1. Because velvets feel even more fabulous in the fall.

Of course, we crush on velvet year-round, but this season, it seems extra chic. Rich, luxurious and available in endless colors, today’s velvets range from deep pile to crushed, matte to cut textures and printed to interwoven with patterns. Take your pick. What’s more, easy-care varieties make velvet as practical as it is pretty, and a favorite for minimalist and maximalist designs alike.

2. Because the season’s foliage makes florals even more spectacular.

“Autumn’s fruit and foliage create the perfect backdrop to make fall’s key flowers stand out,” says designer Conner Nesbit, owner of Leuca Floral in Logan. For this arrangement, Nesbit chose red pistachio, purple plum and black sage leaves to contrast with a mix of blush-toned ranunculus, dahlias, carnations and zinnias. Japanese anemone and tulips add shots of white while date palm berries, pears and ghost pumpkins nod to the autumn season.

3. Because it’s pile-on-the-pattern time.

It’s always a heavy moment when you trade in summer’s simplicity for autumn’s complex combos. Go for it. This season, layers are in and more is officially more. Mix daring florals with hybrid tribal patterns, mad plaids and bold graphics. Start by choosing a fearless favorite, then complement it with dissimilar, less-dominant patterns. Use a luscious color to unify them. Rich berry or deep teal, anyone? If you’re feeling a touch timid, save it for spring. Now is the time to be brave.

4. Because leaves aren’t the only things changing color. 

You’re considering venturing far from the safety of white walls. Congratulations. Now, let the season inspire your color choice. Something a little darker, a littler richer, a lot more daring. While you’re at it, get to the finish line and go beyond a single accent wall. You don’t want it to look like you ran out of paint, right? Liv Design Collective and Raykon Construction committed to full-on color when they painted this inspiring home office, cocooning it in lush, forest green. Give you any ideas?

5. Because your soups should be stylish, too.

When it comes to kitchenware, the easiest way out of a steel-gray rut is to add a dash of color. Leave it to Le Creuset to give your culinary tools—and your kitchen—a seasonal upgrade. Imagine a casserole served in Flame, sauce spooned from Truffle, a brisket braised in Indigo. Berry, Fig, Persimmon—the palette grows with hues that are as delicious as the cuisine you’ll create in them.

6. Because it makes sense to change your scents. 

See ya, Ocean Breeze and Garden Rose. You’re so last season. Fall calls for fuller-bodied, earthier fragrances that last beyond a single whiff. Any one of these four should do the trick.

7. Because right about now, you’re probably feeling a chill—and so is your room.

Your décor, like your fall wardrobe, needs warming layers. Enter the throw. It’s a decorating essential—as long as it doesn’t look like you nabbed it from the coach cabin on your last flight home. Thin, scratchy and devoid of detail—who wants that? Nobody. Same goes for the monstrosity knitted by your great aunt. Instead, invest in a fine-quality piece that feels as good as it looks. You’ll thank yourself all season long.

8. Because it’s time to put a ring on it.

“People get wreath fever in the fall,” jests Natalie Bernhisel-Robinson, owner of Le Fleur Design and author of Living Wreaths (Gibbs Smith $20). And why not? “There’s no better time to forage for materials,” she explains. For this hoop-shaped wreath, the floral designer turned to her yard and nearby hillsides to harvest a wild array of grasses, crabapples, sedum, yarrow, branches, dried hydrangea, sunflower pods, rosemary and sage brush that she paired with black agonis and preserved oak leaves to create a welcoming ring of high-texture and mellow hues. The elements flow in a counterclockwise direction and create shots of eye-catching color. “This keeps the eye moving around the design,” Bernhisel-Robinson says. Her caveat? “Don’t choose anything that’s fragile or that falls apart easily. You don’t want a wreath to shed every time the door swings.”  For the date of Bernhisel-Robinson’s next wreath-making class, follow her on Instagram, @lafleursaltlake

9. Because your patio pots are ripe for a reboot.

By summer’s end your outdoor planters are pooped, but there are still weeks of outdoor living to be savored. Bring them back to life. Simply swap out tired annuals with any number of cool-weather loving plants and your pots will be good to go for another season. Think ornamental cabbage and kale, mums, asters and pansies. Keep in mind that fall doesn’t present a growth period, so select large plants and place them close together for an instantly lush look.

10. Because fall wouldn’t be fall without pumpkins.

Pumpkins are a simple and stylish way to adorn your home for the entire season, not just on Halloween. Deck out your doorway, perk up the patio or just plant the showy gourds around the house. Now, go to the patch and get picking.

Need more fall inspiration? See more from our Fall issue here!