I’ve never been much of a Halloween fan, too much spooky, not enough snugly for my taste. But I do love a cute decorative pumpkin, and whatever other squash you want to throw at me.
I love the crisp autumn cold that comes rolling off the rocky mountains. I love crunchy leaves, colors on fire underfoot. And I love switching over my breezy summer accents, in favor of colors and textures that are rich and cozy.
My biggest design suggestion is: LAYERS.
Add layers to everything. Layer the textiles. Layer the mirrors and frames, layer the vases. Some may say “more is messier”, or “more is just more”, but I think there’s a way to do layers without feeling overwhelming.
The key is to stick to a color scheme. I wanted to stay neutral with my dining room decor, so I opted for some dark carved wooden candle sticks from Target, complete with white tapered candles. I also love the idea of doing black metal candlesticks as well (some good options here or here).
Next I layered in a few black vases (from Home Goods), and topped them off with grasses I found in my neighborhood. Did I look like a crazy person walking over to the Chick-fil-A across the street with scissors to steal some of their bushes? Certainly. Would I do it again? Absolutely. I love the natural texture they give to the table, in contrast to the clean lines of the vases.
Not bold enough to pick some local grasses? (I don’t blame you.) You can buy dried Pampas grass here.
Like I mentioned above, my favorite fall accent is my collection of pumpkins. Over the past few years I’ve been cultivating my own mini pumpkin patch with accents I’ve found from Target’s fall collections. Most of these are from the dollar section so they’re a great price point. Each season has new colors, patterns, and textures so this year I loved layering them all together.
Using the same patterns and colors in the Dining AND Living spaces, gives the whole open floor plan a cohesive feeling. However, I did pop some oranges around the fireplace. I like the way their warmth picks up the rusty-red brick of the fireplace surround, as well as the gilded mirrors/frames I layered on the mantel.
I find that my local thrift store has the BEST collection of brass candlesticks, but if you’re not much of a thrift store shopper you can find some similar options here or here.
While it seems like half of the country has already moved on to Christmas, the first day of winter isn’t until December 21st (promised, I Googled it), and there’s great deals going on for Autumn decor. So honestly NOW is the time to buy it! (Here, Here or Here)
Some other great sources for Autumn Decor below!
Cozy Knit Pillows: Pottery Barn use code “THANKS20” for 20% off your order.
Textured Table Runner: Anthropologie
Black Vases: West Elm Black and White Vase: Crate and Barrel