15 Fall Decorating Ideas From Great Country Homes

You don't need to have a family estate in the country to steal a few style tips from these casually elegant homes. Rich in heritage and brimming with handsome good looks, country house style is more about mood, colors and textures than the flash of a fancy house. Below you'll find 15 decorating ideas to channel country house style no matter where you live.

1. Equestrian artwork. Prizewinning racehorses and show horses have had their portraits painted since time immemorial — riffle through flea market stalls and booths at antiques fairs to find your own slice of equestrian history in the form of a vintage horse painting. Or, for a budget-friendly option, track down an oversize equestrian art book and delicately slice out a few pages to frame.

2. Potted topiary. Grace your entryway with a cluster of neatly trimmed topiary in urns. If you can place the pots atop a round or hexagonal table in the center of a foyer, even better.


3. Rich red doors. More sophisticated than the red of barns and deeper than the bright, clear red of church doors, this red is more akin to a fine wine. Look for a red paint with a hint of purple, like the rich burgundy shown here.

Deep red paint picks for doors


4. Plaid upholstery. Re-cover an old armchair, an ottoman or a love seat in classic wool plaid for a cozy look that begs you to sink in and sit awhile. Not interested in reupholstering? Fold and drape a plaid throw over the back and seat of your chair instead.


5. Suitcases as a nightstand. Stack up hard-sided vintage suitcases for a unique bedside table alternative with character to spare.

6. Menswear prints and fabrics. Handsome houndstooth, wool tweed and shirting fabrics are made for country living. Dress your bed in layers of these delicious fabrics for a textural treat.


7. Copper pots on display. Nothing looks quite so inviting in the kitchen as a row of gleaming copper pots hung over the stove. Although, to keep them shiny, you may want to hang yours over the kitchen island instead.

8. Pitchers filled with flowers. Enamelware and creamy ironstone pitchers of all sorts, new and antique, make excellent and easy flower holders. Plunk in a big armful of blooms or a bundle of fall branches, and you're done.


9. A bowlful of apples. It's so simple, we should all do this one! Instead of keeping bowls of fruit relegated to the kitchen, pile fresh, crisp apples in a nice wooden bowl and set it on the coffee table.


10. Gray-green walls. Rich, historic and more sophisticated than either green or gray alone, gray-green shifts beautifully with the light. Use this hue in a dining room, kitchen or small sitting room, with off-white trim. The paint color used here is French Gray 18 from Farrow & Ball.


11. Monograms. Towels that are monogrammed say country home ... same with silver or pillowcases or anything else you can put your initials on. For couples who share a last name, try a monogram using your last initial as the center letter, with your first initials on either side.


12. Luxurious laundry room details. Gleaming bin pulls, pale blue-gray paint and chic accessories (like a glass jar for laundry soap and a wire basket for towels) add up to a winning look in the laundry room. To make a bigger investment in the look, swap out a standard sink for a porcelain bib-front version and cover the walls in beadboard or paneling.


13. A chipped-paint cupboard. Add vintage patina to your dining room with a chipped-paint cupboard to hold your dishes. Whether the age is real or faked, a piece like this instantly makes everything else in the room feel homier.

14. A wicker trunk. More casual than steamer trunks, wicker trunks were often used to carry picnics out into the countryside in olden days. Use yours to store the holiday table linens you can't find room for in your cupboards.


15. A cozy porch. Plump pillows, fluffy throws and pots of gorgeous fall blooming flowers come together to create a porch you can happily spend time on long into the fall. Carry a mug of hot apple cider out, put your feet up and relax.

How to cozy up outside this fall

Tell us: Would you try any of these ideas?

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