18 Fall Nail Design Ideas Featuring Your Favorite Seasonal Colors & Motifs

When fall rolls around many people rotate out the bright nail polish colors they were rocking all summer to embrace the moodier tones of the season — shades that make one feel cozy, chill, and festive for the major holidays of autumn. That doesn’t mean you have to banish color from your nail beds. As a matter of fact, there are specific vibrant hues, like orange, red, and yellow, that scream fall. Many of the electric or pastel go-to colors of summer get toned down to murkier, yet still beautiful, versions of themselves. Instead of sky blue, an indigo might feel more appropriate. And you might trade in you glossy lavender polish for a matte plum. To help you decide which nail colors and nail art motifs to rock this autumn, scroll down for some beautiful fall nail art design inspo.

If you’re going for the full effect, photograph them with a cup of coffee, a color-turning leaf, pumpkin, or your knitting project, and post it with a totally relatable (maybe even predictable) Instagram caption.

Fall nail art trend: Patterns and prints

Plaid, leaves, branches, pumpkins... these are all quintessentially fall motifs and you can 100% give your nails autumnal vibes by incorporating these elements into your nail design. Just remember, if you don’t have a super steady hand to hand-paint intricate details yourself, there is a press-on or sticker for everything you could wish for these days.

Fall nail art trend: Sophisticated greens

Lime and electric greens are out, olive, sage, and emerald are in. Keep it simple with a classic gloss or matte finish, or add in a bit if gold detailing or glitter overcoat to make it pop.

Fall nail art trend: Dark and matte

Now’s the time to embrace moody tones and opting for a matte finish (as opposed to the classic gloss) will give these dark tones even more depth. If this look feels a bit severe, you can always lighten things up by appointing one or two accent nails in a lighter shade. Watercolor designs are always in or you can add a bit of sparkle.

Fall nail art trend: Purples and greys

There’s purple and there’s grey, but sometimes the two tones are almost indiscernible as these nails show. They feel calm and cozy for the fall season, but still hold onto a bit of color. A subtle splatter patterned or glitzy accent nail add a bit of pizzazz.

Fall nail art trend: Orange

Orange you glad there’s at least one super vibrant nail color you can get away without anyone batting an eye in the fall? Orange is in and everywhere you look during the season. Take your nails from basic orange mani to nail art status by giving them a light splatter of black and white dots or by adding on a leaf motif, either hand painted or by using nail stickers.

Fall nail art trend: Jewel tones

When brainstorming fall nail design ideas, start with a jewel-tone palette, and you can’t go wrong. You can go for a simple gradient design in one shade or pick a different jewel tone for each nail. A little bit of gold glitter also pops beautifully against a dark nail bed.

Fall manicures don’t have ot be defined by one thing, whether it be a color or pattern, but if you like to have fun with your nails and dressing them up as much as, if not more, your body, these fall nail design ideas give all all the autumnal vibes you could wish for.