Easy Fall Decorating

 

I'll be honest, I'm not a big fall decorator.  I just usually don't have the time or energy to invest in it.  It's usually all I can do to pull up the spent garden, empty the annuals from the flower pots and clean things up for winter; not to mention the leaves.  However, this year, something is different. 

 

 It all started when I purchased this burlap pumpkin at the Habitat ReStore in Statesville on our recent blogger field trip (You can read more about that HERE).

 

 

I guess it somehow put me the mood.  Then, I stumbled upon these amazing down filled Hickory Chair plaid Euro pillows for $10 each. 

 

 

 I actually bought them for the inserts and then started to like the plaid.  I decided to play around with them and....lo and behold they looked pretty great on my sofa.

 

 

And that's how it all started.  The next thing I knew, I was in full fledged fall decorating mode - purchasing pumpkins and pulling out throws and pine cones.  I'm sure the unseasonably cool temps this weekend also helped, but I have to say, it wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be. 

 

 

 When you decorate for a living, you amass an unbelievable amount of "extra" décor.  It's kind of nice having the ability to completely change things up without spending any money.  So here's what I did:

1.) I changed out the sofa pillows.  I removed the pink and green and utilized a more neutral scheme to cozy things up.  I also replaced the pink stripe basket with a natural one.  (No worries, the pink will return for the holidays.)

2.) I added this amazing pom-pom throw that I picked up at my friend Jennifer of Pure and Simple Organizing's recent estate sale.  Throws are perfect for lounging around and I have tons of them.

I mean, what's autumn without pumpkins?  I intended to get white ones, but the place I stopped in yesterday only had orange.  Never fear...spray paint to the rescue!  I may like the gold better anyway.

3.) Pumpkins and/or gourds are a MUST this time of year.

 

TIP:  You may be picking up on the fact that none of my fall décor is holiday specific.  I try not to decorate for Halloween or Thanksgiving because I find holiday specific décor for this season to be extremely limiting.  I figure if I'm going to put in the effort to decorate for fall, I want to enjoy it for as long as possible.  By selecting décor that merely references the season, I can enjoy them from now until I ready to decorate for Christmas.

 

4.)  I replaced the pink vase that usually occupies this space with a vintage pitcher filled with pheasant feathers.  Don't have any feathers?  Pretty much anything natural will work (i.e. willow, dried branches, etc.) The idea is to give a nod to the changing season by bringing the outdoors in.

 

 

I love fresh flowers and I typically purchase them each week.  However, this time of year the variety starts to dwindle and the prices begin to rise. 

 

5. ) I switched out my fresh blooms for small potted plants.  I love how they look in my thrifted brass urns.

6.) Hiding in my garage were these amber bottles. I switched out the glass bottles and fishing net weights for these more season appropriate options.

7.) The étagère got a little taste of fall with this burnt orange wreath.  I sort of felt obligated to at least add a little orange.  It's not my favorite color. 

 

Again, I added a wreath to the china cabinet as well.  Wreaths are a super easy way to decorate for the season with minimal effort.

 



The addition of another potted plant and a cozy cable knit pillow make this the perfect spot for my morning coffee.

So, there you have it!  It's actually pretty amazing how different te space feels with these small changes.  Do you decorate for fall?

"Fall Trends: Runway to Room"

Last week I attended the Neiman Marcus Cusp Fall Fashion Show. 

The fashions were styled by local stylist, the fab Erica Hanks.  It was so cool to connect with some of my social media friends.   

 

Not to mention being surrounded by such lovely fashion goodness.

Erica broke down the top ten trends for fall and I thought it would be fun to see how a few of those trends translate into interior spaces.

First up, animal print. By far this was my favorite look of the evening.  I'm obsessed with this coat.  

I also love the idea of mixing prints.  It's such a fresh take on an old standby.

Typically, when you think animal print in terms of interior design you immediately imagine strong, bold prints. 

Traditional Family Room by Detroit Interior Designers & Decorators The Yellow Cape Cod

However, that doesn't have to be the case.  Animal print can be incorporated into some of the most soft and serene spaces.

Traditional Living Room by Beverly Hills Interior Designers & Decorators DTM INTERIORS

It's super versatile.

Traditional Bedroom by Dc Metro Architects & Designers Mary Douglas Drysdale

Menswear is also a huge trend for Fall. 

 

This trend is all about mixing masculine details with feminine details, and it works exactly the same way in design.  This Glen Plaid sofa totally works especially juxtaposed against the floral throw pillows. 

Traditional Living Room by Charleston Interior Designers & Decorators LORRAINE G VALE, Allied ASID

Needless to say I love Tobi Fairley's yummy menswear goodness in this classic bedroom design.

Contemporary Bedroom by Little Rock Interior Designers & Decorators Tobi Fairley Interior Design

 Adding pops of red is also a big trend right now. 

Of course, like Rachel Greathouse's exterior design below, I also have a red front door, but if that's too much, a touch of red in other places can go a long way. 

Eclectic Exterior by Atlanta Interior Designers & Decorators Rachel Greathouse

She even paired it with violet.

Contemporary Dining Room by New York Interior Designers & Decorators valerie pasquiou interiors + design, inc

Can't say I actually like this color combo, but hey, to each her own. 

Have you already started working in the fall trends into your wardrobe?

"Autumn Updates: Ready for a Change"

Swooo! It's been a rough week. I apologize for the infrequent and less than in depth blog posts this week.  I've got a lot going on, to say the least.  Today, I'm just popping in to share with you the quick update I'm giving my master bedroom.

