Fall Decorating Around the House

The long awaited where have you been old friend crisp fall air whispered in my ear the time is now for fall decorating around the house.

More and more I find my taste aligns with simple, natural, and the work with what you have aspects of seasonal decorating.

Simplicity is defined as the quality or condition of being plain or natural; a thing that is plain, natural, or easy to understand.

Putting together an arrangement of pine cones and various leaves rich in fall colors is about as natural and easy as it comes.

There’s a time and a place for everything, and with the hustle and the bustle of the holiday season soon to arrive, this year’s fall decorating around the house look is brought to you by the need and the want to showcase decorative items germane to individuality, simplicity, effortlessness, and nature’s beauty.

Mama Places In The Home calls me from one of the hobby and crafts store we frequent for fall into holiday decor.

She is happy to report the entire stock of fall swags and wreaths is currently marked 70% off original price.

Sold!

Try, try as I may, I could not capture a good picture of the swag. The combination of a cloudy day, funky angles, and wth? exposure settings does not do it justice.

Gourds decorate for fall through to Thanksgiving– a small investment, big return accent.

Some of my best shopping comes via the Facebook pages of local shops and boutiques.

See it.

Send a message.

Pull it and I’ll be right there.

Exactly what I did with these gourds.

We’ll call this one fresh flowers and framed memories.

The year was 1998, and the event was one of the many school events-carnivals-fundraisers-assemblies- open houses we attended at our son’s elementary school.

Twenty+ years and two hair colors ago.

Simple ideas, thoughtful touches steeped in warm and cozy overtones, inspired choices, natural elements, accessories, collectibles, and souvenirs near and dear to your heart and taste beautifully work the room and welcome fall into your home.

French Themed Tablescape

The beauty of a French themed tablescape is found in the ooh la la factor, and this We’ll Always Have Paris French themed tablescape focuses attention on the it’s all in the details appeal of understated elegance.

Soft lighting, informal china and crystal, and benign neglect to formality describes the European sentiment.

Roma Table Lamp- Classic Favs!

Incorporate a table lamp(s) into your tablescape scheme.

Chelsea Blue Accent Table Lamp – Chelsea Blue Hardback Fabric Shade

Soft candlelight sets the night and the table in casually elegant fashion and romantic ambiance.

Distressed White Ornate Candle Holder

French decor elements bring a palette of both deep and soft blue and green, crisp white, rich brown and citrine, soft gray, and deep wine red to the table.

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Below is an assortment of tabletop accessories, serveware, and thoughtful accoutrements to illustrate the point.

Charge It Brown Emboss 14-inch Charger Plate

Embossed Charger Plate-Set of 4

Faux Wood Charger Plates

Food Network Resin Wicker Charger

Gray Marble Stoneware Dinner Plate

Chelse Muse Fleur 12-Pc. Dinnerware Set, Service for 4

Thierry’s Cottage – Flickr

Arte Italica Merletto 11″ Square Dinner Plate

“The service and mood should be informal, and the food, wine, and presentation extraordinary.”

—Tomas Maier

Elama Indigo Lotus 16 Pieces Square Dinnerware Set

AERIN Scalloped Rim Salad Plate, Each, Blue

Dowd Traditional Blue Accent Table Lamp

Royal Norfolk Blue and White Stoneware Dinner Plates, 10.5 in.

Bernardaud Tout Salad Plates

Juliska Berry & Thread French Panel Stone Gray Dinner Plate

Corelle 18pc Vitrelle Embossed Bella Faenza Dinnerware Set White

Pillivuyt Queen Anne Porcelain Dinnerware Collection

Burleigh Faded Peony Salad Plate

Vintage pieces make a wonderful contribution to tablecsapes, lending an air of distinction that exemplifies the art of classic French themed tablescape savoir faire.

Vintage Black & Brown China Plates- Set of 3

Warwick Dessert Bowls

Restaurant De La Tour

Restaurant.

Bistro.

Home sweet home.

Ambiance is paramount to setting the scene and the table for the dining experience.

Call it an experience because dining should be exactly that- a social, sensory and scrumptious experience.

