I Confess 5 Fall Decorating Secrets

Friends, I’m so excited to be heading out next week to be a presenter at the Country Living Fair in Atlanta!  I mean, sharing the main stage with Erin and Ben Napier of Home Town? Come on!

I’ll be there giving AND getting inspiration for design projects, so as you think about upcoming changes you’d like to make to your home in 2020, let’s talk!

Have some questions? No problem! I offer a complimentary, no-strings-attached phone call consultation.

Email me to book a call time–and let’s start making design fun!

Woo hoo! We’ve had our first cool snap in North Texas, and now we can get serious about our fall displays! I’ll admit, though, we yearn for autumn so much in Texas that we do start decorating in September when it’s still 95 outside.  We get plenty of mileage out of our fall decor until it’s time to reset for Christmas!

My Tip #1 for your fall arrangements is not really fall-specific, but it’s key to all your arrangements, so it’s worth restating:

Keep the eye moving.

Can you draw a straight line through my mantel grouping below?  Nope, and that’s deliberate. I’ve got taller and shorter pieces of different shapes, some used as risers to elevate others, even the zigzag of the burlap-hung pumpkins. Your eye roves over this vignette and is delighted to discover things here and there. I arrange items this way instinctively, but in the process I put things in and take things out and move them around until I’m satisfied. So if you’re practicing, feel free to take inspiration from my fall fireplace and mantel.

Now stuff for fall, y’all.

Tip #2. Pumpkins are a must.

Pumpkins are an icon of fall decorating.  They can be real, and they can be orange, but they don’t have to be! Retailers are getting so creative: I’ve seen tin pumpkins in the stores this season, and others that are bejeweled, glitzy gold, crystal, and creamy-colored velvet. So many options for you out there.

For my mantel I went with white pumpkins, whitewashed wood candlesticks, white crockery and white crates against white shiplap. Can you spot my theme here?

Tip #3. Work in some greenery.

There’s something about plants. Greenery can enliven every area of your home, and there are so many wonderful real AND faux options. (But, please, no baskets of dusty Boston fern! Ferns, sure. Dust, no.) Hang a simple eucalyptus wreath, or twine it with burlap ribbon and add mini pumpkins. Ivy spilling from a pot of mums. Combining different types of greenery gives extra pizzazz.

I used leaves, evergreen, succulents, green moss, and even a touch of blue hydrangea blooms. If it’s nature, it goes. What combos have you tried? Mix it up, folks!

Tip #4: It’s all about the variety of textures.

There may be times in decorating that you would use only smooth/shiny or only rough/textured elements, but I can’t think of any! Variety is so essential for a balanced space. So when you’re pulling items for, say, a fall mantel or porch display, take cues from what I did here: there’s wood, glossy crockery,burlap, painted metal, plant life, and felt fabric pumpkins. All different materials, but united by a neutral palette.

Tip #5: I’m loving nature and neutrals in my autumn decor, how about you?

From the wood of my rustic fireplace surround and vintage accessories to the birch logs on the hearth and plants worked in among my pumpkins, I drew on nature for my groupings. And my neutral scheme feels so calming. The soft throw pulls together all the grey, blacks and brown tones in the room.  I did use some bright teal and orange elsewhere in the house, but I’m enjoying these restful neutrals in the living room.

Fall decor will take you through Thanksgiving, so enjoy!