The Cozy Layering Trick Designers Swear By for Fall – It Starts with Just 3 Things

I've never been one to encourage a total home overhaul just because the season's changed. The idea of boxing up and storing decor every few months feels exhausting, expensive, and, I'll be honest, a little wasteful. But I do believe in subtle shifts.

Small, thoughtful layers that make your home feel fresh and in tune with fall. And this year, I wanted to know how the pros approach it. So I asked interior designers what one thing they always begin with when decorating every room for fall, and three answers came up again and again: art, rugs, and lighting.

These three elements are the designer-approved formula I’ll be using to cozy up my home for fall – without a single major redecorating project in sight. Here's how to do it like a designer.

The 3 Items Interior Designers Add to Every Room in Fall

Ali Henrie, of Ali Henrie Design, explains: 'We start by adding layers. For fall and winter decor, it’s about building warmth and depth into what’s already there rather than stripping a space back. The goal is to enhance, not overhaul. Think textures, lighting, and textiles that add richness without feeling heavy.'

It turns out, these three simple layers carry the most visual weight – they set the tone, add depth, comfort, ambiance, and change the mood of a room in an instant.

Here's how interior designers decorate with art, lighting ideas, and rug trends to shift a home for the new season.

1. Start with Art

When I started asking designers about where they begin with fall layering, I was surprised by how many of them mentioned art as a jumping-off point. I’d always thought of swapping in some fall throw pillows, a few candles, but art?

'Our favorite fall layering trick always starts with artwork, says Kailee Blalock from House of Hive Design Co. 'Art sets the emotional tone of a space, it defines color, mood, and even texture before a single pillow or rug comes into play. When we begin with art, everything else becomes a conversation around it. We’ll pull tones from a painting for upholstery, repeat a motif from a print in a textile, or echo the warmth of a frame in a wood finish.'

'It’s also one of the easiest ways to bring in that cozy, collected fall feeling, stacking smaller pieces salon-style, mixing vintage frames, or layering artwork on open shelving instantly adds depth and personality. Once the art is defined, the rest of the room naturally follows,' she adds.

It makes perfect sense once you think about it. 'One of my favorite layers lately is easy art,' adds Heather Peterson of Heather Peterson Design. 'Frames leaned on a tub surround, small brass animals perched on a wainscoting – there is something cozy about the impermanence. It is also delightfully unexpected and creates a sense of discovery.'

2. Layer in More Lighting

If there’s one element that completely transforms a space without demanding a full redesign, it’s lighting. I used to think of lamps as purely practical, but when it comes to a seasonal shift, designers say lighting is the best mood-setter.

'Lighting is always where I begin,' says Franky Rousell, CEO and founder of Jolie. 'Before any fabrics or finishes are chosen, I think about how light will move through the space, its softness, and where the shadows will fall. In autumn especially, light becomes the anchor that ties everything together. Layered lighting can transform the mood instantly.'

It’s not about adding more light – it’s about adding better light. Heather Peterson suggests ditching the harsh big light and instead trying out a sconce. 'In the fall, as the days get short and you crave more light but don't want to give in to the overheads, why not add a pinned-up sconce to a cozy spot?'

'Get a quirky plug-in sconce,' she suggests. I'm particularly impressed by Pooky's Twinky Cordless Wall Sconce, 'And hang it a bit akimbo, make or buy a cord cover, et voilà,' she continues. 'You'll feel happy every time you turn it on.'

3. Roll Out a Rug

If lighting brings the ambiance and art brings personality, rugs add the warmth and tactility. It makes perfect sense to zone your cozy spots like the bed, couch, or a reading chair with a layer of extra comfort and color.

'A rug defines emotional space: it softens acoustics, grounds the eye, and sets the tone for the textures above it,' says Franky. 'From there, everything else layers naturally. Whether you start with lighting or the floor, the key is to think sensorially: how will this layer make someone feel in the room?'

For designer Bradley Odom of Bradley Odom Interiors, fall is the perfect time to rethink those foundations. 'Each fall, I start by rethinking the rugs – they’re the foundation for everything else. Swapping out a lighter weave for something textural or tonally deeper can instantly transform a space. A great rug sets the mood for the season,' he adds. 'You can layer lighting, throws, and heavier fabrics on top of it, but the rug always dictates the warmth and soul of the room.'

Whether you're feeling a vintage-style runner in a kitchen – try the Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines x Loloi machine-washable Sinclair Runner – or a natural jute beneath your coffee table, take a look at our guide to the best places to buy rugs.

And you needn't stop at just one. 'Layering rugs makes a world of difference in the chilliest seasons of the year,' says designer Kathy Kuo. 'When I’m layering rugs, I almost always start with a timeless natural-fiber rug like jute, sisal, or seagrass. From there, I’ll add a rug with a thicker pile to amp up the coziness factor. This could be a hand-knotted wool rug, a plush Moroccan rug, or a super soft faux fur rug,' she suggests.

To add a final cherry on top to your home refresh for fall, these are the fall scents we're shopping from Net-A-Porter this month to set the mood for holiday hosting.