Sight (we eat first with our eyes) sound, touch, smell and taste anchor ambiance.

Faux Ivory Hixon Laguiole 20 Piece Stainless Steel Flatware Set, Service for 4

Zwilling JA Henckels Vintage Stainless Steel Flatware Set, Service for 4

Lion Head’s Bowl

Oval Platter in Cobalt by Fiesta

BFK Dauphin Antique Tureen, Boch Freres Keramis, Late 1800s

Burano Platter by Arte Italica

Antique Choisy le Roi ROCHANBEAU Faience Gravy 1860’s

Musee Five-Piece Place Setting

Hotel Dinner Napkins

Small Porcelain Plate

DII Printed Dishtowels Style Tabletop Collection, French Stripe 3 Piece

Bentwood Café Chairs

Zentique Pitcher

Small European Bread Board

Heather Bullard thoughtfully turns antique ephemera into these free printable French baguettes wraps perfect as take away party favors.

Click on the link below to see her post and download instructions. Merci beaucoup, Heather.

French Baguette Wrap Printable

Libbey 8.5 oz. Cocktail Decanter

Elle Decor Set of 6 Wine Glasses, Blue

La Rochere Versailles Tumblers, Set of 6

French Wine Glass

El Mueble

The ooh la la of the French tablescape and copper accents.

Relaxed refinement is not an oxymoron.

C’est magnifique!

Williams Sonoma Vintage Etched Goblets

French Antique Digoin Sarreguemines Grey Poupon Mustard of Dijon Pot

Jute Tablecloth

Fennco Styles Hand Hemstitched and Embroidered Swiss Dot Table Runner

Homestead Rajasthan Block Print Cotton Tablecloth

Lavender Bunch

I absolutely ooh la la love adding a few vintage and antique items to my tablescape and decorating plan.

Antique Large Round Blue Wood Cheese Box

A large antique cheese box makes a fantastic decorative accent for a cheese and fruit display.

Small European Bread Board

Ornate Pedestal Riser

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Grab a free place card template printable, pop over to your photo editor of choice, add your own favorite French themed embellishments, colors and fonts and voilà!

Frame prints or printables such as this menu écrit en français as conversation pieces.

Wall shelf-wall sconces plucked from the clearance shelves at Hobby Lobby have served as my go-to tabletop décor accessory at shop and at home.

The decorative duo immediately caught my eye as tabletop gotta have it rather than wall décor.

When you like the details, finish and presence of a decorative piece, but not in the context of its original purpose, repurpose.

Antique Silk French Subdued Blue Ombre Ribbon

From place setting to ambiance, a destination themed tablescape travels well.

Part III of Themed Tablescapes Table Escapes features decorative accessories and accents of Chinoiserie chic to set a Far East Fabulous tablescape.

Central Louisiana Mardi Gras Mambo

Welcome to our Mardi Gras ~ Bienvenue à notre Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras is all around Louisiana and our sister states, but this invitation is to a Central Louisiana Mardi Gras Mambo Places In The Home style.

Festivities to beat the jazz band fill Central Louisiana afternoons, evenings and weekends with something Mardi Gras to do.

Krewe parades roll uptown, downtown, and all along the Red River replete with throws of colored beads and doubloons, go- cups (we do love a geaux-cup), and trinkets raining down to revelers below satisfying the traditional Carnival call of “Throw me something, Mister!”

Alexa Pulitzer

What’s a go-cup (that’s geaux cup in Louisiana speak) you may ask?

Not to-go cup.

Go-cup.

go-cup

a cup used to hold any beverage that one may take with them while they are out and about.

Louisiana is a festival-celebration-events driven state. Celebrating is in our DNA. Humidity is always in the air, ergo the need for liquid refreshment. When out and about you can guarantee (ga-ron-tee as Justin Wilson said) it is with beverage of choice in hand.

Throw me something, Mister!

Mardi Gras in Central Louisiana emphasizes the spirit of family, friend and neighbor.

We eat, drink, decorate, dance, promenade, stroll and second line on Garden District streets of brick during the Carnival season.