I've grown tired of the current space.  Not sure if it's the seasons changing or the fact that after six years, my style is beginning to change.  Whatever the case, I've decided to go with a warmer color scheme for fall and winter. 

As a decorator, you can accumulate a lot of things in your stash that come in handy when you decide to update your own home.  I actually picked up this Spring Sparrow Pottery Barn duvet cover at a warehouse sale for nearly nothing a few months ago.  I had no idea that it was Pottery Barn when I purchased it or what I would do with it, but the price was too insanely cheap to pass on.



Pottery Barn

I'd been stalking the matching pillow shams on the PB website and lo and behold, they went on sale today so I scooped them up.

Pottery Barn

I actually found bedside lamps similar to those pictured above at Goodwill a month or so ago and picked them up for $5 each.  I also had some medium sized square lamp shades that I ended up not using in a client project recently that worked perfectly with the wall mounted lamps.



Bed Bath and Beyond

I also scored a pair of these natural drapery panels at the same warehouse sale.  I really need four for my bedroom windows, but I've decided to cut them in half to create smaller panels since the windows are pretty narrow anyway.  I picked up a couple of cream twin sized flat sheets on clearance and I'm having the new "half" panels lined so that they are more opaque.

I stumbled upon these awesome framed fern shadow box art pieces for $4.99 each at Goodwill.



They've added just the natural look I'd hope to create and work really well with the bird duvet.

Now I just need to update a couple of accessories and I'll be all set.  Can't wait to share with you how it turns out.  More to come...

"My Latest Goodwill Finds!"

Lately, I just can't seem to get enough of Goodwill. I'm not sure if it's just me or not, but it seems that the inventory lately has been unreal.  There have been so many brand new items recently, that I almost forget I'm in a thrift store. 

 

I thought I'd share with you a few of my latest finds. 

 

How I managed to find this beauty in-season, I have no idea.  At $2.99, SOLD!  My front door doesn't accommodate such a thick wreath with the storm door, so I opted to use it indoors instead.  Autumn perfection!

 

 

 

Looks like I'm taking my own advice once again.  I'm beginning a small gallery wall of my own in my bedroom.  The entire collection is from Goodwill and prices ranged from $0.79 to $3.99.  Seriously.

 

 

How cute is this oval mirror?

And this Empire fauteuil chair print started the whole thing. Can you tell I'm taking History of Furniture this semester?  Love it!

I've been Goodwill hunting for a pharmacy floor lamp for a couple of months.  No luck yet, but at $3.99, a table lamp will do.  I'm loving the old school charm this one adds.

And this is the view from my sofa.  Of course, it includes my autumn gold pine cone makeover...

 

 

...and the newest addition of this Nate Berkus seagrass basket NWT (new with tags) for $2.99. What better place for storing the remotes.

 

 

 

 

Lastly, I'm super excited about this 20ft string of outdoor/patio lights I found for $3.99.  

 

 

They have totally transformed the porch after sundown.  Did someone say S'mores?

 

 

 

I just can't say enough good things about Goodwill.  I also can't stop going apparently.  It's pretty sad when you start noticing the same people shopping when you go.  You think, "Wow, she's in here every time I come in here.", and then it dawns on you that you are one of them.  Lol!  Oh well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.  Right?

What do you think of my finds?  Have you found anything great at Goodwill lately?  Simply click the words Click Here to Join the Conversation just below this post. Need help? Read this.

"Low-cost Autumn Decor"

Reading other design blogs these last couple of weeks has left me feeling like a total slacker.  I mean, people are really serious about the whole autumn decor thing.  Me?  I'm more of a Christmas decor kind of girl.  However, I am officially a blogger now so I guess I'd better step up my game. 

I figured I'd take the advice I gave here and share with you my very low cost autumn decor ideas. 

For starters, I was dead set on not spending a lot of money.  You should've seen people watching me as I picked up these branches from a pile of trimmed limbs behind the Walgreens that apparently had just had some landscaping done.   Thanks Walgreens!

I really like to keep the decor natural and cost effective.  Why buy something from the store that is available for free outside?  I purchased this large round pine cone at Goodwill for $1.99.  Unfortunately, it didn't start off looking too great.  I'm sure the lady in the checkout line behind me was wondering what in the world I was going to do with this thing.  Too bad she doesn't read the blog. Lol!

It had these awful berries and pine cones on the top with a twine loop.  Needless to say, I started by removing them.  And several of the pieces began to fall off when I began fiddling with it.

But, it was nothing that a little hot glue wouldn't fix.  A little gold spray paint from my stash and there you have it.  I love the result. 

Elsewhere I also try to keep things pretty natural.  You know I'm a big fan of growing things and I love how you reap the benefits well into Fall.  I planted these sunflowers back in June and they've finally reached their peak.  I'm thinking the pumpkin (given to me by a friend) may need a coat of spray paint too.

In the kitchen, I try to keep things from becoming too fussy.    I keep vintage Mason jars and they make a great holder for all of those red wine corks (shhh...., it's good for your heart) . Lol!

A few pine cones and mini pumpkins and gourds from the local grocery store and that's enough for me. 

Maybe next weekend I'm move the Fall decorating outdoors.  Do you decorate for the changing season?

Leave me a comment and tell me what you've done.  Reading via email?  Click HERE to go to the site and then click the word Comments just below this post.