A Photo Gallery of Autumn Design Ideas

The homeowner made a smart decision when placing the wreath to the side of the front door rather than the traditional placement of eye-level and centered on the door. Doing so would have covered up the door's fine details. In its position at the side of the door, it picks up on and carries the red accent color along the front facade of the house. The red accent is echoed in the window frames, porch pilasters and other areas of the home's exterior.

A good rule when decorating for fall is to select one color from your home's exterior and use it to set the palette for the other outside decorations. When honing in on that accent color, look at your porch, trim, pavers or other foliage in your landscape for inspiration. And don't let traditional fall colors tie you down, either. Colors and combinations to consider:

• Purples or plums with lime or chartreuse.
• White and silver, as in artemesias and white pumpkins.
• Deep reds or burgundies, found in chrysanthemums, fountain grass and other ornamental grasses and Coleus.
• Cool greens and whites, from pumpkins, squash and ornamental grasses.
• Orange with gold, coming from sunflowers, mums and zinnias, along with traditional pumpkins mixed with squash, gourds and other fall harvest produce.
• Black -- yes, black -- as in black mondo grass, Taro (Colocasia esculenta) or any of the other "goth" garden varieties that are quite popular around Halloween.
• Black and white would look quite striking with a cool, modern house. Maybe add a few crows for a subtly edgy touch.

The accent color or colors you choose can also be used for containers, outdoor porch furniture or any garden accessories at your entryway.