Falling Into Fall Series - Part III

The last two posts in this series have really focused on fluffing your home with a leaning to Fall.  If you missed them you can check them out here and here.  Yes, the visual senses are important to the feeling of Fall; but let's not forget about a couple of other senses, like smell and taste.  Today, I want to focus on the sense of smell.

I know it may sound crazy, but smell can really create a first impression when someone visits your home.  The interesting part is if it's a pleasant smell, the person may not even notice it's influencing their impression.  However, if it's an unpleasant smell, it does register with your guests - and not in a good way!  So, let's break it down.  Here are a few ideas on getting that Fall scent into your home.

Mulling Spices

When I was a kid, we spent lots of summers at my parents rustic fishing camp on the coast of Mississippi.  But some of my fondest memories of this place are in the Fall.  The cabin has a wood burning stove to heat the main living spaces.  The minute we arrived, my Dad would make a fire in the stove and my Mom would put a tea kettle of water filled with spices (cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, orange rind) on the stove top.  Within minutes the entire cabin smelled like the most wonderful spicy, cozy baked goods.  

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Remember, mulling spices are not just for the smell.  They can also be added to apple cider or red wine for a soul warming drink.  I love the addition of the cork on this one to allow the bag to float for super easy removal.

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Here's a great recipe for making your own.

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Or, you can purchase a ready made version.  I found this one on Etsy.  Love the addition of the star anise. 

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Of, course, Williams Sonoma has a lovely one too. 

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Candles

Candles are a great way to add a hint of scent to your home.  You also get the added bonus of a little ambience.  Now, I'm not crazy about a really strong scent.  I like something that is authentic.  Also, I  never use scented candles on my dining table.  The smell can overpower the food and create a very unpleasant party!  

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Here are my favorites for fall.

Seda France Pagoda Candle in Autumn Spice

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Archipelagos "Holiday Candle" 

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And last, but certainly not least - the holy grail of candles!!!  The first time I smelled this candle (it was a gift from a friend), I honestly wanted to pick it up and eat the wax.  It's just that yummy.

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Potpourri
OK, I know lots of you think of potpourri as a very 1980's thing, but I still love it.  Unlike candles and mulling spices, potpourri works even while you're away.  So, when you walk in, it smells great.  I'm not crazy about using potpourri as an accessory which was huge in the 80's (remember stories of people at parties thinking it was hors d'oeuvres and nibbling on it!?).  But I do like to tuck a bowl of it into bookshelves and near all entryways for just a hint of scent when you enter my house.

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Here are my favorites for the holidays.
I love this one because (short of the fake wooden rosettes, it doesn't really look like potpourri) and it smells heavenly.

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I also like this one too.

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***Tip of the Day - ok, here is a fabulous little trick that only works with potpourri.  By using these simple cloth bags, filled with your favorite potpourri you can get a wonderful, hidden scent in some very unexpected places like between the sofa cushions or between the mattress and the box springs of you bed.  Yelp!  Since they are sandwiched between, the scent is very subtle, not too strong.  So, every time you sit down or get in bed you can smell it!

  

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Diffusers
I love these too, but I have to say, I've had more than one accident with "someone" knocking them over. (I always seem to get the "I don't know who did it, Mom?"). And that oil soaks into everything it touches!  With that said, I do have a couple of these.  But, they are in very strategic places that get little to no kid traffic (like my closet and bathroom).

Here are my favorites in this category.
This is the same as one of the candles I mentioned above.  And yes, they are more expensive, but they do last longer.  So, you get what you pay for here.

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And like the candles, Nest makes some great diffusers, like this one called Moroccan Amber.  Also my favorite scent Holiday come in a diffuser.

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I realize there are lots of other ways to freshen your home, like room sprays and basic plug in fresheners, but the ones I've mentioned above are my favorites for getting the job done!  Happy weekend everybody. M.

Falling Into Fall series - Part II

Time for part II of Falling Into Fall series for your home! 

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 Last week, we talked about the use of fabrics to get a sense of the season (click here for the scoop on Fall fabrics).  Now, let's talk accessories, and the importance of natural earthy elements to give you that feeling of Fall.  What do I mean by natural earthy elements?  Well, things like deer antlers, turtle shells, acorns,  pine cones, and candles in darker hues. 

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While lots of people include these elements in their homes all the time, I think by rotating them in during the cooler months, you really get the most out of these accessories.  

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As an aside, did you notice the fabulous butterfly pendant in the image above?  Go back and take a look.  It's very cool!

I love this example because it illustrates that you can include these elements (which seem rather traditional) in a very modern space for amazing results. 

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Can you say weekend project for the kids?!  Maybe I'll put mine to work on Saturday.  This image makes makes me rethink the notion of cutting the sweet gum tree in our yard.  

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And nothing says Fall, like bittersweet and pumpkins.  

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For cool toned interiors, bowls of acorns and white pumpkins do the trick.  A few of you have asked me whether I have acorns again this year (I used these in several styling jobs last Fall).  I'm sad to say my oak tree did not produce many acorns this year - no idea why?

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Love the feathers in this one.

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Here they've paired the turtle shells with a large wooden bowl of pine cones and then the textural basket of wood in the fireplace.  All great tricks to give your room a Fall feel. 

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And just as important as bringing in these natural elements, you need to edit out your light/white summery accessories that speak to the warmer months.  Remember to store them in a convenient place for next Spring.  You'll be shocked the difference these small changes can make to your space.  M.

Falling Into Fall - Part I

Since Fall is upon us, I thought it would fun to discuss a few ways you can give your home some seasonal accents without breaking the bank.  Today, I want to talk about the use of fabrics to accomplish this.  You don't have to reupholster a chair or sofa to get this look either.  The most affordable ways are through pillows, throws, slipcovers and even strips of fabric used in clever ways to give you a custom look.  

