Fall wreaths can be made with just-picked flowers, but it’s also a great way to use up ones that are on their way out – blooms that are wilting but still have pliable stems can be braided and will dry nicely. Bay leaves, gomphrena and strawflowers are especially good choices for an arrangement, as they’re all very long-lasting and dry well. The colors of strawflowers feel almost unreal (in the best way) and bring a sense of whimsy to your fall decor ideas. However, if you are a traditionalist at heart, fall foliage favorites also include varieties of eucalyptus, ivy, holly and box. Frankly, you can decorate your fall wreath with anything from flowers to seed heads, pinecones to cinnamon sticks.
Fall wreath ideas
Wreaths don’t just need to be for doors – as we show below, they make wonderful decor elements inside rooms, on walls, furniture and even the dining table. These are our favorite fall wreath ideas – we think they are simply beautiful.
1. Make a simple fall wreath
Once you know how to make a fall wreath, it’s unlikely you’ll go back to ready-made. We have a simple step-by-step that shows how easy and quick it is to make a fall wreath, but you may like to buy a basic base you can simply add to every season.
2. Color coordinate your fall wreath with foliage
‘Outdoor fall decor is most successful when it’s matched to your yard’s foliage, be that fall flowers for pots, plants for fall color that you have recently put in or even the trees for fall color you have further down the yard,’ says Rachel Crow. ‘Realistically, this means choosing fall color schemes for your wreaths, including rusty reds, burnished orange and gold. I like to add sprigs of berries and scented cones to the wreaths I hang on my front door,’ continues Rachel. ‘That way, guests get to enjoy a visual treat as well as the wonderful aromas of fall.’
3. Festoon an entryway with foliage
Looking for fall porch ideas or something to dress up your entryway? The classic fall or Christmas wreath can often be far too beautiful to be left out in the cold, so if you decide to display one inside always consider how its foliage will work with your interiors. A design like this seed head and moss creation has a wonderfully pale and ethereal look, making it the ideal focal point for a darker corner in your home. In this setting, the curved shape of the crescent table echoes the circular wreath, while the white bowl picks up on the highlighted areas of foliage above. If you are looking for other options to add pale tones to a wreath, consider integrating white heather or snowberry as both will stand out in darker areas.
4. Hang a wreath above a dining table
Fall wreaths are often amongst fall table decor ideas, creating a focal point at the center of the table. However, while they look beautiful, they can take up so much space that they need to be removed when it’s time to dine. So, what’s the solution? Hanging your fall wreath above the table instead. ‘I love this idea,’ says Lucy Searle, Editor in Chief, Homes & Gardens. ‘It makes a dining space feel more intimate, especially if thread through with battery-powered string lights, and you can tailor it exactly to suit the color scheme in your dining room or of your celebration.’
5. Hang a modern rustic wreath above the mantel
Think outside of the green box when selecting or foraging for your fall mantel ideas. Add an unexpected, but still naturalistic, touch by incorporating seed heads into your fall wreaths and garlands. ‘The sharp silhouettes of these dried teasels are gently softened with occasional sprays of delicate foliage. If you’re into the sphagnum moss bowls that have been populating Instagram, take things a step further and fill your hearth with a generous helping of foliage to continue the look throughout the whole vignette,’ says Sarah Spiteri, Homes & Gardens’ Editorial Director. ‘Seed heads, when handled carefully, can be used for years, and opt for preserved moss if you want the entire scheme to be ready to go next fall, too.’
6. Take a less is more approach
Fall front door decor needn’t be limited to the outside of the door; hanging wreaths on the back of doors is a lovely idea, too. All the better if the door panels are glazed, so that the wreath can be seen from both sides. Fall wreaths don’t always have to be laden with foliage – for a delicate take on the tradition, instead choose a simple brass hoop adorned with a single sprig of fir. While this option uses a candleholder hoop for added glow, you can just use foliage.
7. Leave a token of gratitude for friends and family
Consider creating natural fall wreath decorations that not only look beautiful but also act as party favors. Here, creative florists Worm. (opens in new tab) have woven dried leftover foliage and materials from bigger projects into a circle to create a look that will outlive the evening and become an elegant keepsake.
8. Don’t forget the guest bedroom
‘We make our own fall wreath and it’s a project that can be done as a family. It’s meaningful if everybody finds something special to add to the wreath,’ says Katie Smyth of Worm. Fall wreaths don’t have to be the usual holly and fir rings though, or for the front door. Try something new with dried tropical leaves sprayed in subtle fall colors with a metallic hint (like Worm’s dried wreath, above). It will add drama all year round wherever you hang it. ‘We are always drawn to handmade and natural fall wreath ideas. There is nothing more satisfying than bringing in foraged rose hips, pine and bare branches from the garden. Simply place them in vases around the house,’ adds Katie.
9. Invest in the best wreath you can afford
The secret to successful fall wreath decorating is to be as generous with flowers and foliage as your budget allows. Seasonality and sustainability are key, so choose fall wreaths that are made with native foliage such as spruce, holly, ivy, yew and fir. If you are after something more contemporary, then forgo the holly and berries. ‘As well as the usual pine, holly and ivy, try using glossy bundles of camellia foliage and glaucous eucalyptus to add a whole new dimension to your fall decorations,’ says royal florist, Simon Lycett (opens in new tab).
10. Swap a mirror for a festive fall wreath
Don’t confine a floral wreath to the front door. Instead, add seasonal cheer to any room in your home with fall wreath that will make you smile, each and every day. Hang a fall wreath above a sideboard or console table in the same way as you would usually hang a mirror or a picture for an added element of decoration.
11. Deck the halls with animal-friendly decoration
Incorporating wreath ideas into your wildlife garden ideas is a great way to bring some interest and intrigue to your scheme. A natural, sustainable vibe – with minimal plastic and packaging – is hot on the agenda for many of us. Although most festive foliage is off limits for pets or farmyard animals – holly, mistletoe, ivy and yew, for starters. Instead, keep it simple with edible apples, or pears. You can also add a festive touch with the red berries of hawthorn and rosehip, which are not toxic to animals, unlike holly or yew berries.
12. Keep it contemporary and simple
The hall is the first area of your home that your visitors see, so dress it with an impressive wreath. A design made up of just one type of flower or foliage is an elegant option with dramatic impact. ‘You can match them with your fall planter ideas outside for a cohesive scheme,’ says Jennifer Ebert, Homes & Gardens’ Digital Editor.
13. Go for an asymmetrical design
Wreaths don’t have to be symmetrical. Play around with different-shaped bases, or create unusual asymmetrical designs by arranging foliage, berries and flowers over two-thirds of a circular base.
Where you hang fall wreaths
Fall wreaths aren’t limited to front doors. They are best hung in ‘public’ spaces of the home where everyone can see them: in the entryway above a console table, over a fireplace in a living room, and above a dining table in a dining room or kitchen. However, it is also lovely to put them in bedrooms: from yours to the kids’ to guest bedrooms.
How do you make fall wreaths?
Once a staple of eighties decor, dried flowers are back, part of the new mood towards sustainability and making things last and not simply growing and displaying blooms to discard days later. But think dusky rather than dusty, peonies that have paled as they’ve been preserved, hydrangreas that lose their vivacity but take on new beauty with age. Not just reserved for the front door, you could cover the whole house in dried flowers; dried rose balls are both fragrant and pretty, or pick out a daring wreath to hang in a guest bedroom. Choose one that goes with your existing scheme and that won’t need changing throughout the seasons.
