Fall is hospitality expert Ruth McKeaney’s favorite time to entertain—and her historic home, a lovingly restored former dairy farm, makes the perfect backdrop. Gatherings are candlelit and dotted with pumpkins and gourds, and they last well into the evening.
It’s no surprise: Hillside Farm is the kind of place that makes you want to stay a while. But you don’t need a picturesque property to make guests feel welcome. Ruth’s timeless entertaining advice can help you offer that same cozy feeling for any autumn gathering you have planned.
Below, read on for Ruth’s tips to create a laid-back autumnal vibe inside and out.
Easy Fall Hosting Tips
- Look to the past: When decorating, take cues from a home’s history. In Ruth’s barn, baskets of firewood and wheelbarrows do double duty.
- Keep it casual: To immediately put guests at ease, be strategic with styling—no fussy tablescapes or perfect pumpkin stacks required!
- Just add flowers: Balance pumpkin arrangements by incorporating planters holding seasonal blooms—think asters, azaleas, or mums.
Fall Decor Ideas
Create an inviting vignette.
Experimenting with gourds of different shapes and sizes, from tall squash to round white pumpkins, ups visual interest. It adds “life, beauty, and gratitude to a home,” says Ruth. Design a perfect spot for portraits or selfies by situating it near a seating area.
Mix materials.
Sheepskin rugs draped on benches, cowhide underfoot—Ruth loves playing with texture in the barn’s dining area. “It warms up the space,” she says.
Provide places to chat.
Smaller seating areas can encourage guests to break into intimate groups. The home’s library is an ode to the West, where Ruth grew up.
Go with simple centerpieces.
Vases containing tall branches can create focal points on tabletops. Forage nearby for options. “Decorate with what the season gives you: squash, branches, linen, wool, and candlelight,” advises Ruth, author of Hungry for Home: A Year Together at Hillside Farm. “Nature has already chosen the perfect color palette.”
Feature treasured pieces.
When Ruth entertains, she loves to mix and match her ever-growing assortment of serveware, including heirlooms and estate sale finds. Pitchers become vases, antique teacups hold herbs or desserts, and mismatched glasses invite conversation.
This feature appears in the September/October 2026 issue of Good Housekeeping.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
