Happy November! This has been a gorgeous fall season in Tennessee! The colors have been amazingly vibrant! The temps have been cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon. Perfection!
My kitchen chalkboard says that “All at once, summer collapses into fall,” but in reality, it happens gradually. Each day becomes a little shorter, the mornings slowly get cooler, the leaves gradually change colors, and then fall to the ground. That’s the same way I like to add fall decor to my home – gradually. Myquilin Smith taught me that decor philosophy several years ago, and I just love that method. It feels natural, because it is.
Yesterday, the first day of fall found me riding the highways of New England where we spotted trees topped with hues of reds and yellows. The brisk temps, hovering in the low 60’s for the high, were both invigorating and welcomed.
After reading The Cozy Minimalist Book a few years back, I have taken a whole different approach to decorating for fall. I have only a few “fall only” pieces in my home. Now I try to use real leaves, real pumpkins, and things from my yard. I pull out my fall-colored dishes and candles. I attempt to incorporate all five senses to find fall touches all through my home. Let me give you a few glimpses of what I mean.
In my kitchen I have a cookbook on a book stand, opened to a fall cake. The pumpkin plate on the stove is one of the few pieces I mentioned. I’ll use it September – November as my spoon rest as I cook.
The lazy Susan on my island holds a candle that I try to keep lit. It is a Wood wick that crackles. It gives a great aroma of fall scents, but also the sense that a fire is crackling somewhere. The tiered stand has a couple snack plates and a fall leaf spreader on one side.
The other side holds an orange Fiesta cup used as my salt pillar, a succulent and a couple pumpkin napkin holders.
My Southern Living Magazine is opened to a page of fall scenery and a tall pillar candle rests on top. Here there are both fall visuals and scents.
For the mantle I put branches from trees in the backyard into a white pitcher. They last a long time in water! I like it so much better than a stem of fake leaves!
Twinkly lights in a bowl filled with moss balls and wooden decorative balls add a little more sparkle and warm glow in the living room.
Cozy layers rest on my leather ottoman in our family room. Leaves from my yard are my florals and a magazine picturing a yummy stew is there on the tray.
Dried leaves and wheat stalks are in a tall vase on the armoire. I love those turquoise candle sticks in the brass holders. I learned that you should always burn the wicks of your candles. A little drippy wax down the side of the candle adds to the coziness.
One thing you can’t see is my Alexa that plays the Autumn playlist I’ve made up. It has songs like, Autumn Leaves and songs from Little Women. Cozy music is so-o-o inviting!
It’s all the little appeals to the five senses that make a house feel like fall is slipping inside. I have also added my fuzzy pillow slipcovers and some soft throws on the couches. Yep, it feels, looks, smells and even sounds like fall in my house.
Do you consider all five senses when you decorate for the seasons? What else do you add?
We love being outside when we’re home. For that reason, I wanted to add some nice fall decor to enjoy out there. I’m not finished yet, but here is where we are so far.
I can’t wait to build a fire and have friends/family sitting with us around it!
This swing is my favorite piece of outdoor furniture! Who doesn’t love to swing? But it also lays down flat, creating the perfect place for a nap!
Blankets are ready for cool nights.
Here’s a peek at the front with my GIANT mum that has come back for several years now.
I look forward to entertaining outdoors this fall. Fires in the fire pit on cool evenings are just so cozy and inviting. I’m praying about planning an event so we can invite our neighbors over.
A simple menu of
Hot dogs
Donuts
Cider
Marshmallows to roast
would be so easy to pull together! What could you do simply that would pull people into your backyard or home? Popcorn? Pizza? Donuts from Dunkin or these easy homemade ones? Pray about it, then put it on your calendar! Use it to encourage others, pray for the hurting and be a blessing to your own family.
Rather than inundating my rooms with pumpkins and fall foliage, I’m only adding a few touches of fall around my home right now. I’m really trying to just pick out of my own resources things that are fall colors, textures and fragrances. I love the Yankee candle pictured above. It’s Sweet Maple Chai and smells just like fall.
The candle sits on my kitchen counter and beside it is my tiered stand. I keep a salt pillar in there for my cooking. I chose my orange Fiesta ware cup, to add another touch of fall and it sits beside a tiny ceramic pumpkin. This is an example of using my daily dishes and accents that just happen to be the right color!
I love this mint plant because it looks so realistic. The green against the colors of the orange cup and pumpkin are perfect for this time of year since there’s plenty of green still in our yards.
Of course my chalkboards are some of my favorite ways to “decorate” for any season!
The bike drawing below was done for summer,e but I loved it so much that I decided to just change out the colors of the flowers in the basket and add some fall leaves all around.
My mantle has a branch of bittersweet and a little pumpkin. The taper candles’ jewel tone also speaks of autumn.
Fall wreaths welcome our guests and also the family who come in through the garage door (in the next photo).
My sweet husband brought me yellow roses this week “to go along with my fall decor.” Love him!
I’ll still be adding a little more in the way of throws and pillows, but that’s about it! Simplicity is the name of my game this year! I’m holding out for Christmas, which is just around the corner!
RefreshHer 