This fall, designers are creating an environment that subtly nods to the season’s warm, cozy feelings—no pumpkins, ghosts, or goblins required. “Seasonal decor is a costume, texture is the wardrobe,” says Hallie Malitsky, a former fashion designer and founder of Brooklyn-based residential and commercial interiors firm Hallie Rose Design. “Texture works differently because it changes how a room feels, not just how it looks.”

Bringing this idea to life doesn’t come down to buying more stuff (lucky for our bank account) but instead, balancing textural elements to create a truly warm and inviting experience. “The biggest thing I want readers to know is fall doesn’t mean more things; it means more contrast, more push and pull,” says Genna Jacobs Freeman, Atlanta-based cofounder of Space Design Collective, a luxury residential and wellness interiors firm.

Read on for six designer-approved ways to layer textures throughout your living room and create a warm, inviting space for the season ahead.

1. Skip The Extra Decor

“Materiality and color choice carry the fall palette, instead of extra decor,” says Freeman. “Think rust, stone, cognac leather, and warm walnut; they literally scream fall without a seasonal object in sight.”

The difference between texture and seasonal decor is that the latter only changes the literal scenery while the former changes how you actually feel in the room, says the designer. “Let’s be honest, a leather sling-back chair can do more emotional lifting than the whole seasonal aisle at HomeGoods,” she explains. “That is the difference between a room that looks like fall and a room that feels like it.”

2. Find Textures That Work Together

Textures, patterns, colors—their power comes in the blend. But how one goes about it might seem daunting at first glance. For Freeman, it all hinges on undertones, rather than materiality. “Warm leather, honey wood, stone, and taupe cabinetry don’t match, but they all speak the same language,” she explains.

The Atlanta-based designer suggests choosing an undertone (whether warm or cool) and sticking with it. From there, Malitsky says you can pair texture-contrasting items together. “Something soft against something structured, something matte near something with a little sheen,” she says. “Wool, linen, leather, and stone have all lived together in nature for centuries, which is why they never argue in a room.”

3. Lean Into Lamps

Light is one tool that shouldn’t be underestimated when creating a space that hinges on texture. According to Malitsky, “Lighting is what makes texture visible.”

With that truth in mind, Freeman has a trio of lighting tricks she employs during the fall: “I dim it, I warm it, and I lamp it up.” In fact, table lamps in warmer tonalities can actually turn your lamp into a textural element all its own, she explains.

“Warm side lighting or light washing dances across a knot throw or stonewall and allows the eye to pick up depth and contrast,” Freeman says. “Lamps or natural lighting will always, always outperform overhead lighting in a textured room.”

4. Distribute the Weight

As you place elements within your space, ensuring their weight is properly distributed helps ensure texture is present on every level. “If everything soft is piled on the sofa, the rest of the room reads cold by comparison,” says Malitsky.

Placing a cozy rug underfoot, a textured item on the walls or shelves, and another at seating height is a great place to start. However, don’t forget something that shows its age. “A room where every texture is brand new feels like a showroom,” she notes.

5. Skip The Expected

It’s tempting to cruise the aisles at your favorite superstore and find all the fall patterns and knickknacks your heart desires, but Malitsky urges you to pause. She advises skipping literal takes like buffalo plaids and orange-hued decor, and instead rely on nature.

“[Incorporate] floral throw pillows in the colors of fall, a burnt umber wool throw and the tones that live in a vintage rug,” she suggests. “When the color comes through the texture rather than printed on top, the room will always read rich instead of themed.”

6. Treat Your Living Room Like a Capsule Collection

Malitsky’s fashion background lends a unique perspective to how she treats a space, advising clients to treat their living room like a capsule collection. The idea is simple: start with a foundation that stays the same each year, like a neutral-colored sofa, vintage rug, and complementary pieces that work regardless of the season.

When a new season strikes, the fun begins. “Come fall, I layer in the accessories, warmer tones, and warmer textures—a wool throw here, a leather ottoman there, the way you would add a great coat and boots to the same dress,” she explains. “The room never changes; the styling does.”

6 Ways to Layer Texture Like A Designer for the Coziest Fall Living Room by Patricia Shannon | Better Homes & Gardens