Thursday, September 10, 2009

no fuss fall

this time of year i like to settle in and get the cozy going in my home even though the need for indoor warmth is SEVERAL months off here in the south. still, it's on my mind. fall is my favorite time of year. i love it all, the leaves all over the ground (fall in the south is pretty spectacular when it finally does arrive), the cool, crisp air, the humid haze gives way to bright blue skies, the pumpkins all over the grocery stores and inevitably, my porch. i'm a sucker for the white ones and the blue hubbard squashes. as far as "decorating" or "autumn-ing up" the inside of your house the following is a look that i am not in favor of..although understandably it is the most popular way of getting the point across...hay-CHECK. leaf garland-CHECK. fake pumpkins and fairy lights-CHECK. i think that a few of these things are ok so long as they are not used all together in one clump of an area. unless you WANT your house to look like a tuesday morning display. although..skip the fake pumpkins. just skip 'em. get the real thing, it's worth it.
for my fall spruce up i like to add heavier texture, a few jewel tones in the form of pillows and blankets, fall blooming arrangements (usually from the yard) and candles candles candles. i generally don't go for the pumpkincinnamoncake-y variety, but instead opt for the woodsmokemuskyforrestflooramber-y variety.
here are a few images that send a message of cozy without any fuss or fall decorating stereotypes. see the pears?? they are in season in the fall so they are acceptable as long as they are real. i love this kitchen. it speaks to my inner rustic minimalist.

subdued and inviting, perfect for a movie night. would you fill that bowl with popcorn or is that one of those bowls that would give you lead poisoning?
i take lots of baths in the fall and winter and this tub is glorious. as is the table full of expensive girly bath oils and bits. using furniture in the bathroom is fabulous too. the neutral palate, the simple window treatment and rug keep this room from being too fussy.

while white and stripes are generally used in summer decor i think so long as the textures are seasonally appropriate it can work any time of year.
what a cozy spot for breakfast.



how do you decorate for fall? are you a cinnamon potpourri gal? or do you throw a pumpkin on your porch and call it a day? what say you??


images via house beautiful, canadian hh, living etc, domino, houzz

22 comments:

The Townhouselady said...

Love you examples. The only holiday/season I cheese over is Christmas. I still try to keep it classy but lights and tchochkes only come out during that time.

I'll do a centerpiece for Thanksgiving, change out the scents on my candles and maybe put a pumpkin on the porch but that the extent of it.

Oh wait, I also add some throws to the sofa.

bluehydrangea said...

love the pics. Have you heard from HGTV yet? John must have passed your post on...can't wait for you to get your own show. HGTV needs a little spunk. don't forget us little people...

anita said...

LOVE these pics. that is my dream bathroom and dream tv room (complete with big-ass popcorn bowl).
i say yes! to fall and fires in the fireplace and hot tea, and cozy throws.
if i do decorate i get real pumpkins, and real apples or pears in a bowl.

Jill GG said...

I do a bit here and there... but nothing fake and nothing over the top (well, except one fake black cat that I really get a kick out of!) I try to find the crazy pumpkins at the greenhouse and then pull some bittersweet from the yard and that's that! I do love fall!

Sometimes we will do hay-bales and corn stalks on the porch - but they are always a pain to dispose of when the rain/snow arrives!

Jessie said...

Wait, what was this post about? After you mentioned popcorn, I couldn't think about anything but that...

Um, do you know how many of your posts I bookmark for inspiration??? 'Cause it's a lot of them. A LOT.

Also, this makes me want to recover my Eames lounger in white... that is just GORGE.

Brandi@ Flights of Whimsy said...

Due to cramped apartment living I have never decorated for a season. This year we have our very own house, with room to spare! So I am already planning in my head holiday decor and you've definitely inspired me to decorate for fall. Although like you I'm in the south and still sweating bullets. I think I may make a fall wreath for the front door and carve a pumpkin for sure. I will save the dog and pony show for christmas!

Kristen said...

