It’s back to school time and that signals a wrap for the summer of 2020. So far it has been quite a year. I was tempted to begin this blog by saying that we have finally reached the end of the March Break. Either way the days are getting shorter, the evenings cooler and the wasps are busier — all signals that summer is coming to an end and fall is at our doorsteps.
The beginning of a new season is always a great time to update your look, both inside and out. And, for lots of us finding ourselves at home more and more these days, it is something that you can do fairly easily. I am talking décor here, although a change of season as well as a global pandemic can trigger many changes personally too.
We have some tips and tricks to help you “get your fall on.” There is no reason to spend a lot of money to get that autumn vibe happening in your home. Often, an update can be done by using things easily available at home or around the neighbourhood. Starting with inside the house and working your way out is how I usually begin the seasonal change over. I like to get the most out of my planters, so I leave them until last.
Remember that many of the décor items you have used through the summer or spring may also work throughout the fall. There is no need to start from scratch when a few subtle changes will do just fine.
I like to set the tone from the front entrance and carry it through the entire house. I love crisp clean white walls and hits of colour and a good place to begin is your entryway. Hang your brightly coloured rain jackets and wind breakers on pretty coat hooks above your rubber boots to announce the season. Place a few small white pumpkins on your entryway table to greet your guests (groups of three and five work best). You could also put them under a glass cloche as a display or fill a vase or basket, mixing white or orange varieties along with some gourds. Personally I like to add as many natural elements as I can to bring the outdoors inside. Fill narrow mouthed vases and jugs with large branches you can easily collect on a nature walk — fruit trees seem to have the most interesting shapes, colours and sizes. Strip the leaves from the branches and leave any berries to dry on the branch. These can also be nicely decorated with cobwebs at Halloween and take you into winter.
Stow wood beside the fireplace in anticipation of cooler nights. A tall wire basket is a wonderful place to hold tall white pieces of beautiful birch, and look great both outdoors and in. Add a cozy blanket to a favourite chair and you have created a warm and inviting spot to rest, meditate, read and simply rejuvenate.
Out on the front porch, add a big autumn wreath to dress your door and change the front boot mat to celebrate the season and invite your guests in. Add pumpkins of all sizes around the door or steps. You don’t have to choose orange in fact you can paint your pumpkins, try chevron stripes, two tones and even add your house number. Stack your pumpkins by using different sized small tables or even a bale of straw. Add some seasonal toss cushions and a rich warm plaid throw to your outdoor seating. Buy a few giant mums and line your steps and walkways with them, intermingling with the pumpkins for an even better fall punch. Use miniature mums on your tables along with dried hydrengeas.
The end of a season is the perfect time to start thinking about updating your look for the next one. Reach out if you have questions or want to chat about trends or ideas for the fall. Our design team has a wealth of knowledge and a ton of ideas. Of course, if you just want to talk about the market or how to stage your home for a sale, we are always here for that too. Keep in mind that we have the unique benefit of a huge inventory of beautiful staging and décor items to enhance any home a successful sale in the fall market.