This is our taste of Mardi Gras world from the Twelfth Night (feast of Epiphany) to Fat Tuesday- a living it up in Central Louisiana c’est si bon celebration.

Gray skies never rain on our parade.

We know how to adapt and simply take the party indoors.

Decorating for Mardi Gras gives me an opportunity to put my French themed decor accessories and accents on Mardi Gras parade.

The purple, green and gold colors and oval design of a traditional King Cake serves up dining table centerpiece idea.

Centerpiece inspiration is everywhere, and the colors and design of the King Cake is as good a muse as any.

Taking inventory of items around the house and those plucked from a fantastic end-of-season clearance sale last year, I spied my Sportsman’s Paradise-Gulf of Mexico-coastal collection of shells, figurines and the like.

Winter is making me blue, so any and all opportunities to inject a bit of spring into my step and/or decor are welcome. Shells and pelicans equal spring into summer perfect.

This gold pelican figurine is 39 years old- a nugget souvenir from our college days at LSU.

The shell is an oldie but a lovely as well.

The curated side of my brain and the decorating side of my brain merged to come up with a fabulous pairing.

There’s a baby in a King Cake, and there’s a Louisiana pelican in this shell of a Carnival inspired candy dish.

Our days of letting the good times roll in New Orleans ceased in favor of the local lagniappe Central Louisiana offers.

These days, home is where the Mardi Gras celebration is.

Nature by Design: What Fall Means To Me

Nature by design is the consummate example of simple yet elegant beauty- what fall means to me.

Seasonal decorating need not be an exercise in expense or exhaustion.

Rather your seasonal and soon to be holiday decorating involves pulling out all the stops or spot accents here and there, the idea is to invite the season into your home through a visual essay that expresses what fall means to me.

Still moving at a slowed post surgical procedure pace means I’m mostly guiding the what fall means to me decorating tour of late.

Dave the Builder and my mother are happy to handle the fetch and feather duties.

Thank goodness I like to sit and study a space beyond tape measures and fan decks.

Looking at the world through design and decorating colored glasses promotes a gorgeous result.

“An empty room is a story waiting to happen, and you are the author.” Unknown

Readers of Places In The Home know music beats in the heart and soul of this house.

Music keeps me company in the creative process, and a verse or chorus strikes a note of I’ll groove to that inspiration.

The chorus of singer, pianist, composer, producer and engineer Carol Duboc’s latest tune, Open the Curtains, mirrors my personal decorating style philosophy.

A punch of personality is as influential to the collective look as the pop of color and the decorative oomph.

What fall means to me is obvious in the gorgeous bouquet of white hydrangeas from my mother and the fall is in the house display Dave the Builder picked up at Kroger.

“Nature is not a place to visit.
It is home.”

– Gary Snyder

Cabbage resting in a mixing bowl staged along side a pie pumpkin gives a simple and fresh nod to fall.

Nature-inspired simple elegance.

I know exactly what fall means to me.

Practicing Design Instinct and Inspiration

Photography is a lot like interior decorating in regards to working or not working with color. Design instinct and inspiration guide the creative process. Light, forms, tone and balance optimize not only the shot but the space. Forgive my simplistic explanation, but plainly put, some photos only work in color and others only work in black and white.

Simon & Garfunkel

Since finding a renewed popularity complements of a current political campaign, the Simon & Garfunkel 1968 single “America” is once again on my playlist. The impact of a great hook paired with powerful lyrics mirrors the impact of classic design coupled with an impressive decorating style.

While discovering “America” I rediscovered another Simon & Garfunkel favorite, “My Little Town.” You may be wondering what possible connection there could be between a couple of Simon & Garfunkel songs and design and decorating. Design instinct and inspiration, my friends. One never knows where one will find it. I hit the streets of my little town photographing local landmarks. Although photographed in color, a monochromatic color scheme captured aspects of the images that color failed to.

Photo editing, enhancements and touch-ups generate a refined result. It’s the same with decorating. Editing, enhancements and touch-ups help to achieve a polished look. Making pretty is an exercise in trial and error, correction and confidence. Gorgeous isn’t always achieved right out of the gate.

