by Randi Destefano
I love getting ready for fall! I love the colors, the textures, and the aromas of fall. But with summer in the South lasting through September, it’s hard to think about warm and cozy when it’s still hot outside.
And that’s when planning a party pushes the “get going” button! Have you ever noticed how fast an idea is implemented when you’ve got company coming?
For some of us it’s a graduation, a wedding, or a holiday. For others it’s overnight guests or a dinner party. Whatever it is that motivates you, waiting until a few days before, adds a little pressure…and a jolt of adrenaline… to get it done.
But when you wait till “almost the last minute”, the first thing on the list is to shop your closets, pantries, and attic to see if there’s anything around that can be re-purposed and re-used for the occasion.
It’s amazing to see what fall decorating ideas you come up with when you really try!
I call him “Pumpkin Man”! A favorite purchase from a friend’s craft show many years ago.
I love the salt box house painted on this pumpkin! The saying that goes along with it is about having peace in your home. Sometimes it graces our foyer, but this year it’s nestled nicely in the twig chair from the flea market.
Step 2 is to look through magazines and online sources to find decorating ideas that will get your creativity flowing.
I love that everyday items were used for most of these vignettes. Hmmm….it might be time to do even more digging around the house for unique display pieces!
Step 3 is for list making. When you have your ideas, and everything spread out in front of you, it’s easy to see what you might need to make it all come together.
Sometimes a walk in the woods is all you need to create the perfect fall decorations. Other times, a trip to the craft store or grocery store will help with the fill-in items to make it special.
Using candy corn to fill the bottom of a vase and placing a candle on top is a quick and easy tip. And, of course, making a trip to purchase orange pumpkins, heirloom pumpkins, and gourds is a must.
I couldn’t resist this beautiful display of heirloom tomatoes! They weren’t on my list, but I soon filled a bag of beauties. Since I’ve planned caprese for dinner, these will be displayed in the center of the tray…just because!
My finished front porch decorations are ready to greet our guests. But who knows….I still have a few more hours to make some last minute changes. Maybe a bale of hay and some mums will really help to Get Ready For Fall!!!! What fall decorating ideas do you have?
by Randi Destefano
When the temperature turns cooler, and the skies are blue, suddenly I’m in the mood to start decorating my house for Fall. Does this ever happen to you? The funny thing is that my creative juices start flowing this time of year, and I head to the woods to see what I can find.
For some reason, Fall decorating brings out the urge to decorate with handcrafted items, in luscious colors of red, orange, gold, and purple. I guess it’s the anticipation of winter cocooning that makes me want to add a bit of country to my decorating. But I love the scents, the colors, and the textures.
So this week, thanks to Better Homes and Gardens website, I’ve discovered some doorways and table settings that I hope you’ll enjoy.
Mums, mums, and more mums! I love how they’ve paired them with white pumpkins for contrast.
Opposites attract in this colorful arrangement. Red/orange is across from this shade of blue on the color wheel, and make a perfect combination that pops!
Containers can be created from what you have around the house. Here, I’ve taken a ceramic vase and added willow branches, sunflowers, berries and leaves.
Chinese Lanterns in bright orange/red add a pop of color to my mantel.
A beautiful Fall entry
A simple grapevine wreath dressed up for Fall with berries and flowers.
A simple table runner with ribbons down the center that can be changed with the seasons. Add to it colorful leaves with pumpkins and gourds, and you have a beautiful table arrangement in minutes.
ven non-traditional containers can make out outstanding centerpieces. I love the use of this globe to hold pine cones, nuts, and berries in this Fall arrangement. What unusual container do you have at home that would be the perfect centerpiece for you Fall collections?
A plain pumpkin trimmed with bittersweet. Adding star anise and dried fruit as part of the grouping helps add a little bit of nature to the table.
Everyday water glasses become centerpieces when you add these beautifully colored fall leaves. By color clustering the leaves into their own container, you’re creating more interest to the grouping. Remember to stagger heights whenever you can to let each piece stand out on its own.
Heirloom pumpkins grouped with colorful Autumn leaves. It can be as simple as that.
Happy Decorating!!!!!
by Randi Destefano
When it comes to Do It Yourself projects, everyone has their own plan,their own method, and their own schedule for getting it done. We’re excited to get started and can’t wait to see the end results. Sometimes we rush right out to the local shops, buy our products and get to work. But what would happen if we stopped and followed three simple steps before moving forward?
I recently attended a meeting where we learned the trends we can expect to see in 2010 and 2011. At the top of the list is Getting Back to Basics. Keeping it simple, buying local, having fun, and being authentic are all ways to help us return to basics. But one new term really interested me –DIY³. It takes Do It Yourself to the next level. Let’s take a look…
1. DECIDE– The beginning to anything we do is to decide to do it. We set an intention to make it happen and go about it with purpose and meaning. Dreaming about it is definitely a part of the process too. Sometimes we even go a step further to visualize what it will look like when it’s finished. It’s the perfect motivator!
2. DECIDE – This is the fun part, and one of the most important! When we design the project we’re creating a plan. We plan the process, the way it will look, the products we need, and where we need to go to buy the products. In your excitement to get started, skipping this step could create one of those “Oh no! What was I thinking?” moments. Follow this with some costly mistakes, and that quick back splash project is now taking longer to finish, and has blown your budget in the process! So…set an appointment with yourself! And remember to get out of your head and onto the paper.
3. DO – Now that you’ve visualized how beautiful the finished product will be, and done all the designing and planning, it’s time to actually DO something! Yes, that means no more procrastinating, no more excuses. Jump right in with both feet, and plans in hand. Don’t forget that the time might be right to ask for some help. Accept that some things are just too big to handle on your own. Call in a professional! It might be a contractor, handyman, painter, or interior designer. Try our Hands on Home Makeover program.
Buy the supplies you need, and start to work. The end results are worth it. Remember that “Done is better than perfect”. So never get stuck there!!!
I love getting ready for fall! I love the colors, the textures, and the aromas of fall. But with summer in the South lasting through September, it’s hard to think about warm and cozy when it’s still hot outside.
Hi!
I'm Randi Destefano, and I love helping homeowners design and renovate their existing home. 
