How to Decorate Your Pool for Autumn
October 27, 2017 at 05:00 PM
Just because the temperatures are cooling down doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy your backyard pool.
Fall provides a beautiful backdrop for peaceful evenings swims in a heated pool, relaxing in a hot tub with a cup of hot cider or for festive get-togethers with friends. So read on for advice on how to turn your backyard into an autumn escape where you can enjoy the fall foliage while having fun in and around your pool.
Add flowers. Fall is a great time of year to play up the multitude of warm colors common in nature this time of year. Whether planted or in a terracotta pot, incorporating a few select varietals like mums, around the pool deck or on your patio tables creates a stunning fall statement. Some other floral options to take your pool scene into autumn are pansies, black-eyed susan’s, or ornamental peppers.
Decorate with plants. Ornamental wheat, dried cornstalks, pine cones, straw, or dried flowers placed in a basket, vase, or shaped into a wreath are also a quick and easy way to add some autumn ambiance.
Use pumpkins, obviously. Not only are they festive and readily available, you can also carve them and light with candles at night as a seasonal alternative to tea lights or tiki torches. Throwing a Halloween bash? Strike the right mood with glowing Jack-o-Lanterns lining the pool or even floating in your pool.
Light up the night. As the days grow shorter and nights grow longer, lighting the backyard starts earlier and earlier. Strings of LED lights, candles, lanterns, and jack-o-lanterns all work well to shed light on the night. Try using fall colored paper lanterns in orange, red, yellow, burgundy, brown, cream, and gold. If you have LED lighting in your pool, change up the colors to match the season, or set them to orange and purple lighting on Halloween.
Introduce a Fire Element. Fire features create a cozy environment that beckons you to chill out poolside while keeping you warm. Add marshmallows and warm beverages to the mix, and you’ll have a quaint evening activity you can enjoy all year long. From traditional fireplaces and pits to elegant vessels surrounded by water featuring protruding flames and exquisitely designed table runners all ablaze — fire pits, fireplaces, fire tables and torches can create an inviting space to simply lounge or set the scene for romance.
Accessorize your patio furniture with fall-hued items. Add autumn-colored decorative pillows and throw blankets in place of the cooler hues you keep out for summer. An earth-tone outdoor rug, and similar table linens for your outdoor dining tie in nicely for your fall décor. Want to take it a step further? Hand out pool towels in autumn hues.
Host a Halloween pool party. Turn your beautiful pool into a spooky lagoon. Hang ghosts from trees, light jack-o-lanterns around the deck, lay skeletons on your patio furniture, throw dry ice in the pool for a dramatic foggy effect, and turn on red LED pool lights for an all-together creepy effect.
Celebrate Thanksgiving outside by the pool. Along with your autumn table linens, create centerpieces on the tables with fall-themed plants and float hollowed-out gourds in the water with flowers, leaves, or candles, depending on the time of day. If it’s warm enough, start a new tradition and organize a game of “pool football” with your guests.