Bringing the Outdoors In: Styling Your Home from Fall Through the Holidays
BOHEME DESIGN HOUSE · FALL 2026 · JOURNAL NO. 10
I look forward to this seasonal shift every year in Southwest Colorado -when the aspens have dropped their gold, the light turns low and amber, and the air becomes crisp and smells faintly of leaves and woodsmoke in the valley. The mountains, dusted with white, are quietly telling us to slow down, be a little more quiet and intentional and of course embrace the sense of cozy. Fall into winter is truly the season of “hygge”, the Danish and Norwegian word that describes a mood of coziness, safety, and comfortable conviviality… a fire going, a good book, a very soft throw blanket, music on and a pot of soup on the stove.
And for me, especially, this is the season of noticing how nature and plants are changing out the back door, in your yard, neighborhood and favorite trails.
The best seasonal decorating is in tune with this seasonal shift. Rather than a trip to the big-box aisle for plastic pumpkins and shiny ornaments, we like to let the landscape do the work: branches, grasses, seed pods, stones, evergreens, dried citrus, and natural textiles like wool and linen. Bring the outdoors in, and your home shifts with the season and embraces this natural sense of calm.
Ever since I was little - I enjoy taking stock in what the grasses and hardwoods are doing, the perennial plants turning in for winter. I make a list in my head while on walks - what materials can I gather and use for making things and decorating… native gramma grass, scrub oak branches are abundant, seed pods like dried poppies, the iridescent pearl silver dollars of Money Plant (Lunaria annua), seed plumes of Clematis and Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa), and a favorite, Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena), seed stalks of alliums, as well as vines like grapevine or Virginia Creeper that has turned red with purple-blue berries.
We wanted to share how you can also become an observer of nature and bring the outdoors in to decorate with the seasons. Here’s how we layer it, from the first crisp days of fall right through the holidays.
Start with the Palette the Season Already Gives You
Decorating with seasonal natural elements
Before you buy or gather anything, look out your window. Right now that's rust, ochre, burnt sienna, deep olive, bark brown, and the soft silvery green of sage and juniper. Add the creams and oatmeals of dried grasses, and you have a palette that works with almost any home built on warm neutrals.
As fall melts into winter, the palette simply deepens and cools: forest and spruce green, warm white, cranberry, and touches of brass or copper. You're not redecorating, you're editing toward the season, which is the most sustainable approach there is.
Textiles: The Fastest Way to Change a Room
If you do only one thing, change your textiles. Pillows, throws and rugs shift the mood of a room more quickly, and for less money, than anything else. Locally, we have some wonderful resources like Artesanos, Urban Market, A Shared Blanket (fair trade alpaca) and even Sien & Co to find pillows, throw blankets and artful textiles.
Pillows. Swap your summer covers for natural, tactile fibers: nubby wool, linen in rust or oat, velvet in olive or deep clay, and anything with a handwoven or block-printed pattern. Mix scale and texture rather than matching sets: one solid, one subtle stripe, one with a bolder organic motif. Buy covers rather than whole pillows so you can use your existing inserts, and store the off-season ones for next year.
Throw blankets. Layer, don't just drape. A chunky wool or alpaca-blend throw over the arm of the sofa, a lighter linen or cotton throw folded at the foot of the bed, and a sheepskin over a reading chair give you the cozy, hygge feeling we love without a single new piece of furniture. Look for natural fibers like wool, cotton, linen and mohair, which breathe, last for decades, and age beautifully.
Rugs and drapery. If you have the room, add a layered wool or jute rug beneath your main one for depth. Heavier linen or lined drapery in the colder months adds warmth and softens echoey winter light.
The Coffee Table: Your Seasonal Still Life
The coffee table creates a natural stage for the season. We style it like a still life, with a few intentional elements instead of many competing ones.
Warm light and scent: a candle in amber, cedar, cinnamon or orange. Group in odd numbers, and keep the height varied. Look for small batch made and all natural ingredients!
A grounded base: a wood tray or a stack of two or three large-format art books to give everything height and structure. Rotate your books on display with the seasons…. ski chalet or winter cabins versus those of gardens or summer-like notes.
Something living or once-living: a low bowl of pinecones, acorns or dried seed pods, or a small vase of foraged branches.
