exterior & outdoor living

Transitioning the Backyard for Fall

Posted on September 18, 2017

Fall Backyard Ever since finishing our backyard, we truly spend SO much time outside. It’s been a lot of fun entertaining this summer and we’re not ready for it to come to an end as the weather cools off. Utah feels perfectly fall right now and is my ideal temperature, so we’re stretching out the use of our patio and pergola until it’s absolutely too cold. Click through to see how we transitioned the backyard for fall, tips for transforming your own outdoor space for the season, and to see how we’ve been entertaining lately! 

Fall Mums For starters, I did a little plant switcharoo. I brought our lemon tree inside for the season and swapped it for a giant planter of mums! Mums are my favorite fall flower… I love how they cluster into perfect spheres, radiate beautiful autumn hues, and add texture to any outdoor area.

Mums for Fall

Giant Mums In addition to swapping florals, I also brought out some cozy textiles. There’s nothing better than snuggling under a blanket or throw on a cool fall evening as the sun sets or getting comfortable under a dark starry sky.

Cozy Throw

Backyard Entertaining The pillows are pretty neutral and seasonally appropriate year round- so I actually left those. It’s crazy how they adapt to the color palette around them.

Woven Throw I leave a basket of pillows and throws outside during the cooler season. All of our outdoor furniture and accessories have weatherproof covers (more on that in another post), and I tuck the basket under the coffee table, which is covered to keep everything safe from the elements when it’s not being used.

Basket of Throws

Sheepskin on Outdoor Chair In addition to blankets and throws, I also layered sheepskins onto the freestanding chairs to make the aesthetic visually warm, inviting, and seasonally appropriate.

Outdoor Sectional

Fall Outdoor Space You’ll also notice our newest patio addition… the outdoor heater. This thing has come in super handy as the temperatures drop.

Outdoor Patio for Fall

Outdoor Propane Heater It has wheels, so we can easily position it wherever people are hanging out. I also like that it has a clean, smokeless burn. It runs on propane, makes no noise, and heats a really large area. I think this is Emmett’s favorite thing in the backyard these days.

Outdoor Heater

Outdoor Seating Area Of course I had fun decking the backyard out with fall accessories! It just doesn’t feel like September / October without pumpkins.

Outdoor Fall Decor

Pumpkins and Candles

Fall Pumpkins I love the pale colored modeled looking pumpkins- especially the green and white variations. I styled them on top of the coffee tables alongside my DIY hand poured candles.

Coffee Table Pumpkin Styling

Painted Pumpkins

Match Strike I did paint a couple of the pumpkins black- just for a moody pop of color. A filled match strike also comes in handy for the candles. Other than that, I wanted to keep the coffee table styling pretty minimal so it’s easy to bring in and out once we’re finished using the space.

Outdoor Seating

Fall Backyard Makeover

Vintage Candle Holders After transitioning this space for the season, we shared it with friends. Over the weekend people came over and it was a blast! Despite the chilly temps, everyone was warm, cozy, and full of conversation. Here’s my list of backyard essentials this season:

Outdoor Fall Entertaining / Decorating Essentials:

  • Pumpkins
  • Mums
  • Candles
  • Blankets
  • Throws
  • Pillows
  • Outdoor Heater or Fire Pit
  • String Lights
  • Easy Food

And here’s how to get the look:

Mini Apple Pies for Fall Entertaining In regards to food, I’ll be sharing the delicious mini caramel apple pie recipe on the blog later this week, as well as the pumpkin bruschetta. Both were a hit with our guests!

Pumpkin Bruschetta for Fall Entertaining Charcuterie boards are another easy item for hosting fall gatherings. You can see my tutorial for assembling one here. By the end of the night, the food was completely gone… which I always think is a good sign!

Charcuterie for Fall Entertaining Honestly, the thing I like most about our finished backyard is the memories we create there. This fall, I hope to do more entertaining outside because I enjoy it so much.

