Beautiful Pumpkin Decorating Ideas to Get Your Home Ready for Fall

Autumn Hues

Front porch with wreath, pumpkins — Werner Straube

You can't go wrong with classic fall colors. Orange repeated on a wreath, pumpkins, flowers, and gourds make this simple setup stunning. Vintage galvanized planters hold kale and additional pumpkins along the staircase for flea market flair.

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Modern Pumpkin Makeover

White pumpkins in wooden bowl — Carson Downing

For those who prefer subtle seasonal additions, give your gourds a new look with a layer of neutral-colored paint. Start with faux pumpkins, then use a paint pen to achieve fine, clean lines in a pattern of your choice. Arrange your finished fall decorations in a big bowl and display on a coffee table or entryway console.

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Step Into Fall

Front steps with pumpkins lanterns — David A Land

If fall decorating isn't necessarily your strong suit, don't worry. Take a cue from this fall front porch as inspiration. All you have to do for a festive front entry is place pumpkins of different sizes, shapes, and colors on various levels of your steps. Complete the look with fall containers featuring hardy varieties like kale. To make your home's exterior feel slightly spooky, add in a few carved jack-o'-lanterns.

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Mini Pumpkin Platter

Pumpkins and flowers on white plate — Kritsada Panichgul

The contrasting white and orange in this pumpkin display will take center stage at all your seasonal suppers. To recreate this look, simply arrange a few mini pumpkins and branch of bittersweet on a ceramic platter. Accent with fall flowers like mums, zinnias, and dahlias for an easy centerpiece.

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Minimalist Pumpkin Display

Front porch with pumpkins, white flowers — Adam Albright

Halloween decor doesn't have to be frightening. In fact, this setup proves it can actually be elegant. Bright white pumpkins painted with small spiders and cobwebs are subtly spooky. Mix them with white and orange mums for a classic fall color scheme.

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Spray-Painted Pumpkins

Basket with pumpkins spilling on grass — Ray Kachatorian

You can instantly upgrade your gourds with one budget-friendly tool: spray paint! Just apply a few quick coats and your pumpkins are ready to be arranged anywhere in your home. These gilded versions are gorgeous, but you can paint yours any color you'd like. Mix them with natural gourds for stunning contrast. Want less mess? Try your hand at our DIY gold-leaf pumpkins.

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Fall Front Door Decor

Small house with pumpkins, plants — Brie Williams

More is more when it comes to decorating with pumpkins outdoors. Even if your abode is on the smaller side, don't be afraid to add plenty of seasonal items. A mix of gourds, potted mums, and a few festive props—including a DIY Halloween wreath—decorate this outdoor shed.

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Pumpkin Tablescape

Table setting with white pumpkins — Kritsada Panichgul

If you're hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, take notes from this effortless table. A plaid throw acts as the runner, and the easy fall centerpiece is made up of a few pumpkins adorned with branches of bittersweet. Add in a few lit candles for ambiance and your seasonal scene is complete.

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Fun Pumpkin Faces

Four pumpkins with face on lawn — Jason Donnelly

Take your jack-o'-lanterns to the next level by making faces out of various odds and ends from your junk drawer. Vintage hardware make perfect eyes, ears, and smiles. And the best part? There's no carving required!

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Vintage Silverware Pumpkin

Pumpkin with "Fall" spelled with silverware — Werner Straube

Welcome autumn with this eye-catching pumpkin idea. Head out to your local antique store and pick up a collection of small silverware. Then, arrange them to spell out "fall," attach them to your pumpkin with wire, and your creation is complete. Show off your DIY outside so guests can admire your handiwork.

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Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

open shelving floral decor dishware — Panichgul Studios, Inc

If you enjoy entertaining, these merry stenciled pumpkins would be adorable on open kitchen shelving or even your bar cart. We recommend using faux gourds instead of fresh for this fall DIY project. To ensure your letters are perfect, make sure to use a stencil and a steady hand. Or use store-bought stickers for a zero-mess pumpkin craft.

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Pumpkin Pileup

Pumpkins stacked on table with glass, leaves, and branches — Greg Scheidemann

Stacked pumpkins are a striking alternative to typical table arrangements. Arrange pumpkins on a sideboard or entry table among scattered leaves and branches for a cozy, casual look. Add elegance to the arrangement by incorporating glass. Here, mini pumpkins and colorful leaves are placed under topiary.