Often clients will tell me Fall colors don't go with the colors of their home.  So, their solution is to simply ignore the season and wait for Winter.  This is usually the case with cool tone interiors such as blues, grays, pinks, and lavenders.  There are ways to give these colors a Fall take.   But first lets look at the easier of the two - warm toned interiors.  The traditional colors of Fall - oranges, reds and yellows work great to give you the look if you already have a warm toned base in your space.

Warm Toned Interiors
Color blocking with orange and red velvet pillows does the trick.  Simple. Simple.  These pillows have turned this white beachy style into a cozy Fall retreat.  The rug helps too!

Architectural Digest

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This works in bedrooms too.  By adding an orange blanket or duvet and just one fabulous pillow (I think this is Schumacher - Zanabar), you are there.

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Look what a simple throw can do . . .  (add cut branches of leaves from the garden to a clear glass vase and you've repeated the color for amazing results).  I think it's interesting that once you added a color, any other items in the room that have that color starting speaking to it.  Did you notice the books on the console table that have orange/red yellow covers?  And the bits of rust in the painting?    

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Again, color blocking with orange velvet pillows and a throw.

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Cool Toned Interiors

OK, so easy peasy if you have warm tones.  But what about the cool tones.  If you have cool undertones like grays and blues, what do you do?  You go for browns and greens.  You will be amazed what this can do.

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In this example, the striped pillow does the trick.  Honestly, I think it is styled for Spring since you have the yellow vases, but change these to more muted tones and you are there.

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In addition to color, think patterns that speak to Fall - plaids, strips and even florals in the right tones all speak to Fall.  Also, don't forget texture - flannel, wool and cashmere.

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In this image there is not a bit of orange/yellow/red.  But it still feels like Fall to me with the camel throw and plaid.  So cozy.

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Earlier, I mentioned strips of fabric to change the look.  You can take a strip of any Fall fabric, and change the look of a wingback chair (you could even have it monogrammed).   Sort of like this example with the chocolate flannel . . .  (sorry it's blurry, I took it with my iPhone).

And just because I'm feeling generous, here are a few of my favorite fall fabric finds.  Any of these could be custom made into pillows, slipcovers and even those super cool strips of fabric to be used on sofas, accent and dining chairs for added texture.

Favorite Go To Fall Fabrics
Spice Velvet

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Blue/Grey Plaid

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Embrodered Linen

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Camel Houndstooth

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GEO Cut Velvet

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Enjoy your day, everybody.  M.

Design Series Tuesday - Canopy Beds {part 4}

Well, this is our last installment of the canopy bed series.  I don't know about you, but it has certainly helped get me through January.  I have just started noticing the days are getting a little longer and it's not totally dark at 5:00. So, we are well on our way to Spring [Woo Hoo]. 

As for canopy beds, I have saved the best for last.  These are my favorite of all the canopy beds we have discussed.  I am calling this category . . .

Floating Fabric Canopy Beds 

These are examples of clever uses of fabric to accent the bed in unique ways.  I hope these are inspiring and allow you to come up with other ideas for your own bed.

Most of the floating fabric canopies require two drapery rods for installation - very simple.  But as you can see from the picture below, the fabrics you choose can add so much style.  Look at all the details on these - the fabrics, trim and tape.  Quite stunning (even in purple)!


This is a similar look, yet it is pulled out to the end of the bed.  Also, notice the sloping roof line.  This type of canopy is a wonderful solution for a sloping or even low ceiling.

This canopy reminds me of Greece.  The rest of the furnishings are quite rustic and almost country cottage, but the canopy itself is Santorini all the way!  

This one requires a bit less fabric since they did not carry it down behind the headboard. 

Another sloped roof.  I love the contrast of the unfinished ceiling and the white lace.  Reminds me of a room Jane Austen would write about.

I think this is a clever way to designate this very small area as the bedroom.  The striking graphics of the fabric really define the space.

Other Canopy Bed Ideas

This group is all the leftover photographs I pulled for this series.  Most of these are bed crowns or other types of pelmets to accent the bed.  Your imagination is the only limit with draping fabric above your bed.  Cute dog!

I am sure this is a staged vignette, but it feels like they have crammed way too much furniture into this small space. 

If you can't be a Queen, at least you can sleep like one.  [Not for me folks].

I actually like this one.  I think it's the green (which is my favorite color) and the fact that it looks like velvet.  All that texture makes me like it. 

As I continue to mention, I'm not crazy about the purple, but I do like the dark wood and how it contrasts with the light ceiling.

Would love your thoughts on this one!

Here's a close up of a bed crown.

My favorite part about this one is the shape of the headboard (so sweet in a little girl's room) - the rest is just too busy for my taste.  A

This is a simple version of the bed crown.  As an aside, I think it would be great to have a room large enough for a pair of full or even queen sized beds!

This one is really more of a sheer netting used in tropical places rather than a canopy, but I included it anyway. 

Lastly, another alternative to consider when you have a sloping roof line.  

Well, there you have it.  I have officially reached my saturation point with canopy beds.  Maybe if I did this with other things, I would actually save a little a money! 

PS: I also wanted to give a shout out of thanks to Emily at Splendid Market for awarding me the Stylish Blog.  It is the highest compliment when other bloggers recognize your efforts!  For a list of seven things about me, click here.  As for Splendid Market,  Emily's blog has been a favorite of my for a while.  Please check out her blog either by clicking here or going to my blogroll.   Thanks Emily! M.