There’s something about finishing the last touches of fall decorating that makes your whole home feel ready for the season. This year, I leaned into faux pumpkin fall decorating ideas, and I have to say—it’s been one of my favorite ways to cozy up our spaces.
The best part? Faux pumpkins last year after year, so with each season, you can layer in new finds, mix them with old favorites, and never worry about them spoiling.
Let me take you on a little tour of how I used faux pumpkins, from realistic-looking ones to those that resemble a pumpkin throughout our home, along with a few tips you can borrow for your own fall decorating.
Why Choose Faux Pumpkins for Fall Decorating
Real pumpkins are beautiful, but they don’t last long—especially here in the warm weather. That’s why I’ve fallen for fake pumpkins. They’re long-lasting, reusable, and some of them look so real, you’d swear they came straight from the pumpkin patch.
Pottery Barn makes some of the most realistic faux pumpkins I’ve seen. The stems have bumps and imperfections that make them look authentic, and every year I add just one more to my collection when they go on sale. Slowly but surely, they’ve become my favorite faux pumpkins and the stars of my fall decor.
Faux Pumpkin Decorating Ideas Room by Room
Kitchen Sitting Room
I started in the kitchen, sitting room with a new printable from my Etsy shop—a soft collection of pumpkins and gourds.
I swapped out pillows and blankets until it felt just right, adding in a fluffy white Sherpa pumpkin to tie it all together. It’s incredible how one pumpkin can ground a whole room.
To finish off the look, I tucked one of Trader Joe’s big felt pumpkins into the basket under my table. It felt like bringing a little pumpkin patch right down to the floor, adding charm and balance to the whole space.
Hutch Styling
On the hutch, I layered smaller brown dishes with larger white plates to add depth to the display, but the hutch seemed to be bare and uninteresting.
I draped a fall garland for texture and tucked in one tiny pumpkin. But after finishing the rest of the house, the hutch still felt a little bare. Since I was out of faux pumpkins, I grabbed a few real ones from Trader Joe’s and nestled them between the dishes for extra warmth.
To finish, I added a pumpkin cookie jar with an orange and white gingham ribbon.
I am particularly fond of the pumpkin on the old kitchen scale. Beautiful designs are in the details!
Living Room Mantel & Bookcases
Mantel & Hearth
The mantel is always my favorite place to decorate. This year, I framed another new printable, but this time it is an oak branch with a moth.
I paired it with antique brass touches, battery-operated candles, vintage books, and a Longaberger basket, and repeated an orange leaf garland that has LED lights.
The lights and candles make it so magical, but it needed pumpkins to give it that pumpkin patch vibe!
So I added pumpkins here and there. My favorite — the pumpkins stacked in the basket. How cute!
The photo above is without the pumpkins. See what a difference it made adding the pumpkins? Now let's travel down to the hearth. My best design advice is to not neglect the fireplace hearth.
On the hearth is an assortment of the most realistic faux pumpkins by Pottery Barn. They are a little pricy, but each year I add one more to my collection when they go on sale.
I keep an eye out for you, too, through my Friday deals email. Subscribe here if you want in on the fun.
Next to the heirloom pumpkins is a new trunk-shaped basket by Studio McGee at Target. This larger basket helps anchor the hearth and make great storage for our fire logs.
Television Area
Under the television, I tucked real orange and white mini pumpkins into a long trencher-style dough bowl. Mixing in a few real pumpkins with the faux ones helps everything feel more natural—those little imperfections make the whole display look authentic.
Coffee Table
On the coffee table, I used a thrifted Pyrex dish holder basket as a tray and tucked one of my DIY terracotta pumpkins from last year inside. This little guy started as a Dollar Tree pumpkin, and after a coat of terracotta paint, it became one of my favorite faux pumpkins.
A simple arrangement like this adds just the right amount of color without creating clutter.
Throw Pillows
On my sofa, I tucked in the sweetest needlepoint pumpkin pillow, and it instantly brought a pop of orange to my otherwise neutral couch.
I paired it with a larger windowpane pillow in soft neutrals so the pumpkin design could really shine. It may not technically be a faux pumpkin, but I couldn’t resist sharing—it adds just the right touch of seasonal charm and ties the whole cozy look together.
Bookcase
Bookcases are such a fun spot to sprinkle in faux pumpkins.
I styled Trader Joe’s felt pumpkins alongside books, baskets, and garlands.
I particularly love the tiny orange faux pumpkin under the cloche!
Then I tucked mini orange and white pumpkins into a wooden bowl, slipped one under a cloche, and filled in little corners wherever it felt right.
Entryway
Our entrance got a sprinkling of fall pumpkins, too, one mini orange faux pumpkin nestled into our anthropomorphic bunny's basket backpack, and more under the cloche.
To bring that beautiful orange color upward, I added a burnt orange boxwood wreath to the mirror.
DIY Faux Pumpkin Ideas
One of the best parts of using faux pumpkins is how customizable they are. Let's say I have painted a few fake pumpkins in my day.
Chalk paint was my go-to for many years, and I still love it, but last year’s terracotta pumpkin is a great example—budget-friendly and one-of-a-kind. Even simple touches, like adding vines, leaves, or glitter, can give plain pumpkins a new personality.
Mixing Faux Pumpkins with Other Fall Decor
The trick to keeping faux pumpkins looking natural is mixing them with other textures. I paired them with cozy blankets, vintage accents, and leaf garlands. Neutrals make the orange pumpkins stand out, while whites and creams keep everything feeling fresh.
And don't forget to mix real and faux pumpkins for an even more realistic look.
And the best part? As soon as October rolls around, it’s easy to slip in a touch of Halloween decor—like a black cat or bat garland—without redoing everything.
Faux pumpkins blend seamlessly from early fall through Thanksgiving, which makes decorating simple and stress-free.
Where to Find the Best Faux Pumpkins
Over the years, I’ve collected pumpkins from all kinds of places. Here are a few of my go-to favorites:
- Pottery Barn – the most realistic faux pumpkins (especially the stems).
- TJ Maxx – seasonal finds with fun textures.
- Hobby Lobby — it's hit or miss at this store, but sometimes I find some realistic pumpkins.
- DIY Projects – paint your own Dollar Tree pumpkins or try my terracotta pumpkin tutorial.
- Etsy – unique printable pumpkin and gourd art to hang and layer with your decor.
If you’re decorating porches, faux pumpkins are wonderful there too. I love mixing them with mums and layering them on steps for instant curb appeal. You can see how I did this in my Fall Porch Decorating Ideas with Faux Pumpkins and Mums post.
Final Thoughts
Last year, I shifted from all neutrals to a mix of neutral and orange fall decor. I couldn't believe how much the color orange brought positive energy into my home decor.
Leaning more towards the orange color, I opted for a mix of faux and real pumpkins in every corner of the house. From the mantel to the coffee table, they brought warmth, color, and just the right amount of autumn charm.
If you’re looking for simple ways to cozy up your home this season, try one or two of these faux pumpkin fall decorating ideas. They’ll last for years, and with a little creativity, you can make them feel brand new each season.
For more inspiration, check out my post on Decorating with Mini Pumpkins or these Fall Porch Decorating Ideas.
And if you’d like to bring some printable pumpkin art into your home, you can find my designs in my Etsy shop.
Happy Decorating, friends!
