40+ Beautiful Fall Nails

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Do you enjoy painting your nails for the season, but need ideas to choose the perfect colors or design? Let these ideas for fall nails inspire your next at home nail art project or professional manicure. If you’re looking for something more spooky, check here for Halloween nail designs.

Fall nail designs collage

There’s options for short nails, acrylics, gel nails, and a variety of tips including French, coffin, almond, and stiletto! Whether you’re more into cute designs or need something classy this season (a wedding, maybe?) there’s so many great ideas for fall themed nails out there.

What Are the Best Colors for Fall Nails?

When you’re painting solid or patterned nails for fall the colors you choose can have a big impact on whether or not your nails look seasonal. To find the best nail colors for fall, look to nature for inspiration.

  • The colors of changing leaves: Browns in all shades, deep reds like crimson and scarlet, golden or mustard yellow, and deep purples like mulberry.
  • Fall crops and flowers: Draw color inspiration from pumpkins (orange), eggplant and plum (purples), tree or moss (greens), sunflowers (yellow and brown), and other seasonal blooms.
  • Muted colors in all hues: If you want to work with non-traditional fall colors like blues and pinks, opt for muted versions of these colors to reflect fall’s warm undertones.
  • Neutrals: Like muted colors, neutrals also work great as fall colors for nails; especially tan.
  • Black and white: Both can be incorporated into fall nails, but avoid using them as a major part of the design. White is traditionally not worn after labor day, and while this fashion trend does apply to nails it’s definitely not a hard and fast rule. Black is great for adding moodiness to your nail art, but it can easily look Halloween-y, especially when paired with orange.

When to Add Bright Colors to Fall Themed Nails

If you’re creating a design that is unmistakably fall themed you don’t have to stick to fall colors to stay seasonal. Who says you can’t paint colorful leaves, multicolor ghosts, or rainbow pumpkins! Get creative and don’t limit yourself to fall colors if you prefer brightly painted nails.

What Fall Colors Look Best With Matte Nail Polish?

Matte nail polish is newer fail nail trend, and colors definitely look different when painted in a matte finish vs glossy. I find muted colors and earth tones look great with matte nail polish, which means most of the popular fall hues look fantastic in a matte finish too.

Popular fall colors that look great in matte nail polish:

  • Browns and tans
  • Green, especially olive
  • Burgundy, crimson, and other deep reds
  • Purples, especially eggplant
  • Mustard yellow
  • Nudes and neutrals, including soft pinks
  • Black

THE BEST NAIL ART INSPIRATION AND DESIGN IDEAS FOR FALL

From cute nails to pretty fall color options, these unique nail art designs are perfect ideas for your next manicure. Try them out at home or bring these examples to your salon for inspiration! 

Fall Leaves

Fall Leaves
Image Source: @NailsbyKatieDutra

Leaves are a classic design idea for fall, and one that looks great on almost any nail size and shape. Paint a variety of leaves in coordinating fall colors on each nail like gel nail artist Katie Dutra did here, or add a few solid nails in a complementary shade to emphasise the leaf designs. 

Fall Inspired Mix and Match Nails

Fall Inspired Mix and Match Nails
Image Source: @noellefuyunails

If you can’t settle on one design, do a variety of different prints and styles in coordinating fall colors instead! Swirls, stripes, flowers, and animal prints all look great, especially when painted on top of a neutral base coat.

Sunflower Nails

Sunflower Nail art
Image Source: @nailartbyamyblair

Nothing says fall like sunflowers! Instead of doing the flowers on every nail, just paint a couple and then use a darker color on the solid nails to complete the look.

Negative Space Nails

Negative Space Nail design idea
Image Source: @nailsbysteph.ansaldo

I love the use of negative space in nail art. Basically, it means that the plain part of the nail art is in the middle and the design is focused around the edges or sides of the nails. The combination of pink nail polish and glitter adds a feminine touch, even when paired with the  fall themed orange and black pattern.

Classic Fall Hues

Classic Fall Hues manicure
Image Source: @disseynails

This is a great idea for painting fall themed French tips or to use as an easy nail painting technique. I love the way the alternating pattern of fully painted nail and painted tip looks together, especially in spooky fall colors like orange and black.

