Look beyond the store this season and lean into eco-friendly and inexpensive autumn decorating with real fall foliage.
Eco-friendly, affordable, and natural, foraged items like branches and leaves make some of the best fall decor. Learn the best types of trees, shrubs, and leaves to search for and how to best prepare and preserve them for your fall decorating purposes. We'll also give you a handful of ideas to get you started -- but the options are endless.
Related: 41 Harvest-Inspired Fall Decor Ideas
The first step in your foraging adventure is knowing what to look for. While it's great to use what you have available, a few specific types of trees and shrubs may best suit your goals. Generally, you will want a branch or leaf that is sturdy enough so that it won't quickly wilt. Depending on your current and desired color scheme, consider the hue of the leaves (on or off the branch) as well.
Some popular trees commonly used as fall decor are Japanese maple, birch, beech, and various fruit trees. Shrubs can provide colorful leaves just like trees, but can also serve as a more visually interesting addition to your home with their varying textures. Oakleaf hydrangea, fothergilla, chokeberry, and sumac shrubs are all great options to look for when foraging.
Make sure to properly identify the type of tree or shrub before collecting branches or leaves to avoid touching a poisonous variety by mistake.
Now that you've located your ideal branches and leaves for fall decorating, it's time to collect, prep, and preserve them. It's important to follow these steps so that the color of the foliage lasts as long as possible.
When collecting live branches, shake them first to be sure no critters join you indoors. Then, use sharp clippers to cut the branch at an angle. When you get home, use a hammer to smash the bottom of the cut branch to allow water to be better absorbed. Glycerin can also be used to preserve the branch and its leaves. Fill a vase with a solution of one part glycerin to 2 parts hot water. During the next few weeks, keep the branch base submerged in the solution, refilling as necessary. You will notice that the branch's leaves will turn brown and feel soft and pliable when it's ready to be removed from the liquid. Your foraged branch will now last for years to come.
Since all kinds of things come into contact with fallen leaves, it's integral that you thoroughly clean them first. If your leaf is still fresh (rather than dried), gently rinse it with water and pat the leaves dry with a towel. Let them air-dry for a day or two. If you want them to be flat, you may also need to flatten them between two heavy objects and parchment paper for another day.
Once cleaned, dried, and pressed, there are several methods to preserve the leaves so they can be used time and time again, all while keeping their vibrant fall color. You can soak the leaves in the same glycerin-water solution mentioned above for 3-5 days, press them between heavy books for two weeks, brush them with Mod Podge, dip them in melted beeswax, or iron them between two pieces of wax paper until the wax is left on the leaves. All of these techniques will make the leaves more flexible and better suited for decorating.
Related: How to Press Flowers for a Pretty Memento You'll Want to Display
You've gathered and prepared your outdoor treasures, and now you're ready to use them as decor. Let your creativity take flight with the countless ways to integrate branches and leaves into your home this season. Here are a few of our favorite ideas to get you started.
An obvious but worthy decorating idea for collected branches is a fall centerpiece. Whether on your dining room or entryway table, simply placing branches in vases can elevate the look of a space. Go abstract with an asymmetrical branch, letting it be an architectural piece that catches everyone's eye as they walk by. Or consider antique-looking crocks and wicker baskets for a more laid-back approach.
With your preserved leaves in hand, consider displaying your fiery foliage as garland. This simple decor can hang on a mantel or above a window, or even strewn across the back of a sofa or along a coffee table. Thread the leaves with twine and use a hole punch or a needle and string to assemble the garland. Knot each leaf in place as you go. You can also attach the leaves to twine using mini clothespins.
If your leaves are pressed and completely flat, arrange them on thick paper like cardstock or watercolor paper. Once the leaves are positioned in a design you love, use glue to keep them in place on the paper. Lastly, frame the paper full of pressed leaves and you have a beautiful piece of inexpensive seasonal artwork.
Pumpkins don't have to be exclusively carved or painted to be displayed as decor. Use pressed leaves and decoupage medium to adorn a pumpkin with seasonal and colorful embellishments. A white pumpkin works best to show off vibrant leaves, but you could also paint an orange pumpkin white for the same result. Be gentle when you apply the decoupage with a brush to prevent damage to the leaves.
Related: 26 DIY Ideas for Decor with Leaves to Welcome Autumn
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