From Pumpkins to Pinecones

Transitioning Your Home for the Season Between

There’s a quiet moment every year, right after the last pumpkin leaves the porch but before the wreaths and garlands appear, when your home feels ready for a change.  The bold oranges and deep rusts of fall are fading, yet it’s too soon for the full sparkle of the holidays.

This “in-between” season is the perfect time to soften your home’s palette.  Think creamy neutrals, gentle blush and warm peach, layered with textures drawn from nature:  pinecones, decorative branches, dried grasses and seed pods.  A few gentle touches of muted metallics like bronze, champagne gold or antique silver bring a hint of shimmer without jumping ahead to the glitter and tinsel of the holidays.  Soft candlelight and fairy lights provide warmth and a quiet glow.  The result feels calm, natural and creates a bridge to the holidays ahead.

Even the entryway can embrace this softer approach.  Swap the pumpkins with something a little more timeless, such as a planter or basket filled with foraged evergreen boughs and touches of decorative branches like curly willow or red-twig dogwood.  Create texture with dried grasses, seed pods or pinecones, and add a ribbon in a soft metallic tone for a bit of polish.  A strand of fairy lights woven through the arrangement or hung around the doorframe adds a welcoming glow during these shorter days.

Inside, bring the same layered, natural feel to living spaces. Soft throws and textured pillows in neutral shades or muted patterns make sofas and chairs instantly cozy. Vases filled with dried grasses, evergreens or pale blooms in blush, ivory or peach add natural touches while seed pods, pinecones or nuts add texture and visual interest. Muted metallic accents such as a bronze bowl, gold-edged mirror or candleholders provide subtle shimmer. Candlelight can anchor seating areas or a dining table; a few votives on a tray or a pillar candle near a mirror will reflect light softly through the space creating a golden glow. Fairy lights add warmth and atmosphere when placed along a mantel, bookshelf or windowsill.

The dining room, guest room, kitchen and even a powder room all benefit from similar touches. A design of greenery, dried stems and soft-colored flowers like roses, carnations or chrysanthemums on the dining table feels intentional without being extravagant. A small vase or bowl of natural elements or a single metallic tray in the guest room, kitchen, or powder room can anchor the space and tie it to the home’s seasonal rhythm. Choosing either candles or fairy lights for each area ensures the lighting feels natural and purposeful, whether it’s soft illumination on a powder room counter or a warm glow along the windowsill.

Transitioning your décor isn’t about rushing toward the holidays - it’s about letting your home exhale after fall. It’s a season of subtlety, where each pinecone, stem and shimmering accent helps your home glow softly, bridging the gap between autumn’s bold vibrancy and the celebrations of the coming months. By layering softer colors, natural textures, and gentle light, your rooms can glow beautifully during this “in-between” season – warm, layered and quietly ready for winter.  

More from the Experts at Gainan's

About Gainan's Midtown Flowers & Garden Center 

Gainan's Flowers and Garden Center is family owned and operated with a rich and storied history. We are committed to offering only the finest floral arrangements and gifts backed by service that is friendly and prompt. That is why we always go the extra mile to make your gift perfect. Our business is to turn feelings into flowers. Together, we have celebrated births, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and mourned with our customers seeking sympathy tributes. We are so fortunate, and thank our community of customers beyond measure for allowing us the opportunity to partner with them in all the seasons of their lives.