70s Inspired Nails

70s Inspired Nails
Image Source: @itsthevietgirlsnailart

The browns, reds, yellows, and oranges of the 70s are perfect for seasonal nails! Use these colors on their own or contrasted with white for a simple design. If you’re feeling really creative you can also add other retro elements, like flowers, on top.

Knit Sweater Inspired Nail Design

Knit Sweater Inspired Nail Design
Image Source: @gisellanails

Sweater weather = sweater nails. Seriously though, these sweater inspired nails have a super cool knit design making them the perfect cold weather accessory you didn’t know you needed. You can get the textured look by adding nail art stickers or using gel polish to create the design with a nail art brush.

French Tip Nails for Fall

French Tip Nails for Fall
Image Source: @chloezhaang

French tips  are a great option when you want fall nail art but still need to maintain a polished or professional look. To create a fall themed French nail look, paint tips with your favorite October inspired hues like brown, orange, or red. 

Yellow With Flowers

Yellow With Flowers manicure
Image Source: @begellybyari

Despite its bright and cheery nature, yellow is a great autumn nail color, especially earlier in the season. To tone down the yellow, paint natural elements like flowers or leaves on top of a neutral base coat.

Matte Nails for Fall

Matte Nails for Fall
Image Source: @NailsbyKatieDutra

Matte nails are all the rage and will continue to be popular into the fall season. To make the most of matte nail polish, opt for toned down hues and simple nail art designs like mushrooms or leaves.

White and Pink Ombre Stiletto Nails

White and Pink Ombre Stiletto Nails
Image Source: @sandragiera

White nails look stunning, especially when paired with subtle designs on a few accent nails. Instead of painting the whole nail white, start with a neutral nail polish color and blend it with white about halfway up in an ombre style. This works especially well on longer nails like these stiletto tips.

Multicolor Fall Nails

Multicolor Fall Nails
Image Source: @tendrehands

These bright nails pull fall colors in for a bold nail art design. If you’re painting at home, recreate the multicolor look by starting with a base coat then spreading out each color with a nail brush one at a time. 

Cute Pumpkins

Cute Pumpkin manicure idea
Image Source: @nail.art.by.tea

Who doesn’t love cute pumpkin nails? Instead of plain orange, brighten up your pumpkin nail art by painting each one in a different color. This is a great fall themed nail art design for beginners to try, too! 

Fall Nail Stickers

Fall Nail Stickers
Image Source: @missnaysnails

Nail art stickers are a great way to create elaborate fall nails at home or the salon without having to paint complex patterns. I love the fall leaves on these coffin nails, but you can also get creative with jewels and other embellishments too!

Pretty Floral Fall Nails

Pretty Floral Fall Nails
Image Source: @thenailladylincoln

Bring some fall blooms into your floral nail art this season! I love the subtle flower design on these nails, especially against the white background. Lifehack: Add a band to the bottom of the design (like they did here in silver) so your nails keep looking cute as they grow out.

Beige or Nude

Beige or Nude nail polish inspo
Image Source: @avrnailswatches


This is the season for neutral nails to shine! Choose beiges, tans, or nudes for a subtle look that’ll match all your cool weather outfits. These colors would also be great on toe nails, too. 

Cute Boho Nails for Fall

Cute Boho Nails for Fall
Image Source: @abbydoesnails

These boho nails are so cute! The trendy colors in boho style art (browns, soft oranges, muted blues, and pink) are perfect for this time of year. Try doing simple two color patterns or get creative with bohemian inspired rainbows, happy faces, and marbling.

Terrazzo Inspired Nails

Terrazzo Inspired Nails
Image Source: @nails.wax.lash.tan

Terrazzo is an Italian style of material made from chipped stone and concrete that has a distinctive flecked pattern. These fun Terrazzo nails drew inspiration from those floor and wall coverings to create a design that would be super easy to DIY with your favorite fall colors.

Olive and Green

Olive and Green manicure
Image Source: @nylove_nail

These colorful nails use olive and other shades of green to create bold nails. I find them reminiscent of trees that have just started to change color in cooler weather.

