Falling Into Style

While I tend to experience an anxiety spiral at the beginning of every school year (just tellin' it like it is), the return of fall is still one of my favorite parts of living in upstate New York. It's by far our favorite season. The colors. The crispness. The apples (and apple products). The corduroy jackets. The comfort food. What's not to love?

I like to incorporate the different seasons into our home decor, but try to avoid the blatant leaf garlands and what not. Even at Christmastime, I try to use cozy items that will carry us past the holiday and through winter. I've even outgrown some earth tones (which I once really liked) and the rusts, golds, and oranges that usually encompass autumn. So, I've been on a search for some ways to switch things up a bit without falling prey to the old autumn gimmicks.

Enter Pinterest, stage left. It still takes some searching and sifting, since there is a healthy dose of bedazzled faux pumpkins (I kid you not; I'm all for using fake pumpkins year-to-year, but the sparkles...oh, the sparkles) and ghostly projects, but I did find some ideas that at least get my juices flowing (um, ew).

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Wait. Dude. Didn't I just say no autumn garlands? Yes, yes, I did. You are correct. This, however, isn't your mother's fake leaves attached with tiny plastic tubing to attempt the look of nature in the most unnatural of ways. (Actually, I don't remember my mother attempting this. I clearly didn't acquire her taste in the gene pool of life.) And, for the record, I used to decorate with those things. :-)

Plus, while this "garland" technically has some fall colors goin' on, it's also able to walk the line into other seasons pretty easily. I've also seen several garlands using rustic-looking cloth which I'd love to try.

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Wow, another Etsy find! I could just buy it, but then what would be the fun in that?? I don't need the rhinestone awesomeness or even the swirly...what is that dusty messy looking stuff? Anyhoo... The decoupaging of book pages seems simple enough, but if I could find a stamp or book with a neat print or image, I'd be all over it. I have enough ancient books hanging around this place, I should be able to find something...right?

Not to mention, the styling of the other products at Cloth and Patina give me gobs of inspiration right there. Knowing that you can attain "AUTUMN" with creams, crystal, porcelain, and paper makes me pretty happy.

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If I did want a splash of color here or there, I'd totally try this. Painters' tape + paint + pumpkin (real or fake) = a fun way to add some pattern (and the only chevron in the house is one of the fitted sheets for the baby's crib...he's so much hipper than us). If I didn't want to ruin the neutrality from above, I can see a cream-and-gray tonal one. Can't you?

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We can't ignore the table, right? Even though I honestly can't remember the last time we sat at our dining room table, as a family, to eat a meal. Easter? (We generally eat at our tiny kitchen set-up out of convenience.) And, odds are Thanksgiving will be another year of table hopping at out parents' houses. But, a girl can dream, right?

The cool thing about this little tableau is that I already have an awesome antique drawer/box thingamajigger that would provide a neat-o replacement for this rustic box. Mix in some white pumpkins (vs. the traditional orange), and I'm a happy camper.

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It saddens me to take down the Beatles quote that's currently hanging in our living room, but chalkboard art is meant to be enjoyed, then changed. Hey, much like a season! Look at that, being all metaphorical. Anyhoo, I like this Camus quote (although we're working with a horizontal board, so I'd have to finagle it). Oooorrrr...

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...I could try THIS, or something like it. Hmm. Again, a girl can dream, right?

Here are a few pops of inspiration that only need a few words of explanation:

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Use this idea as a small piece of framed "art"?

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Three words: Mercury "glass" pumpkins. LOVE.


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I adore the simplicity of this one. It's somehow earthy, textural, warm, monochromatic and modern, all at the same time. I'm on the hunt for some wheat.

So, while I may not implement all of these ideas, or even half of them, they give me a good jumping off point from which to start. And the first step is going through the stuff I have already, big and small, that might work. Goodness knows I have a buttload of candles and cylindrical vases. ;-)

What do you think? Elegant? Rustic? Or too bland? Do you prefer warmifying your house with the colors of the season? There's totally nothing wrong with that! After all, after I get past the initial "aw, crap!" of seeing the first leaves change, I get a huge thrill taking a short road trip to a cider mill amidst the colorful rolling hills. Ahh. Now I want cocoa.

P.S. Happy 14-month "birthday" to Hadman! Every Friday the 13th I find myself growing nostalgic for that day and sad (yet proud) of what a bright, sweet little person he's become. *sniff, sniff*