Sophisticated Fall Decorating Ideas

You don't have to spend a lot of money to dress your home up for fall. There are a lot of things you can do with some items from your backyard and a can of spray paint. Check out these cheap but chic fall decorating ideas.

Fall means decorating with nature's bounty. Common items include pinecones, acorns, pumpkins, gourds and more. People tend to put them all over the house, and while this works really well for some homes, it's not the look that everyone wants. To put a sophisticated twist on theses traditional fall decorating ideas head out to the hardware or craft store and pick up a can of spray paint.

Here are some of the things you can do:

• Gather a bunch of nuts such as walnuts or acorns and spray paint all of them in the same color. Display them in a clear glass vase or bowl on the coffee table, mantel, or on a console table. For a stronger display use three vases or bowls of varying sizes and display them together.

• Spray paint pinecones and find a fun way to display them. Several of them together in a big bowl makes a nice display centerpiece.

• Spray painted pinecones can also make nice place card holders on fall tables. Paint them to match the table's color scheme and then stick the place cards in the ridges. If that doesn't work you can just set the pinecone on top of the place card so that it looks a bit like a paper weight . (Small pinecones work best.)

• Try spray painting a pinecone wreath (either a store bought version or one you make yourself). It still says fall but it will look a little more clean and sophisticated than a natural version. You can also do this with a wreath made of nuts such as acorns or chestnuts.

• Painted pumpkins and gourds are also fun display pieces. Dig a small hole in the top and make room for a taper candle and you've got a lovely seasonal candle holder. They can also be painted and then placed on a two- or three-tiered cake plate and placed in the center of a dining table. Pile a whole bunch of small ones on the cake plate for a real take-notice centerpiece.

• Painted pumpkins also look great when painted and placed on a mantel. Use several of varying sizes and place them in a pleasing way.

Possible Colors

The sky's the limit when it comes to colors, but try to use something that will compliment the color scheme of your home while still standing out. It's also a good idea not to use too many colors. Using just one or two will help create a cohesive look and pull all the items together. Some great choices include:

• Silver

• Black

• White

• Other metallics

While these aren't traditional fall colors keep in mind that the items you'll be using are. The shapes of the items will say autumn while the colors will add sophistication.

The good thing about these fall decorating ideas is that they're very inexpensive. If you try them and decide you don't like them you can just toss them away and try again.