Guys, I’m back in action. And by that, I mean I’m officially back into “pull this house together” mode. With all the to-do’s surrounding this upcoming book launch (gaaahhhh!) I’ve neglected some of my homemaker duties, namely decorating. Eh, there’s only so much a girl can do, right?!? At least everyone is fed and wearing clean clothes!
Not gonna lie though, these blank walls have been taunting me for too long now. And since last year when I realized fall is officially my favorite season, I’ve been seriously anticipating the colors, flavors and scents to come. (And yes, I’ve already had a couple pumpkin spice lattes… never fear!) I ventured over to Michaels and grabbed a mix of done-for-me pieces as well as some elements I wanted to put together myself since I had so much fun DIY-ing last year and I knew it would be even better this year since we’re in our very own house! By no means am I an interior decorator, but I’m finding that I really love putting things together to really make our house feel like a home. And it’s waaaaaayyyy easier than I thought it would be! Here are my sleepy mama’s top 4 tips for easy and beautiful fall home decor:
1. Get some pieces that are DONE – nothing to do but put them where you want them!
For our mantle, I picked up this gorgeous garland to bring out some of the colors we’re using around the house. I loved that this was an easy grab-and-go piece that perfectly reflected the vision I had in my head. I also found these beautiful wooden letters in all different colors and patterns. I chose this N to match the garland, and it looks perfect above our fireplace. The hubby loves it too, so definitely a huge win!
2. Find elements that reflect your personal taste and get creative!
Since I (surprisingly) really enjoyed making a wreath last year, I decided to do it again this year. It was super easy and only took me about 30 minutes this time around. Here’s my step by step wreath making tutorial). A simple grapevine wreath base really is the perfect canvas to make a lovely statement piece to welcome guests to your home or warm up the look of your house as neighbors walk by. When Jeremiah and I are out for our walks, I love seeing wreaths on everyone’s front doors! I gave ours a personal touch by choosing floral elements that matched the decor of the house inside and included some of our favorite looks. Sunflowers are my favorite flowers, so I wanted to incorporate those along with the bright teal/blue colors and warm autumn oranges as well. With the sunflowers, gourds, and color palette, I think this wreath is the perfect summer-fall blend, which is a great reflection of our family’s tastes.
I made this wreath for under $20, which was still less than what the already made wreaths cost, even on sale. But if you’re not at all a DIY-er and have no interest in trying (trust me, I get it! I should’ve been sleeping when I made this!) a beautifully crafted wreath, placed indoors or out, is the perfect way to bring some festive fall vibes to your home.
3. Be resourceful!
The fall centerpiece I made last year was super cute and crafty, but this year, when I only have after baby’s bedtime hours to get this stuff done, I went with a throw-together-the-leftover-pieces type of approach.I repurposed a basket I already had and filled it with florals and stems leftover from the wreaths I made last year and this year, with the addition of some cute accent pumpkins I got to match the color scheme. It’s like the pumpkin patch has arrived on our table, and I love it. Even better, it was done in 10 minutes (including the time it took me to finagle this bow!) Now I just need to get the place setting situation sorted out…
4. Think versatility.
This little corner nook between the stairs and the fireplace is just an awkward blank space that I haven’t known what to do with for awhile. I was going to get a real live plant, then I thought, why let the thing suffer? It would just be too cruel. Instead I opted for long-stem faux florals and found the perfect rustic-looking jar to arrange them in. Why faux, you ask? Because you can’t kill a silk flower! Also because I don’t want to entice Jeremiah to eat dirt, especially since it’s right on his level.
I selected all the stems individually with the goal of matching the decor of the house but also being versatile for more than one season – summer to fall is where we live in this house! (Though Christmas will bring an entire decor revamp, to Anthony’s horror, I’m sure.) Down to the vase, I wanted something understated but pretty so it could go with literally anything I decided to throw in it, no matter the season. Also important was finding something that, when (inevitably) toppled over by this soon to be mobile munchkin of mine, it wouldn’t go crashing to the ground and hurt anyone.
That’s it! Those are this sleepy mama’s top 4 fall home decor tips for our first foray into decorating our very own home. I’m loving this little adventure and am super excited to keep making our house feel more like a home, one room at a time.
Do y’all decorate for fall, or just for the holidays? I never thought I’d be into it, but I realize it just brings such warmth to the house that I just love. Now all we need is the pumpkin bread!
Happy fall and happy decorating, everyone!