Abstract Nail Design

Abstract Nail Design
Image Source: Tessa.Lyn.Nails

Great fall nails by nail artist Tessa.Lyn.Nails. Combining a base layer of abstract art with fall themed foliage is an easy way to create a unique nail design. To DIY this look, beginners can skip the foliage and just stick to abstract blotches of fall colors, or use nail art stickers to add leaves to your designs.

Simple Plaid Fall Nail Design

Simple Plaid Fall Nail Design
Image Source: @nailsbykatiedutra

When the cold weather comes out so does the plaid! Incorporate fall prints like plaid into your nail art for an easy painting technique. Just make sure you let your nails dry between coats so you don’t smudge your stripes. Tip: Use leaf colors like browns, reds, and oranges to make your plaid nails even more seasonal.

Multicolor Swirls With Nude Base

Multicolor Swirls With Nude Base
Image Source: @kuypernailart

Swirls are another easy painting technique for nails that can easily be adjusted for every season. Start with a nude base coat then use these colorful swirls as inspiration to create your own unique designs.

Fall Inspired Stripes on Short Nails

Fall Inspired Stripes on Short Nails
Image Source: @thenailartbabe

Stripes are a great way to add some fall colors, especially when working with short nails. Instead of painting the stripes right next to each other, apply a neutral base coat to your nails and leave a small space between each stripe. 

Cute Pastels

Cute Pastel art
Image Source: @thenailladylincoln

You can have a lot of fun with pastels, even in the autumn season! Choose seasonal pastel colors and tone it down with some abstract art for a bright and cheerful look.

Fall Wedding Gold Glitter Nails

Fall Wedding Gold Glitter Nails
Image Source: @tasia.nailedit

You could use this fall nail design for any occasion, but I think it’d be gorgeous for a fall wedding. Subtle designs were combined with gold glitter to create a glamorous fall look. You could easily incorporate a bride’s wedding colors into this design!

Orange and Black Leopard Print

Orange and Black Leopard Print manicure
Image Source: @nailsbyj03

Leopard print is always in style but this orange and black combo is especially purrfect for fall! If you haven’t already, try painting animal prints with matte nail polish for a trendier look.

Fall Rainbows and Leaves

Fall Rainbows and Leaves paint ideas
Image Source: @blythes._.nails

This is another nail art design that has boho vibes thanks to the muted colors and simple rainbows. By pulling seasonal colors into the nail designs and painting the rest of the nails a complimentary solid tone, you get a fun pattern that’s perfect for short nails. 

Geometric Nail Art

Geometric Nail Art
Image Source: @topcoat_tonic

Geometric designs are great for beginners or as a simple fall nail design. Start with a solid base coat on half or all of the nail. Then use a nail art brush to add different geometric lines and shapes in a contrasting color.

Blue Almond Shaped Fall Nails

Blue Almond Shaped Fall Nails
Image Source: @blythes._.nails

When choosing blue hues for fall the go to is earth tones, but you can also get away with navy and even denim hues for a vibrant look. If you do opt for bright blue nails during fall, consider toning them down by alternating with a softer pattern like this floral nail art.

Orange Nails

Orange Nails
Image Source: @sandragiera

On its own, orange nail polish can sometimes be too bright or look more Halloween than fall inspired. I love the way they used orange, black, and purple on these coffin tipped nails by painting one nail each color, then pulling the same shades into the floral design of the middle two nails. 

Matte Mushroom Nails

Matte Mushroom Nails
Image Source: @sylwia_nailss

These are just way too cute! Use a green matte base coat on these nails for a more earthy look, then paint mushrooms and foliage over top. 

Autumn Nails

Autumn Nails
Image Source: @polishedlooksbymelissa

These nails have a little bit of everything for a cute autumn design idea. This is such a unique way to add fun seasonal elements, like pumpkins and flowers, to the end of square tips. 

Modern Fall Nails

Modern Fall Nails
Image Source: @nail.art.by.tea

These unique fall nails designs have a modern, or even boho, vibe. I love the way they pulled bold fall colors into the design without it looking too bright. Use this as inspiration to create your own designs!

Fall Patterns 

Fall Pattern nail polish idea
Image Source: @sfpartynails

Patterns are an easy way to add unique designs to nails without spending hours doing your nails. Dots, leopard print, two colored, and striped nails are all great for beginners – try them with some coordinating fall colors for a seasonal look.

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