Ready Your Home for Festive Fall (looks for less that will last!)
Looks above from Pottery Barn
Next week brings the beginning of a new season. Change is in the air — be inspired and take the upper hand by getting an early start on preparing your home for the festive season of fall. Pack away the remnants of summer and prep your home for guests of all kinds — whether it's an upcoming party or an impromptu coffee with a friend. Since your home is an extension of you, as you change your wardrobe for the new season take the opportunity to give your home a little TLC.
Here are some simple tips to dress up your home. Remember the key to saving time, stress and money is to go with items and a look that will take you from September to November. Stay away from purchases that scream "Halloween" or "Thanksgiving" and go with one that says "Harvest." This will work as your foundation, then if you like, you can make small changes and add little touches to tweak for each holiday.
1. First impressions are important — address your front door and entrance. Bring life to your entrance by planting flowers in the same vibrant hues as the changing landscape. Be selective in your plantings and they should last you through Thanksgiving. If needed, give your door a fresh coat of paint and accessorize with "door decor" (flowers, wreaths, plaques,etc.). Finally, provide an attractive welcome mat — stylish and functional what a winning combo.
We love this Fall Beaded Fruit Wreath that will take you from Back To School to Thanksgiving from Pier 1 Imports
2. A new season can inspire a fresh vibe in your home. Freshen up your interior by simply tweaking a few existing elements. Change the color of your candles and make sure you have plenty of them throughout the house — there's nothing like candlelight to warm up a space (it also hides a multitude of sins). Given the "coziness" of the next two seasons, if you have a fireplace, make sure it’s ready to go (have it cleaned annually). Accessorize your hearth & mantle which are focal points.
This look from Pier 1 Imports.
These Harvest Spice Cake Candles from Pier 1 Imports are perfect — they have the aroma of pumpkin, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, ginger, clove leaf, nutmeg, pimento loaf, petitgrain, and coriander. They will take you from September to November.
3. Bring out cozy throws, we love faux fur blankets in chocolate and camel.
4. Swap your summer tablecloth and/or placemats for ones in a richer fabric and palette.
The color pumpkin is perfect for fall and will work well for Halloween, Harvest and Thanksgiving entertaining. This a a great example from Williams-Sonoma.
5. Spruce up your powder room by changing the color/pattern of your hand towels. Keep this "private room" smelling sweet with a scented candle in pumpkin or fall spice.
6. If you don’t have them already a "big bang for your buck" purchase is a variety of glass jars/urns. You can fill then with candles or seasonal items like, flowers, produce, candy, etc. and arrange them as a focal point. Small apples from the local orchard will be featured in ours. In a few weeks, the apples will be turned into homemade applesauce and fun candy will fill the containers for Halloween, just remember, the smaller the candy, the more you need to buy! As the season or your mood changes, it's easy to swap out the contents for an instantly fresh look. These foundational "accessories" are extremely versatile and will serve your home well throughout the seasons and the years.
Now that you and your home are "prepared" and inspired to welcome guests, you can be spontaneous and phone a friend to come over for coffee or do some planning and host a festive fall party. You will be surprised at your desire to entertain once your home is ready for whatever or whoever may come your way this season!
By Dawn Sandomeno
The Partyblurpints Blog – Real Girls Resource for Entertaining at Home!
