The 5 Must-Do Entryway Updates To Do Before Fall

entryway table from the mcgee & co fall collection styled with a bobbin vintage style console table with a tapestry hung behind and styled with baskets, a lamp and vase with foliage — (Image credit: McGee & Co.)

Entryways get slightly neglected in the summer months. With all the time spent outdoors, these spaces don't need to work quite as hard or look quite as good, but come fall, entryways once again become the introduction to your home. As hosting season begins again, your entryway needs to move away from the relaxed summer feel and into the warm welcome of fall.

Your space often doesn't need an entire overhaul, just a switch in mindset, a switch in the feeling it creates when you walk through the door. This can be done oh-so-subtly, through scent, lighting and layering, plus a few fall vignettes that really nod to the change in season.

'Every September the same box marked “Fall” comes up from the basement. Mini pumpkins, a faux eucalyptus garland draped over the mirror, a doormat that announces the season,' says designer Hallie Malitsky, founder of Hallie Rose Design. 'But for my entryway, instead of the very obvious fall statements, I transition the space through mood. Scent, light, and one vessel with something nodding to fall – that’s the perfect formula.'

1. Refresh The Scent

A traditional hallway with a black-and-white checkered marble floor. There is a wooden side table on which is a pink lamp and a gold mirror hangs above.

Making your entryway smell like fall is the easiest switch you can make, especially early on in the season. At this time of year, before you go full on with the spicy, baking-inspired scents, choose subtle fragrances that are just a little earthier than your usual summer scents. 'Scent is where most people go wrong, because they reach for a seasonal scent (achem pumpkin spice, I’m looking at you) instead of a feeling,' explains Hallie. 'No pumpkin, no spiced cider, please nothing that smells like the candle aisle. What I do change is the depth of the scent.'

Instead of the obvious fall candles, go for something comforting, but a little less generic, something that bridges the gap between ocean breeze and pumpkin spice. 'Late summer I want something lighter, greener and fresh smelling and as the air shifts to fall I move toward something moodier and woodier,' says Hallie. 'I absolutely love Adlan Fragrances for this reason, and the Crowd Pleaser is the scent I go back to year after year. Sandalwood and cardamom, warm and a little smoky. It doesn’t yell “Fall!” as much as it is an atmosphere.'

2. Soften the Lighting

the entryway to a grand English country home with yellow paneled walls, antique furniture and a large vintage rug

Swapping out your entryway lighting for something softer and more ambient will create cozy warmth and homeliness that makes darker days feel welcome rather than dreary. 'Add a vintage or antique floor lamp,' advises Hallie. 'An entry is a room that people often forget to light properly beyond just an overhead fixture. A floor lamp or an antique table lamp is unexpected in an entry and can bring in light to soften the whole space.'

For something even simpler, interior designer Jessica Hobson suggests, 'Swap out a white lamp shade for something moodier. Opt for a dark printed pattern; this gives you instant drama and changes the whole vibe of your entry. I love Pooky Lighting for an amazing range of printed stocked shades that are both well-priced and of exceptional quality.'

3. Trade Fresh Flowers For Branches

Entryway with slate floor and steps, a rustic white metal table holding a vase of autumnal branches, three equestrian prints hung on the wall, and an umbrella holder filled with umbrellas.

Remove your summer flower display and replace it with something a little more seasonal, like calming eucalyptus (this Seeded Willow Eucalyptus Stem from Target would be ideal), or richly colored plants like Japanese maple, or a few stems of Chinese lanterns. Just ensure it looks organic, rather than overly curated.

'Trade the flowers for branches,' says Hallie. 'I go out to the yard and cut something architectural, not too leafy. A lot of clients are surprised that you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars at the flower market; you can go outside your door to a whole world of stunning branches. I always choose something with movement, so you see the shape as much as the foliage. Put in an antique vessel with some patina, and it’s a perfect welcoming nod to fall.'

'Bring in something from outside,' agrees interior designer Claire Zinnecker. 'I love bringing in seasonal cuttings (think branches, grasses or late summer blooms). An oversized wild arrangement in a beautiful vessel feels seasonal without feeling like your typical fall decor.'

4. Add Vintage Layers

Grand entryway with a large stained glass window and sweeping spindle staircase, a glass lantern light, a round table holding a lamp and flowers, and a painting above it, with a vintage rug below.

Decorating with vintage isn't a seasonal ritual, but when designing a cozy entryway that comforts and invites, preloved pieces are one of the most impactful decor options you can choose. They bring an instant sense of nostalgia and charm that makes an entryway feel instantly more welcoming and lived-in.

A Persian rug invites warmth and story to a bare floor, as does a collection of vintage artwork hung on a wall. They also act as layers of texture that inject personality and contrast into a space. 'Warm up the palette with texture,' says Claire. 'I love to design with texture; it's an amazing way to create interest without always blowing the budget. Bringing in a vintage runner, a woven basket, or darker pottery can instantly shift the mood of a space.'

You needn't go overboard either; even bringing in a vintage tray to adorn your console table makes an entryway feel more lived-in and welcoming, or a brass catchall (such as this Pocket Change Brass Catchall from 1stDibs) for keys and trinkets.

5. Carry the Feeling Past the Door

Traditional entryway with parquet flooring, a mahogany round table with a blue and white vase filled with foliage and smaller vases beside it, and a blue console table in the corner with lamps.

Your entryway can set the tone of your home, but creating similar vignettes throughout your space will ensure the mood continues long past the front door.

'Carry the feeling past the door,' advises Hallie. 'Whatever you do in the entry, repeat one element of it again in the adjoining room. The same branches in a different vessel or the same candle lit on the coffee table stacked with your favorite coffee table books. The entry should be the opening line, not the whole story. A home that feels like the warmth of fall the moment you walk in is the one that people want to stay in. That never comes from decorating; it comes from the intentional moments you create with items that look like they’ve always been there.'

Late-Summer Entryway Picks

Your entryway is the natural place to start when switching your home from summer to fall. Start here with just a few simple switches after Labor Day, and gradually go more autumnal as the weeks go on – deepening the scents, adding more layers, and introducing a few fall motifs.

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