14 Fall Pumpkin Decor Ideas Fit For a Festive Display

These gourd-eous no-carve pumpkin ideas will carry you through cozy season into spooky season (and beyond!).

Let’s face it: Nothing screams fall quite like a big ol’ pile of pumpkins. Whether you’re someone who eagerly anticipates spooky season or a purist on the hunt for a look with more longevity, there are plenty of seasonal spins on gourd decor to fit any style or scheme. While carved pumpkins are a classic (and fun!) option, they tend to rot quickly, making them ideal only for the few weeks surrounding Halloween. So how are you meant to deck out your porch, entryway, or dining room table for the rest of fall? Well, we’re glad you asked.

Related: 19 Small Front Porch Decorating Ideas for a Warm Welcome

Below, we’re rounding up 14 fun and festive fall pumpkin decor ideas fit for display all season long. The best part? There are no knives required! From painted florals and temporary tattoos to succulent-stuffed squashes, these no-carve ideas are easy to achieve, totally critter-proof, and designed to last you through Thanksgiving with ease. Grab your glue gun, grab your favorite glitter—this is going to be fun.

Fake a Terra Cotta Finish

If you’ve been coveting a few of the pricey stoneware pumpkins that pop up every fall in home goods stores, we have great news: You can mimic the look yourself for much less. This clever DIY from Hamilton Park Home relies on a mixture of baking soda and paint to transform foam craft store pumpkins into the textural, farmhouse-chic scene of your dreams.

Craft a Candle Holder

Fall’s earlier sunsets mean more opportunities for adding a cozy glow to your interior. And if you can pair that with some pumpkins? Even better! This easy idea from creator Ashely Luengo of Modern Glam involves carving a hole at the center of an heirloom pumpkin big enough to hold a taper candle. When paired with votives and dried blooms, it makes for a simple-yet-stunning dining table display.

Paint on Some Florals

If you’re on the hunt for a fall pumpkin idea that feels feminine and fresh, look no further than this darling display by artist Annie Quigley. She coated basic orange pumpkins with a neutral paint hue, topping them with her signature acrylic flowers and branches. Into the idea but not sure about your own artistic skills? No worries! You can stick with a motif that feels comfortable or learn to paint similar blooms through a virtual class with Annie.

Say It With Words

For a simple yet stunning design, choose a welcoming fall phrase (we love a cheeky “Hello Pumpkin”) to display on your gourds. Here, creator Colleen Pastoor of Lemon Thistle blog used her Cricut machine to cut a clever welcome message and complementary leaves out of bronze vinyl for a 5-minute DIY that’s a total cinch.

Add Fresh Plants

It’s always fun when a pumpkin can pull double duty as a vase, but fresh blooms don’t always last as long as we’d like. Instead, swap buds for succulents, which will power through the entire season and stand up to any unintentional negligence. You can carve out the interior of a pumpkin to create a “vase” of your own or buy a pre-made display, like this overflowing white gourd from Heart of a Cactus on Etsy.

Mimic A Fancy Varietal

It's hard not to fall in love with the look of whimsical heirloom pumpkins, which come in funky shapes and stunning shades of blue, green, copper, and more. Still, they’re not always easy to find out in the wild and when you do, well, they can be pretty pricey. To fake the look of a quality heirloom, turn to inexpensive foam pumpkins and paint, as creator Jamie of So Much Better With Age did here. Bonus: Because these faux beauties are lighter than the real deal, you can style them up on spots like a mantle, where heavier pumpkins can’t hang. 

Apply a Temporary Tat

If your pumpkins are going to be out and about for the duration of the fall season, it makes sense that you want them to blend in a bit with your home’s existing decor. To get inspiration for your creation, look around your home for color palettes or prints that can act as a jumping-off point. To mimic the look of their beloved blue and white China, creators Greg and Handan of The Navage Patch turned to temporary tattoos to add an easy (and ingenious!) upgrade to their craft store pumpkins. 

Sprinkle on Some Sparkle

There’s no rule that states fall pumpkins have to be spooky or creepy. If glam accents make your heart skip a beat, we say go for it. These fashion-forward gourds from creator Veronica Levy of Lombard & Fifth serve up serious glamour, thanks to a variety of different appliques, including crystal trim and faux pearls. To achieve the same look, hit up a local fabric store for ribbon, edging, and gemstones that are all treat, no trick.

Paint on a Touch of Neon

There’s no denying that orange is the color du jour for fall—but that doesn’t mean it's your only option. Skip the zesty hue in favor of something even bolder, like this neon pink pumpkin design from the team at A Beautiful Mess. Created using alcohol inks, they feature a unique marbling and a bit of metallic gold paint for a decidedly glam twist on seasonality.

Add Some Signature Style

Fall is the beginning of entertaining season, giving you plenty of opportunities to stylishly welcome guests to your home. For a first impression that will turn all the heads, try adding your family name or house number to a pumpkin, like the chic stack seen here from Anchors & Ampersands. Pro tip: If you DIY this project, cover your faux pumpkin with a protective spray to keep it from being damaged by the weather.

Make Them Pop

For a no-mess pumpkin project that can be done in a pinch, look no further than this charming balloon “dipped” craft from Brittni Mehlhoff of Paper & Stitch. Instead of relying on messy paint to color your pumpkins, snip the tips off of balloons then stretch the latex over the base of your gourds. The best part? This project can be recycled year after year or done in any color combination that suits your decor. 

Let It Glow

Set the mood for a spooky yet sophisticated scene by transforming pumpkins into beautiful lanterns. This project by Ashley Luengo of Modern Glam relies on metallic and white spray paint and various size drill bits to create luminaries that glow from within. If you’re doing this project with real pumpkins you can use regular candles or tealights, but you should swap to battery-powered if using faux foam pumpkins.

Find Your Place

If you plan on hosting Thanksgiving this year—or really any fall dinner party—you have a prime opportunity to incorporate pumpkins into your tabletop decor. While arranging them down the middle atop a runner is always a stylish option, using them as place cards is even more festive and charming. You can purchase them premade from a calligrapher or artist—like these from Folmar Street on Etsy—or practice your own penmanship in preparation for this easy DIY.

Color Block Your Block

To stand out from the crowd during fall, you need to come up with a really impactful front porch display. This gaggle of colorful gourds from Oh Joy certainly fits the bill, with an off-beat palette and graphic color block pattern that makes the display feel modern, fresh, and playful. To score the easy two-tone look, use painter’s tape to divide the pumpkins as you coat on different hues.

Related: 10 Brilliant Pumpkin Carving Ideas to Light Up Your Home This Halloween

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