Unexpected Fall Pastel Color Palettes Inspired by Nature

Who says colors for fall decorating can’t be dreamy and soft? We’re not suggesting you trade in your pumpkin lattes for milky matchas or spiced gingerbread for lavender macaroons, but these landscape-inspired color palettes may influence your Thanksgiving tabletop to embrace the hazy hues that are often overlooked in the transition from summer to autumn.

Changing up your moody fall palette of rich eggplants and pumpkins to include some pastel hues (like the subtle and soft tones in the tablescape above from Beatrice Howell ) may be just what you need to lighten the mood. Whether you decide to partially dabble in the world of chalky colors, or go full on washed-out and whimsical, these three autumn landscape-inspired palettes have a little something for everyone.

Soft peaches and greens blend together to make this serene Indiana landscape from Mark Loveless appear almost monochromatic. If you can get your hands on some jarrahdale pumpkins (aka “fairytale” or “Cinderella” pumpkins) this season, you’re likely to see these exact tones.

Not a far cry from the dark greens and burnt oranges found in the seasonal section of your local craft store, this palette pulled from the saturated yet soft display from Magic4Walls combines classic rich fall colors with a few cool, pale pastels to balance out the mood.

An all-blue palette may not scream “fall”, but consider that nature always knows what it’s doing (I shot the above photo myself and doesn’t it just make you take a deep breath and relax?) Add a dash of periwinkle and powder blue to your usual fall scape and magical things are likely to happen.

So get wild and crazy this fall and think outside the pumpkin!! (or inside the pumpkin, after you scrape the guts out to reveal that buttery yellow meat).