Fall Decor: Elegant Ways to Decorate with Pumpkins

It’s no secret pumpkins go hand in hand with fall decorating, but it hasn’t always been this way. In fact, the first jack o’ lanterns, rooted in an Irish tradition, were actually carved out of potatoes and turnips. It wasn’t until the Irish began immigrating to the United States that they discovered pumpkins, which was a better alternative, and began using them instead.

Vintage Home Love Fall Porch Ideas

Since then, pumpkins have become a staple in every household during fall and are now the go-to fall decoration. That’s why we decided to scour the most popular fall pumpkin decorations and collected different and unique ways you can use pumpkins around your home. Here are our favorite ways to decorate the outside of your home using pumpkins.

11 outdoor fall decor ideas using pumpkins

1. Rethink your fall color palette.

Home Stories A to Z Fall Porch Ideas 1

Home Stories A to Z used her existing home colors to create this non-traditional fall color palette. Pumpkins painted in shades of blue and white help pull together this unique fall porch idea.

Home Stories A to Z Fall Porch Ideas

2. Keep your fall decor natural and organic.

Vintage Home Love Fall Porch Ideas 1

Fall is one of the few times of the year when you can use all natural elements to decorate. Our Vintage Home Love used corn stalks, hay bales, burlap, and, of course, pumpkins to create this rustic look.

Vintage Home Love Fall Porch Ideas 3

3. Create a cozy fall retreat.

French Country Cottage Pumpkin Decorating Ideas 2

French Country Cottage had some extra space in her backyard, so she turned it into a fall oasis. A couple wicket chairs, a portable fire pit, some well-placed pumpkins, and cafe lights hung from the trees make this an ideal fall evening getaway.

4. White pumpkins will give your fall decor a chic look.

Town and Country Mag White Pumpkins

White is the new orange in this fall arrangement. Town and Country Magazine suggests swapping out the traditional orange pumpkins with white pumpkins for a chic look.

5. Give your mailbox a fall facelift.

Hometalk Fall Mailbox Decorations

Hometalk shows how even your mailbox can get in on fall festivities. This stylish look is easy to recreate. All you need is a small piece of burlap, some berry sprigs, and a couple small pumpkins.

6. Welcome your guests with a pumpkin filled wheelbarrow.

Better Homes and Gardens Fall Porch Ideas

A wooden wheelbarrow filled with gourds, pumpkins, dried leaves, and berry sprigs makes a beautiful entryway decoration. Better Homes and Gardens suggests weaving in artificial berry vines around the wheelbarrow for a splash of red.

7. Pumpkins offer the perfect fall backdrop for house numbers.

Better Homes and Gardens Fall House Numbers

Better Homes and Gardens says you should announce your house numbers loud and proud with this DIY topiary. White pumpkins are outfitted with vintage-style house numbers, then threaded through a dowel for stability.

8. Traditional fall decor can still make a statement.

Thrifty Decor Chic Fall Porch Ideas

Thrifty Decor Chick proves traditional fall decor can make a big statement. Hay bales, pumpkins, and corn stalks give her home the quintessential fall look.

9. Unexpected color makes this fall porch pop.

Centsational Girl Fall Porch Ideas

Don’t have much time to decorate for fall? Censational Girl created this colorful fall porch in a matter of minutes. All you need are painted white pumpkins, purple mums and other plants, and stacked flower pots to add height.

10. Mums and pumpkins and gourds! Oh my!

Four Generations Under One Roof Pumpkin Porch Decor

Four Generations Under One Roof kept her fall decorating super simple. She simply changed out the pillows to a fall pattern, filled the space with gourds and pumpkins, and strategically placed some yellow mums.

11. Give your fall decor personality.

Parents Magazine Fall Porch Ideas

Parent Magazine gave these pumpkins tons of personality without carving them. These adorable staches and lashes are cut from black construction paper and stuck to the pumpkins with double-sided tape.