The Perfect Fall Palette

wooden hutch with white serveware and vase of fall leaves in dining room

Written by Meryl Schoenbaum

Photographed and styled by Holly Garritano

Contrast light and dark colors for an earthy décor reflecting the season’s scenic beauty.

Even those of us who feel energized by the warmth of the summer sun are awestruck by the sublime seasonal beauty of fall and attempt to recreate the aesthetic in our homes. One of the most organic ways to achieve the ambiance of autumn is by using contrasting colors in your fall décor. Think of how light and dark complement each other in nature as the colorful flowers and blue summer skies give way to the shedding brown trees against the whiter skies of autumn.

dog portrait and tortoise shell and woven basket are decor in bedroom — Holly loves adding whimsical paintings to the rooms to lighten them up. “This antique dog portrait painting is one of my favorite finds,” she says. “I bought it from a friend’s shop and recently moved it to this corner in our master bedroom. Dog portraits have a way of adding a whimsical, fun feeling to a space. I love dogs; we have three rescue dogs.”

Homeowner Holly Garritano has masterfully managed the transition from summer to fall décor in her home using nature’s color palette and natural elements as her inspiration, and she shares her room designs here to inspire your own seasonal styling.

Dutch Colonial style home exterior — The family’s home is an impressive yet charming Dutch Colonial from the 1970s. Holly added some bright red flowers that flank the front door to brighten up the neutral façade. “The exterior is a work in progress,” she says.

The Power of Contrasts

Farmhouse style is particularly suited to the contrasting colors of fall as it puts the focus on nature in its purest form without distracting from its simple beauty. “I think adding dark against light is what grabs attention,” Holly says. “Contrast has always been present in our home! I love light and airy spaces, but I also love darker, moodier spaces.”

neutral fall palette in living room — One of Holly’s favorite creative projects is repurposing pieces. “Dressers aren’t just for bedrooms! I love using old dressers as storage space,” she says. “This dresser holds board games, books and other odds and ends. The handles are so unique, and it really adds a lot of charm to our living room. The framed Kuba cloths juxtapose nicely with the more traditional look of the dresser.”

Holly, her husband, Greg, and their children live in a suburb of Rochester, New York, in a Dutch Colonial home built in 1970. They have lived there since 2011. Holly only needed to look in her own backyard for her fall interior design inspiration. “Our house is on a half an acre. We have beautiful large trees on our property,” Holly says. “Parts of our yard have grown a bit wild because the busyness of life has gotten in the way, but the colors in the fall are beautiful. We have a walkout basement, so our living room is at eye level with the treetops. The golden tones really change the way the property feels. It brings in a warmth and coziness in the fall that is so special.”

white dining room with neutral decor and vase of fresh leaves — The dining room was previously a sitting room. “After our renovation, it was made into our dining room,” Holly says. “Lots of family gatherings happen here.”

Harvesting Nature’s Bounty

Many of the accent pieces displayed in Holly’s autumn décor are harvested from her home’s landscape. They create a simple yet impactful ambiance. “My favorite fall aspects are the natural branches and elements found in nature. Not only are they beautiful, but also sustainable,” she says. “I love to bring branches from the trees in our yard inside our home. I’ve even been known to pull over to the side of the road to collect dried cut branches.”

hutch containing vintage ironstone and vase of fall leaves for perfect fall palette — Sometimes the perfect find for your home is discovering a diamond in the rough. “Greg and I unexpectedly found this antique cabinet at an antiques shop we had never been to,” Holly says. “When we saw this piece, we knew it was perfect for this wall.”

gallery wall in mainly neutral colors for perfect fall palette — When it comes to artwork for your home, Holly says if a piece catches your eye or speaks to your soul but you’re not sure where you’ll put it, you shouldn’t leave it behind because suddenly the right place will present itself and you’ll regret passing it up. “I had an idea to create a gallery wall in our dining room, but l wasn’t sure if it was going to look right or not,” she explains. “But after collecting some pieces and not finding the right place for them, I decided to give it a go. I recommend picking up pieces of artwork when you find something you love even if you are unsure of exactly where it will go, because chances are you will find a spot and regret not getting it.”

