Let the changes outside influence some beautiful changes inside.

Fall brings with it a new color palette, and a sense of warmth and coziness. Embrace it with these fall designer tips for the home.

Keep living areas lit

Shorter days mean less light in the evenings, so make sure you add some lighting sources to reading, work or study areas that normally receive a lot of sunlight during the summer. Use some variety with your lighting sources; try a floor lamp in the corner, or a desk lamp on a nearby table.

Comfy, cozy, covered

Fall weather means cold can come on at a moment's notice. So it can't hurt to have some cozy relief standing by. Bring the blankets out of storage, and use them as accents on living room and family room furniture. Rich, earth-tone hues will help reinforce the fall feeling of harvest, changing leaves and warmth. For a blanket of warmth for your whole home, consider upgrading to the gentle, silent warmth of a variable-speed furnace.

Keep thinking fresh

As the weather grows colder and the days shorter, plants and trees will start to turn brown and lose their leaves. Maintain a natural feeling inside by using fresh flowers to decorate. Not only will their greenery create a pleasant contrast against the browning landscape outside, the water from their vases can help combat dry air as the temperatures drop, though not as well as a humidifier in your heating and cooling system.

Use the accessories of the season

Before the grass turns completely brown and the trees go bare, we're all treated to an amazing show of natural color, from changing leaves in red and yellow to bright orange pumpkins. Use these colors as part of your design scheme, and you'll make your home even more beautiful while celebrating the season.

Try using a wreath of colored leaves as a centerpiece. Decorate shelves with grasses or mosses from your trees and yard. Or arrange small pumpkins and pinecones on the mantelpiece for a seasonal flair. You have quite a palette to work with, so let your imagination run wild.

Show off the fall harvest

Fall is associated in many ways with food, from harvest celebrations to Thanksgiving dinner to the abundance of seasonal foods available. Use this motif to your advantage by using colorful fall produce as an inviting decoration. A bowl of apples in the kitchen will not only add a nice splash of deep color, but it can also encourage healthier snacking for the family.

Give the furnace the night off

If you have a fireplace, consider lighting it. This will bathe your living room in a nice cozy glow, while encouraging family members to spend more time together in front of the fireplace. Of course, have your fireplace properly inspected and cleaned before you light it, to make sure you're as safe as you are warm and toasty.

Engage every sense

Smells are a big part of the fall experience, from mulling cider to hot chocolate to neighborhood fireplace smoke wafting through the chilled air. Fill your home with the scents of the season by using a scented wax warmer or a bowl of seasonal potpourri. For a delighted family, try doing it the old fashioned way by baking a fresh apple pie.