Fall Decorating Challenge

I've said it before, and here I go again, Summer is my favorite season. (Read why here)

BUT, there is something so refreshing, exciting and beautiful about a new season. I think the opportunity to "start fresh" always appeals to me. Even Mondays have that fresh, hopeful feeling: A new week! Let's do this!

Also, beyond the excitment of the changing seasons, fall is my second favorite season (Winter, you're dead last. Don't even ask.) There's football, and pumpkins and Thanksgiving. It's a good one. We have everything prepped for our fall garden and this one's going to be good. I hope, I mean, it is. it will be.....My confidence about gardening is something I'm working on. As well as remembering to water the garden. (I'll share more about the garden in another post.)

Something I've always loved doing is changing up my decor. I've been doing it since I got my own room in 5th grade. It's just that refreshing feeling of change, I guess.

The challenge I gave myself this season was to use only what I already had to decorate for fall. Last year, we were living at the ranch house and all my fall decor was stored.

I should use only what I have, and make it work if it's not what I want it to be. This challenge was so rewarding! It was exciting to open that box since it had been two years since I'de seen it, but also, I think opening it with the expectation that it was what I had to work with-nothing new-I had the right mindset from the start.

As far as mantel decorating goes, I'm sure there's lots of good blog posts out there about that. But, for me, I just try to find a balance of tall things and shorter things, creating symmetry without it being too matchy matchy. I arrange, step back, adjust, step back....until I feel like it "looks right".

I wanted to use greens (the mirror, rope around my books, and green book), and the traditional oranges of fall. With all the neutrals, I can use colors that don't match exactly since they are displayed here and there, and appear to complement each other.

The large chalkboard was hanging in Carolynn's office (read about that here). I borrowed it from her, painted the trim white and drew that stack of pumpkins. I created that mantel centerpiece/"art" (using that term very loosely here) for free!

To achieve height on the left side, mirroring the height on the right, I used a cake plate (SO many ways to use those!). I wrapped those three books in paper, since they didn't "go" with the color scheme I wanted. I used that green jute to add another touch of green.

To get those stems in my white pitcher to stand straight up, I used a can inside.

For my table, I don't like to do too much. We actually eat there at least once a day, 

I worked with my wood and copper pieces in the kitchen and dining. Confession: I actually did buy those 3 little pumpkins under the cloche this year. $3 spent...I'm only human. 

In our entry area, I switched out a summery, yellow wreath, for this one.

I changed up my sofa table tool box, by adding some fall knick knacks. 

On my sofa (my NEW sofa!!), I covered my floral pillow, and two others, with more fall complementary covers. That pillow cover is very inexpensive, and I you can still find it on Amazon here.

There you go! The weather has even actually been cooler, so it's feeling like fall in and out of this yellow house. Hope y'all enjoyed the tour and as always, thanks for stopping by!!

XO, Steph