Fall Decor Recommendations by Sandra Cannon

Making subtle decor changes will ready your home for fall

It’s the time of year when the heat of summer gives way to cooler temperatures and tree leaves turn shades of burgundy and gold, sparking the urge to curate cozy spots for both quiet moments and family gatherings.

Designer Sandra Cannon of Sandra Cannon Interior Design believes making subtle yet chic changes will create beautiful spaces that speak to the season. The updates could be as simple as displaying books with fall-focused topics and richly hued covers or placing beautiful matchbooks on the coffee table.

“In those cooler months and as the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s holidays approach, you want to pay attention to things visually, texturally, and through smell,” Cannon says.

Visual Vignettes

Welcome guests inside with a modern wreath hung at the front door. Cannon likes preserved wreaths in square or rectangular forms or ones made with simple materials, like “interesting dried vines and dried dramatic leafed trees,” she said. “The magnolia has a very dramatic leaf; it’s big in scale and it’s robust.”

The Magnolia Company, Williams-Sonoma, and Pottery Barn sell magnolia wreaths online, while there are Etsy shops with interesting square and rectangular options.

Textures and Tastes

To provide texture and comfort, invest in quality sofa throws made with cashmere or merino wool—Designer’s Guild and Maison Prélonge are two sources—that can be stored during warmer months. They will last for years and “make a huge statement,” Cannon says. “It gives you that feeling of settling in . . . and oftentimes the colors and patterns evoke that sense of cozy.”

A collector of china and glassware, Cannon suggests getting sets of handmade bowls and mugs from a favorite ceramist. Consider putting them out in functional displays on a kitchen counter so people can use them for the season’s signature dishes like chili and cocoa.

Autumnal Aromas

Using reed diffusers filled with scented oils will bring the smell of fall inside. “They’re inconspicuous. You can just kind of tuck them somewhere,” notes Cannon, who suggests a scent like juniper and spruce that is “fresh and glamorous smelling, but very cozy.”

Fixes for Fall

A crackling fire is synonymous with fall, making the fireplace “a great place to add that seasonal feel,” Cannon believes.

Mantels and hearths can become spots for displays of nature’s bounty. Dried grains, sculptural branches, and natural grasses will look beautiful in a unique container, a textural basket, or a group of glass cylinders or blue-and-white chinoiserie vases.

If you have a collection of vases from various sources, “the mix and match of those could even be interesting—the heights and shapes. It doesn’t all have to be modern and unified,” says Cannon.

If making the switch from wood- to gas-burning logs, consult with a building professional and consider using ceramic fireplace spheres instead. They are “very much a juxtaposition from what you’re used to seeing,” the designer says. “Any time you can change . . . particular areas in a very unexpected way, you’re probably going to hit a home run.”