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Pumpkins by the Numbers

Outdoor stacked pumpkins that have the numbers "142" — Peter Krumhardt

There are countless ways to decorate with pumpkins. Try stacking numbered Cinderella pumpkins on top of one another to create both a fabulous front porch arrangement and a bold entryway display. Remove the stems from the pumpkins, except for the one that will be placed on top. Next, trace a different stencil number on each pumpkin and scrape the skin from the traced area with a crafts knife. Arrange gourds of a different color beside your display to play off the bright orange color of the pumpkins. Top it all off with brightly colored fall leaves. For a simple option that requires no carving, paint numbers on the face of each pumpkin before stacking them.

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Pumpkin Parade

Wooden bench with painted pumpkins — Peter Krumhardt

Line up your best pumpkin creations and put them on display. We used a template to cut identical shapes from different-color pumpkins. Then, to make the design of each pumpkin pop, we switched their cut-out pieces. Another way to make a pumpkin stand out is to remove the pumpkin's top and hollow out its inside to create a fall vase as we did with the pumpkins at each end of the table. Remember to keep a container with fresh water inside the pumpkin vases. This will keep your flowers fresh.

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Pretty Pumpkin Garland

Close up of window fall decorations with leaves and pumpkins — Peter Krumhardt

Dress up a room by making a pretty pumpkin garland. Use a small drill to pierce a hole through an assortment of mini pumpkins. Use a toothpick to pierce fall leaves. Next, string several leaves through twine, followed by a single pumpkin. Make sure to tie a knot after each element so it stays in place. Continue stringing the items through the twine, alternating between pumpkins and leaves until you have strung a garland long enough to hang. Display your creation above a window, across a mantel, or around a banister.

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Natural Touch

Pumpkin place holder with name on leaf — Peter Krumhardt

At the dinner table, delight guests with an easy and unique alternative to a place card. Use a paint pen to write the names of dinner guests on fresh or dried fall leaves. Then punch a small hole in each leaf and tie them individually around the stems of green-striped cushaw pumpkins.

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Pumpkin Party

Table with leaf centerpiece and hanging small pumpkins — Peter Krumhardt

Throw a fabulous dinner party that is both pleasing to the eye and perfect for fall. For an easy decoration, use brightly colored foliage to create a soaring table arrangement. Place small branches in glass vases with colorful leaves spraying from the tops. Group leaves in monochromatic bunches or mix all the colors together.

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Pumpkin Place Setting

Place holder pumpkins with name painted — Helen Norman

Welcome guests to the table with custom fall place settings. Use acrylic paint or brightly colored paint pens to inscribe each friend's name on a petite white pumpkin. Set each pumpkin beneath a rustic orange napkin and position it inside a small soup bowl. Garnish this debonair dish with a neat fall leaf.

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Pumpkin Spread

Black table with fall décor and blackboard — Greg Schiedemann

Create an indulgent entry table for your fall gatherings using squat, stemless Cinderella pumpkins. Turn pumpkins into pedestals for serving trays and tarnished silver pieces into perches for mini pumpkins. Our spread includes blackberries, blueberries, crackers, and bread. For wicked flair, tip a chalkboard against the wall to display the menu or a ghoulish saying. We even chalked our own black labels for the cheese and wine bottles.

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Pebbled Pumpkin Platter

Close up of fall décor with pumpkin, corn, and nuts — Peter Krumhardt

Assemble a simple fall display to liven up a small table. Line a plate with colored leaves (real or faux) and cover the leaves with multicolored nuts. To complete the look, nestle an adorable mini pumpkin on top.

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Pastel Mantel

Mirror with silver pumpkin and fall leaves — Helen Norman

For a mantel display that will stay timely past fall, choose a pumpkin with a pastel hue and pair it with softly shaded leaves. The result is a simple but elegant arrangement. Can't find a pastel pumpkin? Make your own by painting your pumpkin in the desired shade. When painting, start out by sanding a clean dry pumpkin to make it smooth. Start with a base coat and finish with topcoat to prevent cracking and flaking.

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Tabletop Display

Bird feeder with branches and hanging small pumpkins — Laurie Black

Dress up any table with this easy-to-make tabletop tree. Simply fill a glass cylinder vase with birdseed and stick several sturdy branches inside. Next, drill a small hole in the stem of each pumpkin and string it along fishing line or florist's wire to hang.

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Monochromatic Centerpiece

Glass bowl with three pumpkins — Matthew Benson

Although orange pumpkins are certainly festive, sometimes bare is better. These white pumpkins make for a stylish centerpiece when placed atop a clear glass platter. Set the arrangement on a pale orange runner and weave a contrasting orange ribbon along its base for a final bit of finesse.

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Silver Pumpkin Platforms

Candleholders with pumpkin toppers — Michael Partenio

Head to your local craft store and checkout their selection of faux pumpkins to emulate this display. Mini silver pumpkins atop antique crystal vases create an air of sophistication. Set them on a rectangular silver tray for added panache.

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