Fall Decor

I can't believe it's this time already! September 2nd! It can't be!
Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents would tell you something was going to happen in a week? It seemed like it took forever. Nowadays a whole week goes by and I don't even notice .
It's those darn munchkins, I tell ya! They somehow manage to speed up the clock.

Well anyway, the reality is that autumn is coming and, being a true New Englander, this means that my all-time favorite season is on it's way!
Fellow New Englanders and those of you who seem to experience no seasonal change whatsoever, this is for you.


repeat. repeat. repeat. pick one or two items or "themes" and repeat them. i.e. rather than hunting down 5 different fall items for your mantel, pick 7 different pumpkins {try to stick with one trait to keep your look uniform...same size, same color, same shape} and use just those. the greater the variety of items you use the more likely you are to overwhelm the eye and to look right over something special. 

{good housekeeping}

 {oh brooke}

do one thing and do it well. commit. if you're not careful, you can easily under-do your decorating and it can end up looking cheesy or cheap. this doesn't necessarily mean spendin' the big bucks. take the photo below, for instance... this is commitment! if they had skimped and put only one or two pumpkins at the base of each branch it'd look sparse. notice the branches too... if they had chosen branches that were too small, it would have looked "dinky". if, like most of us, you are working on a tight budget, do what you can but do it well. rather than four branch piles, only do two {one on either side of the door or on either side of the stairs} and cut the pumpkin collection down by half and pile three around one and three or five around the other {remember, odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye}. use this idea all over your house. this will keep your projects from looking cheap or cluttered and may actually save you money by keeping you from buying lots of little things that can add up quickly.

{good housekeeping}

one pumpkin on the shelf? oh no, my friend! commit!

{design mom}

small changes can mean big impact. like the frames below, simply changing out the pictures in your frames to fall landscapes {which can be found in old calendars, post cards, magazines, or you can take pictures and print them out} makes a definite impact and it can be done for pennies. take a look around, do you have any accessories, pillow cases, or blankets that lends themselves to fall color? swap them out and see the change. 

{sweet something designs} 

 

{brassy apple}

go au natural. if you can find it outdoors, it's probably perfect for indoor decorating this season. {apples, acorns, pine cones, leaves, branches, bittersweet...}

{pottery barn}

{good housekeeping}

think color. oranges and greens are a given. consider reds, teals, and purples too.

 {lula belle design}

 {pottery barn}

{the red thread}

{armonia decors}

scrapbook paper can be your friend. find patterns you love that warm you insides and make you smell apple cider. put pages in an empty picture frame for a punch of color. modge podge it wooden frames or blocks.

- spell it out. there's something about the words of the season that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. find items that use the words "fall", "autumn","apples","pumpkin","leaves"

 

{sugar pie farmhouse}

{pattis primatives}

{320 sycamore}

think "well loved". worn edges, crackling paint, and signs of age all seem to warm up a place. you can buy items at flea markets and tag sales already used or you can use paint techniques on inexpensive items to create the look. (crackling mediums are easy to find at craft supply stores {elmers glue works too}. sand paper and gel stain can work wonders. even wax and soap help chip paint.)

{kennedy klan news and honeybee heaven} 

 {bhldn}

{my sweet savannah}

appeal to all the senses. one of the best ways to get in the spirit of the season is to cover all the senses. sight and touch are easy {table scapes, wall decor, pillows, blankets...} but don't forget smell and taste {candles and fresh baked goods. apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, pears, beef stew, and other hearty dishes} and, for me, the sounds of classical music tends to set the mood.

 {thrifty decor chick}

{sugar and spice}

{pixdaus}

I can smell the cider donuts already!