To showcase the branches, Holly repurposes containers that add color and interest to the displays. “I like to use old antique ironstone pitchers to place branches in. I also like the idea of adding dried florals to different vessels. You can even use a classic blue and white chinoiserie ginger jar to display branches,” she suggests.

Opposites Attract

Holly points out a few rooms that illustrate her purposeful juxtapositions of light and dark. “Our dining room is a bright and airy space, but I love how our dark reclaimed barnwood table grounds the space,” she explains. “Our leather strapped dining chairs really warm up the space with their rich honey color.”

gallery wall in entryway with collection of wooden canes and umbrellas — Holly shares how she made the home’s entryway more inviting for guests. “Our entryway has an eclectic gallery wall. The canes and old antique table make the space feel layered and welcoming,” she says.

Another area that explores the play between light and dark, warm and cool is the living room. “The living room has taken on many roles over the years. It’s been a playroom, housing various toys, changing tables and playpens. Now that the little ones are getting older, I feel like it’s finally starting to take shape how I had envisioned it,” Holly says. “I have chik shades that were custom made in India. These have added so much warmth and texture to our living room. They give privacy but still allow natural light to flow in. The acrylic coffee table is a favorite staple piece. It juxtaposes nicely with the more rustic elements in the room.”

antique cabinet with black backdrop for perfect fall palette — This antique cabinet was a Facebook Marketplace find. “The shelves were painted baby blue when we bought it and had several thick coats of paint to strip off,” Holly recalls. “It was a lot of work, but I am so pleased with how it came out. The black backdrop really helps to highlight some of my most favorite unique finds l’ve collected over the years.”

The den’s dark and light colors create both a dramatic ambiance and an intimate appeal for the family. “Our den is a dark and moody space,” Holly says. “It’s where reading, naps and productive conversations take place. The dark shelves are painted in Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams. I feel so much joy in this room when I look at my collection of antique finds. They all have a special memory attached to them from where I bought them. The embossed gold-framed portrait is one of my favorite pieces I own. My husband and I took a trip alone to an antiques show and had the best time shopping for antiques.”

Small Space Tips and Ideas

gallery wall with neutral art above dresser in bedroom — Holly believes that patience pays off when it comes to gathering pieces for an art grouping. “The gallery wall in our bedroom took a while to get just right, but with some patience it came together nicely,” she says. “I love the old, tattered paintings mixed with the more refined artwork under glass. The antique herbarium page is from Sweden and since ferns are a favorite, I knew this piece was a keeper when I saw it.”

Other accent pieces you’ll find in Holly’s home are antique and vintage items mixed in with newer pieces to create another effective juxtaposition: old and new. “I buy most everything from Facebook Marketplace, eBay, thrift stores and antiques shops—95% of our home is made up of secondhand finds—it’s always evolving,” Holly says. She adds a word of advice to those embarking on this decorative journey: “When you decorate your home with antique and vintage finds, it takes time. The vision isn’t always clear, and sometimes things end up turning out different than you expected. It’s hard to plan when you never know what you might find when out antiquing. I never want to give the impression that decorating is easy—it can be quite complicated—but if you have patience and stay true to what you love, it will all come together in time.”

collection of vintage ironstone in wooden hutch — The secondhand look of vintage ironstone appeals to Holly. “I recently started collecting ironstone. The crazing and staining of these old pieces just excite me,” she says. “It’s really fun to find these pieces while I’m out sourcing and layer them into my collection.”

Helpful Hints from Holly

Holly shares her best tips for transitioning from summer to fall in your American farmhouse décor.

When antiquing or thrifting, pick up pottery, artwork and other home accents that have warm, rich tones like brown, golden yellow, burgundy and deep olive green. These will be key pieces that can easily replace your more summery or year-round pieces.
Bring nature indoors when out for walks or from your own backyard. Gather branches, sweet gum tree balls, dried leaves or pinecones.
I love the idea of adding elements found in nature to a vintage brass bowl on a coffee table.
Use farmers market produce as décor in your kitchen. Pumpkins, apples, pears—all these intentionally displayed in an old wooden dough bowl bring touches of fall inside.

To see more of Holly’s home, visit @seedsofhome on Instagram.

Want to read more on fall entertaining and decor? Check out 10 Fall Tablescapes for Thanksgiving and 7 Soup Recipes to Warm You This Season. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!