I love the photo with the fire going...that looks like fall to me! Getting some work done on the house soon and the bedroom with the windows on each side of the bed and dark headboard is giving me grand inspiration for our new bedroom...thank you.

decorating...I have 2 small kids, so we put stuff around the house. a little pumpkin here, a black cat on the entry table. real pumpkins on the porch. not too much for fall, but a lot at christmas for sure!

Anonymous said...

I'm absolutely loving the breakfast nook with the white painted floors (third picture from the bottom). The sheepskin throws on the chairs are the best — Judy Aldridge from Atlantis Home has sheepskin throws on the Philippe Starck Ghost chairs in her dining room, and they make such a huge impact. So cozy for fall and winter!

Haven and Home said...

I am with you- real pumkins and woodsy candles all the way.

Laura@JourneyChic said...

I love that tub, too, as well as the bed with the great bench at the foot. I'm a cinnamon potpourri gal - love the smell of it but limit it to our powder room. Was just thinking yesterday that I need to start digging out the fall decor!

leFiligree said...

i love the subdued palettes and woodsy textures here. for fall i pull out the wool blankets, put chandelier crystals in the windows to catch the waning light, and set out a few forest critters made from bark on the rustic table on the front porch. fill the bird feeders.

oh, and fill the entryway with boots and snowpants, does that count?

Anonymous said...

Totally agree, nothing fake, eeew! I am pretty low key, but sometimes I love to to go the farmers market and get funky squashes in different shapes and colors, and just dump them in a big wooden bowl. They are so naturally interesting, they don't need much else.

I love that tub!!

LindsB said...

love the fall, LOVE IT!! I love the pumpkin candles, acorn decorations, but not tacky ones- just a bunch of acorns in a small square glass vase is enough. Love the pumpkin soup, pumpkins in the fireplace (I live in an apartment and unless I want the pumpkin smeared all over my front door or smashed all over the sidewalk, I like to keep em indoors) and lots of fall colors everywhere.

I'm so happy this time of year- again.... love it!

mb said...

I don't care what season it is, I just need to have a kitchen that is as wonderful as the one with the dark honed absolute granite/ or soapstone back splash behind the cooktop. Oh please can I live that long.

ashley morgan said...

I agree with you on a lot of things, but holiday decorating is clearly not one of them. Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving and Christmas only come around once a year, and it's my favorite time of year, so I like my house to look like it barfed the holidays.

And I LOVE when I go to someone's house and they've done it up too. It's cozy and happy.

MFAMB said...

now i never said anything about halloween/thanksgiving/christmas! i have a little one for cryin out loud! we have a 6 foot tall wooden witch in our front yard and cheesey black window decals too! and you will find lots and lots of fiona's halloween drawings all over the place! i just meant...FAAALLL!!!! not holidays. i love me some holiday cheer!

Anonymous said...

I hate. HATE. Hate. Fall decor of any kind. I don't know why. I think it is ALL cheesy. Even the real stuff. I don't want no stinkin' pumpkin. Keep your fall leaves on the ground outside. I will have not one straw of hay nor eye of scarecrow within a 10' radius of my home. I sound like a total scrooge but I just really despise all of it. It's a wonder, because I love fall, and the changing trees, comfy coats and the crisp air... lets just leave it outside, shall we?

ashley morgan said...

Oh, I misunderstood then. I'm so glad you do it up for the holidays! It's so great for little ones especially.

Junque Rethunque said...

I have a family heirloom, a writing table, in my entry hall that gets done up for each season. For fall, it's a silhouette of a haunted house with a couple of my repurposed fabric Ghostfolk next to it, and a gorgeous pumpkin-sized gourd painted by a local artist with a witch and Happy Halloween on opposite sides.

You've inspired me to blog about my holiday decor!

Tiina said...

i paint my white vintage furniture black, then white again before summer. good thing i know where to get more really beautiful furniture when the coffee tables can no longer accept anymore paint. i just wallpapered my white kitchen wall with black. and there's this massive overload of candles. and lamps. i looove fall (and spending money)

Tiina said...

oh, sorry, we don't do pumpkings here

Lotzaads.com said...

Just want to say you are so cute... :)


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