It’s hard to believe that the splendor of Autumn is nearly upon us. In a few weeks the leaves will do their yearly dance as they fall from the trees and sprinkle the ground with a wash of color. During this lovely season, I often sit on the porch with a cup of coffee in hand and watch the show before me. The smell of the leaves brings back childhood memories of our family going to the cabin every fall. It’s funny how a smell can bring the past back to life.
And so it is with the last few weeks of summer that I begin to get a bit antsy to decorate for fall.
I refuse to spend a lot of money on seasonal décor and much prefer the natural to the artificial. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that this season brings with it a strange addiction….back road driving. I prefer nearly abandoned roads so that no one will see me exiting my vehicle and quickly running to whatever has captured my attention. You see, I like to get my fall foliage off the side of the road with my handy green pruners. We have an abundance of Goldenrod and Pokeberries in this area and I just can’t resist. I know most people view pokeberry to be a nuisance but I have a special love for it in nearly all my fall arrangements. I even used an abundance of it in my sisters floral arrangements for her wedding. Can you blame a girl for liking pretty, free things? Please keep in mind it is somewhat poisonous and should not be eaten!
Adding fairy lights brings a bit of whimsy to the décor and is very romantic in the evening when the lights are dimmed.
I usually buy a few cream pumpkins to place on the mantle. Nothing too crazy. I did find the most charming little bright orange “things” on a brown stick at the local farm stand the other day. I was not sure what I was buying at the time but it turns out that it is called pumpkin bush or pumpkin on a stick.
The dining room buffet is kept simple with an urn of dried flowers.
The master bedroom is adorned with a few spray painted hydrangea blooms that had already dried on the stalk. Yes, you did read that right. The flowers were originally green but now, thanks to Rust Oleum they are a perfect shade of moody purple. I nearly jumped for joy when I saw how natural they looked. I may post more about this as I have plans for a DIY floral chandelier in the upcoming weeks. I will certainly be visiting the local hardware store for more spray paint this week. I was also pleased with how nice and practical my fifteen dollar French rattan chest looked at the edge of our bed. Bargains are so becoming.
I set up a table with a mercury glass display and more of the wonderful spray painted flowers in the living room this year. I’ve collected numerous pieces of mercury glass over the years and prefer them displayed en masse. However for this table scape I chose just three. A little sparkle can go a long way when you add candles for reflection.
In the family room a large basket of dried flowers hangs over the mantle in salute to Nora Murphy whose French grape harvesting basket has become somewhat of an icon in the design world. I was horrified to find out such a basket was upwards of five hundred dollars. I quickly settled for a basket I already had and after hanging it immediately began stuffing it full of dried flowers. It’s not exactly the same thing but I think my basket was somewhere in the five dollar range. I can sleep at night with that number.
I recently covered the pillows with a mustard linen which complement the plum velvet bolsters quite nicely. It’s fun to change your pillows for the seasons and if you make the covers yourself the cost is minimal.
And lastly, a simple branch of bittersweet graces a Florentine plaque which hangs on the bookshelf.
Fall décor can be as easy as a drive down an old road with pruners at your side. I am not advocating for anyone to go on private property but if you have the ability to pick some lovely weeds off the beaten path and use them to grace your home then I wholeheartedly encourage it! And if you happen to see a strange woman hiding among the weeds with a large van close by, feel free to stop and say hello, it just might be me:)
Until next time,
Melissa
Provincial Elegance 