A vessel with character: a handmade ceramic piece, ideally from a local maker, which adds an artful, sculptural note.
The rule we return to often: one beautiful, intentional object beats ten competing for attention.
Shelves, Mantels and Surfaces:
Edit, Then Layer
Bookshelves, credenzas and mantels are where seasonal styling can tip into clutter, so start by editing. Clear a little space, then bring in the season in groupings of three.
Branches and grasses: a tall vase of foraged branches or dried pampas and native grasses adds height and movement. Hang on to anything that dries beautifully, because many of these arrangements last well into winter.
Stones, shells and found objects: a smooth river stone, a bit of driftwood or a bleached antler shed brings in the quiet permanence of the landscape.
Pressed leaves and botanical art: tuck pressed leaves into simple frames and lean them among your books.
Candles and lantern light: as days shorten, light becomes the most important accessory in the room. Mix pillar candles, tapers and a lantern or two.
Leave breathing room: negative space is part of the design. Let the eye rest.
Moving Into the Holidays: Evergreens, Citrus and Spice
When the season turns toward the holidays, you don't need to start over. Slide your autumn palette toward evergreen and warm white, and keep the natural materials.
Fresh greenery: pine, cedar, juniper and eucalyptus on a mantel, down the center of the dining table, or tucked into a vase by the front door. Mist it every few days to keep it fresh.
Dried orange slices and cinnamon sticks: threaded into a garland or tucked into a bowl, they fill the house with scent. (See our natural garland, dried orange and cranberry tutorial for step-by-step instructions.)
Cranberries and pinecones: strung, bowled or scattered, they bring a spark of red and a whole lot of nostalgia.
Wool and sheepskin accents: swap rust pillows for deep green, cream or cranberry in the same textures, and keep your throws within reach for evenings by the fire.
A tabletop tree or branch arrangement: if you don't want a full tree, a collection of bare branches with a few delicate ornaments is a graceful, low-waste alternative.
About This Post
Part of the Boheme Design House Seasonal 2026 Journal — a seasonal series exploring the ideas shaping how we design, redesign, reimagine, adapt and inhabit homes and outdoor spaces in Southwest Colorado.
Foraging List
Head into your yard, neighborhood alleys and local trails to find elements (you know are ok to take):
OAK BRUSH - be mindful how you choose branches and snip to ensure health of the plant.
GRASSES - take only the small amount of what you need and leave a good amount of the plant tuff to reseed and spread in spring.
VINES - snip a few runs from different plants
PERENNIALS - cut dry stock and stems and if it doesn’t disturb the integrity of the plant… shake and distribute seeds while harvesting.
PINE CONES: A signature of fall into winter
EVERGREEN | CEDAR: As we move more into winter
A Note on Foraging Responsibly
We love gathering from the landscape, but we also love leaving it intact. Take only what you need, snip a little from many plants rather than stripping one, avoid anything that's protected or toxic, and always check local land rules before collecting on public land. Your own yard, a friend's property, or fallen material from a hike are all good places to start. As we shared in our fall foraging journal, the gathering itself becomes part of the season's ritual.
If you can’t forage, here’s a shopping list of natural elements
Head to the Farmer’s Market, a local farm stand or Durango Natural Foods to find
POMEGRANATE - great to add to any display in your dining area, kitchen fruit bowls, etc.
CITRUS - slice and dry in your oven at 175-200 degrees or as Orange Pomanders - dried whole with cloves
WALNUTS - add to centerpiece design or a small decorative bowl
CRANBERRIES - thread for a vibrant natural garland
SPICES - cinnamon sticks, cloves and star of anise are a lovely addition to both your seasonal spice drawer and natural garlands
Natural textiles from Sien & Co. make a lovely seasonal addition or change to space
A Season of Less, but Better
Seasonal decorating shouldn't feel like another to-do. It's a way of noticing what's happening outside and inviting a bit of it in: a branch from a morning walk, a wool blanket that finally comes out of storage, a candle lit as the light fades. The result is a home that feels grounded, warm and unmistakably yours, and one that will transition easily from golden fall into the glow of the holidays.
Want help layering your home for the season, from textiles and styling to full seasonal refreshes? Reach out for a complimentary 15-minute consultation. We'd love to help you bring your home into the season! Email Us today to get ready for the holidays or help with a seasonal shift.
