With outdoor temperatures dropping, it's time to give your indoors a cozy feeling for fall.

"Just like you do with fall clothing, add layers to rooms to create warmth," said interior designer Lisa Peck of LiLu Interiors in Minneapolis.

For color inspiration, take a look outdoors.

No, not at the parched, straw-colored grass. Use nature's palette of golden leaves, mocha acorns and orange pumpkins to set an autumnal mood on tabletops, mantels and other spaces. Splashes of other earthy colors, such as eggplant purple and gray-brown clay, in table runners, pillows and throws, can help transition your home for the chilly months. Here are some other easy, autumn-inspired decor ideas from Peck:

• Add cozy texture with wool and chenille throws. "Think about fresh takes on old classics like updated plaids and a Pendleton wool throw," said Peck.

• Swap out shells and other summer-themed objects with fall accessories, such as ceramic vessels, bronze candleholders and burlap pumpkins. Owl shapes are especially popular this season, Peck said.

• Decorate tables and fireplace mantels with nature's bounty. Fill glass vases or bowls with acorns, walnuts, pine cones, miniature squash and pumpkins. Forage in your yard for fallen tree branches, paint them bronze or eggplant and arrange in a vase. "When grouping together, use an odd number of vases in different heights," said Peck.

• If you don't want to introduce new colors to your room's palette, look for accessories in a darker, deeper shade of an existing accent color.

• Pile miniature pumpkins or gourds on a serving tray to dress up a dining-room table.

• Lay an area rug with deeper autumn hues by the front entry.

• Set potted mums, in wine, burnt orange and yellow, on the front steps to add bursts of color. "Stick in some branches or pussy willows to spice up a pot of mums," said Peck.

• Arrange your furniture around the fireplace to get ready for the inevitable chilly nights.

Lynn Underwood • 612-673-7619