Have you noticed? The daylight hours are lessening and it’s beginning to cool off. Western Washington has received its share of rain of late, and it’s been a bit of a shock! The kids are back in school (at least online)and settling into that routine. Football is back… to some extent, and the leaves are starting to turn to gold, fire, rust, and eventually brown… Let’s celebrate the beauty of the season in our homes! 

1. Add New Throw Pillows/Plush Throws

Many of us have begun to notice that we’re all starting to spend more and more time indoors. Add a variety of plush throw pillows in different shapes, sizes and patterns on your living room sofa and chairs.  The same thing can be done for your bed in the master bedroom. These comfortable accessories will emit a warm and inviting coziness perfect for the season.

Warning: If you begin to notice that your guests put the pillows on the floor next to the sofa upon which they are sitting, consider lowering the overall number of pillows. 

Run your blankets and throws through the washing machine (or send to the environmentally friendly dry cleaners as necessary) before putting them out for use this Fall. In a contemporary living room, a faux-fur throw adds subtle warmth and texture to a simple, solid-colored sofa. Select a throw in a contrasting hue to really create a pop of color if you’re hoping to make a bolder statement. Need help with this?  Contact us through our website at the bottom of this entry for assistance.

2. Prepare the Fireplace

To prepare for cool fall nights and the brisk winter ahead, get your fireplace ready for its seasonal debut. If yours is like mine, it probably gets a bit dusty from March to October. To ensure your gas fireplace is ready to light up, contact a specialist to regularly check for any safety hazards like gas leaks. On the next warm and breezy day, open the windows, turn on the fireplace and start up a fan blowing (3 ft. away from the fire and toward that window) to take the unpleasant smell of burning dust out of your home. It only takes a half hour of your time, but it’s worthwhile to avoid that first smelly night of burning dust.

To keep your wood-burning fireplace safe, contact a professional to do a thorough check of the fireplace. Once your fireplace is safe, you’re ready for relaxing evenings by the fire. 

3. Set the Table, Create a Mantelscape & Light the Candles in Autumn

Spend a little extra time at the grocery store with decorating in mind. Pumpkins, nuts in the shell, squash, gourds, dried beans, rice, and whole bean coffee can be a wonderful addition to your mantel and/or tablescape. (Think about purchasing various shapes & sizes for more interest.) Check those gourds every few days after a few weeks by squeezing them gently to make sure they are still maintaining their integrity. (You’ll avoid cleaning up a mess.)  Want to avoid all of this and get authentic-looking artificial gourds?  Contact us at the website at the bottom of this entry for further information.

Stow away all of your pure white dishes in favor of crème, tan and brown colors for the season. Use boxes of varying sizes under a tablecloth/scarf for your centerpiece to create varying heights to make an appealing vignette.

Pumpkins don’t have to just represent Halloween, nor do turkeys have to represent just Thanksgiving. Think through your possessions that often come out for a day or a week during Autumn and use them throughout the season.  Small white pumpkins are sometimes available through your favorite plant nursery if you can’t find them at Trader Joe’s.

Take advantage of shorter days (and less daylight) by placing candles throughout your living space. The warmth and ambience they create will make returning from a long, hard day at work so much easier, sliding you into a calmer and welcoming atmosphere.

In conclusion

These are my three favorites for the fabulous season of Autumn that’s upon us. If you need help with remodeling, or to just adding beautiful touches to your home, please contact me at Shelley@TFI.design, and return October 11 for more decor ideas.