family are thankful for. Use this easy autumn craft as a visual reminder.
Start by finding an interesting branch; tape off the base and spray-paint the top white. Fill a vase with nuts or rocks and insert the branch. Cut out leaves from construction paper (search online for leaf shapes), punch a hole at the top of each, write a thankful message, and hang with ribbon or twine.
Pressed Fall Leaf Artwork
Matthew Mead
Artfully display fall specimens on microscope slide-inspired frames to brighten a shelf for fall. Place a pressed leaf between two pieces of glass. Secure the pieces of glass together by wrapping colored linen book-cloth tape around all four sides.
To create pressed leaves for fall crafts, place leaves between layers of newspapers and press under a stack of books. Let dry for a couple of days and then iron each leaf between two pieces of waxed paper to enhance the color of the leaf, using a pressing cloth to keep wax off the iron.
No-Sew Fall Leaf Pillow
Steven McDonald
Dress a pillow in cozy fall textures without sewing a stitch in this fun fall crafts project. Assemble a collection of leaves from your yard in various shapes and trace their forms onto felt. Cut out the felt leaves and attach them to the pillow using permanent fabric adhesive.
Fall Leaf Garland
Kritsada Panichgul
Keep your fall decorations natural and simple with this fun crafts project. Gather fresh fallen leaves from the backyard and use a needle to thread them onto a string, securing the ends with knots. Tack the garland onto the edge of a table, along a banister, or across a door frame to add instant fall color.
Faux Harvest Fruits
Jacob Fox
Make miniature candy-filled pumpkins, pears, pomegranates, and corn from dyed cornhusks. Form pouches with flattened cornhusks to create the faux fruits and hot-glue as you form. Fill the pouches with candy and either twist or tie the pouches closed with twine or wire. Place in a decorative serving bowl or scatter down the center of your table.
