There’s a fall outdoor decor party over at Rhoda’s place today which was the perfect kick in the pants I needed to spruce up our porch for the season.  I wanted something  simple, but then foolishly declared I was using only white and green pumpkins on the porch this year.  Then I was told after a dozen phone calls to vendors that “there are no white or green Cinderella pumpkins this early”.  So then I just used faux instead and it all worked out. 

Shades of purple and green dominate with scattered potted perennials and purple mums, I also added tall willow branches inside the mums for height.

This year’s fall wreath is an adaptation of my spring willow wreath – I recycled it and wedged in some preserved green oak leaves from the supermarket, white berry stems, and a few pinecones.  Boom.  It’s what I call my “ten minutes because I’m tired and the kids have soccer practice” fall wreath. 

Tall purple fountain grasses sit next to purple mums filled with tall willow branches.

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I’m excited to spend some time over the next two weeks sprucing up our home for fall since the Fall Link Parties start next week!  I’ll be using a lot of what I’ve got, but I have my eye on a few new things for cozying up the casa. I love the yummy colors of autumn: pumpkin, cognac, olive, fig, aubergine, and amber.   Fall is not only about color but texture too, think warm metallics, wood finishes, and cozy throws for chilly nights by the fire. 

For fun, I did a little virtual shopping, and picked out a collection of fall favorites for the home and tabletop. 

Alder Nesting trays, Altogether Home; Ranch Pillow, CB2; Amber Jug, SKS Bottles; Dexter Stripe Bench, Pottery Barn; Kaleidescope Pillow, Altogether Home; Animalia Rust Jute Pillow, World Market; Pumpkin Mohair Throw, Layla Grace; Teak End Table, Shop Ten 25; Aubergine Suzani Pillow, Pop of Color on Etsy; Birch logs, Floral Accents on Etsy; Cowhide Ottomans, Room and Board; Seagrass Baskets, Wisteria; Wickford Dining Chair, Pottery Barn; Harper Banquette, World Market; Sheepskin Rug, Room and Board; Diamond Kilim Rug, Pottery Barn.

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Hey everyone, are you getting excited for the long weekend?  We’ve got plans to make a quick trip to a special location to celebrate the last official weekend of summer, but I can *almost* feel fall in the air!  

I’ve invited Shannon of AKA Design back to share with you a list of five natural elements that make it easy and inexpensive to transition your home for fall.  Welcome back Shannon!

“Hi everybody!  Some say spring is a time for new beginnings and perhaps that’s true.  But to me, fall has always been the season to begin exciting new adventures.  Maybe it’s because I fondly remember school starting each fall, with new classes, friends and teachers (truthfully it was the pristine new binders and perfectly sharpened pencil crayons that got me!).  Or that the cooler weather is so crisp and refreshing after the summer heat. Or maybe it’s that Christmas (and all the joy that comes with it) is right around the corner once autumn arrives.  Who knows.  But, I do know that fall is one of my absolute favourite seasons for decorating!

Decorating in autumn is made fabulous by its sheer simplicity – all you need to do is bring the outdoors in using various elements from nature and you instantly cozy up a space!  Here are a five natural elements that make transitioning to fall easy. 

1.  Pumpkins & Gourds  In the fall, there are so many readily available pumpkins and gourds in various shapes, sizes and colours.  There are real and faux versions, as well as painted, glittered, and blinged out squash varieties. They can be stacked up, lined up or used to create any manner of vignette. 

Pottery Barn

 

My Home Ideas

 

Country Living

 

Better Homes & Gardens

 

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Well, it is finally done. Nothing like a series of link parties to kick my booty in gear for the autumn season. Sarah is hosting the final get together, so I added some autumn touches to the front porch.  Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy this season!

I’m completely embracing all of the fall hues this year with no regard for one color and no playing favorites. Bring on the all the harvest colors I say ~ burgundy, yellow, orange, green, and aubergine.  No muted or monotone color palette this year, I felt like throwing all of them together. Hey, if the rug can do it, shucks, so can I.

I swapped out the white iron benches that have sat on the porch for years for my wine barrel side tables. I’m in a ‘use what you’ve got’ kind of mood and these came from the outdoor cabana which we retired due to the oncoming rains. The cabana will return next year, so I made use of the half barrels on the porch instead ~ how very harvesty of me.

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