Outdoor Fall Hosting

Emmett Gibson | Room for Tuesday Sometimes Emmett and I even go outside, have a fire, and enjoy it on our own. It really is an extension of our home and a true outdoor living space. I hope everyone had a great weekend and also made lots of memories to cherish!

For more on our backyard:

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Lowes. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that allow us to create unique content while featuring products we truly use and enjoy!

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  • Reply
    Sarah
    September 19, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    What a great space! After all your hard work this summer, I’m glad to see you are able to use your backyard even as the temps dip.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      September 19, 2017 at 8:55 pm

      Thanks so much, Sarah!! We definitely won’t be taking on any more extreme projects in 100+ degree weather. ha! xox

  • Reply
    Berengere
    September 27, 2017 at 8:22 pm

    Love it! You are very talented. Where is geometric planter from?

    • Reply
      Sarah
      September 27, 2017 at 10:18 pm

      Thank you so much! It’s from TJ Maxx

  • Reply
    Allison
    October 3, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    This is an awesome set up for a beautiful fall night! Can you share where you got your pillows/pillow covers? Thank you!!

  • Reply
    Deb
    October 20, 2017 at 4:54 pm

    How do you keep bugs/spiders out of your blankets and pillows?

    • Reply
      Sarah
      October 20, 2017 at 5:12 pm

      We typically put away pillows and throws once we’re done outside. We have a tote on the other side of the yard that is weatherproof and everything goes in there. The sofa cushions stay, and we don’t seem to have an issue with bugs / spiders, but we also have our yard sprayed.

  • Reply
    catie
    April 19, 2018 at 8:35 am

    Love your site!! So beautiful and Inspiring Design Wise. Where is the gray coffee table from outside on your patio? I love that color scheme. Thank you:)

    • Reply
      Sarah
      April 19, 2018 at 10:07 am

      Thank you so much, Catie! The coffee table is from Gloster, but sadly- I think that one has been discontinued. I couldn’t find the link. xo

  • Reply
    Rachel
    May 4, 2018 at 3:13 pm

    Did you paint the paint the fire pit to match your outdoor sofa?

    • Reply
      Sarah
      May 6, 2018 at 3:10 pm

      I did not… they’re two different shades of white. The sofa actually isn’t painted- that’s the color of the cement material. I did paint the firepit with a high heat-resistant spray paint.

  • Reply
    yvette
    October 21, 2018 at 12:57 am

    Hello Sarah, I am new to your website and love the contents, your DIY is very help, impeccable interior and style layout. Thank you for sharing your home with us.
    Please, can you tell me where you got your two black long candle holder?

    • Reply
      Sarah
      October 21, 2018 at 9:46 am

      Thank you so much Yvette! So glad you’re here. The two mid century candle holders are vintage.

  • Reply
    Anisa
    May 29, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    Hi what size is your patio? I love the look and am interested in doing a similar look.

  • Reply
    arlet collazo
    March 18, 2020 at 7:52 pm

    where is ur pergola from

  • Reply
    Sean Cook
    August 1, 2020 at 3:22 pm

    Hello. I was wondering if you had the plans and more detailed pictures of the pergola. It is very nice and I really would like to build something like this. Thanks so much

    Sean Cook

    • Reply
      Sarah
      August 3, 2020 at 10:08 am

      Hi Sean! I’m sorry, I don’t… you can find additional images in many of my backyard posts (there are a lot), but we’ve since moved to another home- otherwise I’d go snap some images for you.

  • Reply
    Jean McAtee
    November 22, 2020 at 7:44 am

    I love your space. What did you use to cover your pergola? Does it keep the rain off the the furniture or does the water pool on the fabric at all?

  • Reply
    Jasmine
    April 18, 2021 at 7:43 am

    Hello! This space is so beautiful and we are so inspired by it for our backyard! How did you put the pergola in? Did you cement it into the ground prior to putting the patio pavers in? Thank you so much!!

  • Reply
    Jana
    December 2, 2021 at 3:02 pm

    Hi Sarah, can you let me know where you get from your patio heater, pls.

    Many thanks Jana

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