(ARA) - The nip of fall is in the air and you may soon be looking for ways to ward off the emotional chill that winter can bring to your home. Short days and overcast skies can cast a shadow over even the cheeriest home décor.

But just because summer is long off, doesn't mean you have to leave the decorating season behind as well. Here are four home decorating trends to help heat up your home décor without emptying your wallet:

Color Cues

Have a room that doesn't get much sun during winter months? Brighten it with a fresh coat of paint in a color that evokes the heat of warmer months.

Designers and homeowners are turning to warm - and downright hot - colors to spice up interiors this autumn. Vibrant oranges - from tangerine to terra cotta - are a top choice this season, according to Better Homes and Gardens online. Rich reds are also popular, as is the combination of robin's egg blue and dark brown. These colors can be splashed on the walls to dominate a room's décor, or used as accents in accessories throughout the home.

Create Your Own Room with a View

Everyone wants a room with a view, but not everyone can afford to move to a great location or install picture windows throughout their home. A wall mural can turn virtually any wall in your house into a great "view." Increasingly popular among designers, today's wallpaper wall murals are easy to install for do-it-yourselfers and offer a wide range of image choices - from the quintessential '70s palm tree beach scene to contemporary cityscapes and Tuscan-themed gardens.

A mural can enhance the design theme and pay homage to purpose of virtually any room. For example, that beach scene can boost the fun level of your family's favorite play area. And a peaceful Italian grotto scene, nestled on the wall above a bathtub, can elevate your master bath's relaxation quotient. Web site MuralsYourWay.com offers hundreds of affordable, easy-to-install wallpaper murals to match any décor.

Go Green

The grass may be brown and the trees bare of leaves outdoors, but that doesn't mean you can't have plenty of green indoors. Universally recognized as the color of nature, different hues of green can be used for different effects. A gentle, pale green can be very soothing and calming - an ideal mood for a master bedroom retreat or to create an oasis-like atmosphere in a bath. Dark green can bring to mind the color of money, and makes a rich, polished statement in a home office or formal dining room.

Tune In for a Winter Tune Up

Design and home improvement magazines will probably always have a place in the lives of design-conscious homeowners, but an increasing number of do-it-yourselfers turn on the tube for their design ideas. The proliferation of home improvement, renovation and interior design shows means you have virtually instant access to the season's hottest design ideas. So prepare a cup of your favorite herbal tea, turn on the TV and watch without guilt. You're not wasting time, you're conducting important research on how to make your home a more inviting retreat for your family.

Drawing on fall's hottest design trends can help ensure your home provides warmth and welcome throughout the winter months.