Going with your first design instinct, or at the very least a tweaked variation of it, proves visually successful more times than not. I failed to practice what I preach with this chandelier. I was convinced a pop of designer color over my first choice of painting the fixture white would put to rest any doubt my decorating choices were in a rut or unimaginative. Fan deck after fan deck, I could not get a peace about any other color choice other than white. The lyrics from “My Little Town” kept running through my mind.

And after it rains
There’s a rainbow
And all of the colors are black
It’s not that the colors aren’t there
It’s just imagination they lack

The pieces of the color palette puzzle finally fit when I decided to go with my first instinct. I remembered one of my standard decorating solutions- the color white never fails to make a classic statement. The color is there, and imagination is not lacking. I showed decorating doubt the door and practiced my own brand of design instinct and inspiration.

Christmas Tree Wow and Wonder

Creative, unique, designer, traditional, non-traditional and color me impressed Christmas tree wow and wonder highlight the season of inspiration. The color palette is poised for magical artistry and inspired interpretation all year long, but the Holidays provide the opportunity to let our little Christmas tree light shine through Christmas tree wow and wonder! I look forward to the annual reveal of the Claridge’s Hotel Christmas tree. Always a favorite and never disappointing, The Claridge’s Christmas tree, designed by Dolce & Gabana, is an Italian themed marvel.

London calls again! The ‘Red Velvet Tree of Love’ at the Victoria and Albert Museum greets guests in holiday color, texture and pageantry. The Christmas Tree wow and wonder for the Grand Entrance of the Museum is by artists Helen and Colin David.

Victoria and Albert Museum

Elegant simplicity is well represented in this ooh la la factor Parisian-inspired Christmas tree bathed in winter wonderland white, silver baubles, champagne ribbon and a straw hat topper.

Style at Home

Fashionably fabulous at the Holidays!

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Traditional by nature, stunning by design.

Traditional Home

Branches in urns with fresh greens and bright whites- oh my!

Pinterest

Non-traditional Christmas colors capture the eye and the heart of holiday decorating through self-expression.

Better Homes and Gardens

‘Tis the season of tinsel trees and Tiffany colors so gorgeously stated in Christmas chic by Valorie Hart.

The Visual Vamp

The more Christmas tree wow and wonder splendor there is to see, the more I am lead to create, decorate and spectate. Inspiration of the holiday and stylish kind is everywhere!

Adventures In Decorating Rental Property

During a recent all in the family design consultation the question how would mom approach decorating rental property was asked and answered.

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Our son is on the move once again in the pursuit of higher education and stylish digs, and thus begins our adventures in decorating rental property.

He has clear and concise idea of what he wants on the education front, but questions his decorative decisions on the latter.

I’m considering replacing my LSU Mom bumper sticker with a custom sticker stating “My son and my money and my furniture, home furnishings, and home decor accessories go to LSU.”

It’s important when decorating rental property to be fully aware of the rules and limitations regarding changes to the existing decor, but to also keep a personal stamp of style in mind.

Color does just that.

The color palette I’m suggesting consists of his all time favorite colors.

It’s been established the living area and kitchen colors will remain as is for the following two reasons:

A neutral color palette in a common area works to your advantage.

Better Homes & Gardens – Photo by Marty Baldwin

Neutral colors are wildly popular because most everyone lives well with them.

With that in mind, it’s a safe assumption a neutral color palette in shared areas will reduce the risk of conflicting tastes with the roommate.

Your security deposit dollars and post graduation time schedule thank you in advance for your consideration.

Introduce color through accent pieces and home decor accessories.

It’s much easier to add and subtract on a smaller scale than to go big or repaint at this stage of the college housing game.

The decorative emphasis is on the bedroom.

The floor plan offers enough space and full walls for better furniture placement.

Windows are great, but can wreak havoc with furniture placement.

Thankfully, this will not present a problem.

Storage and a sufficient work area remain big considerations in the overall plan.

Let me share with you a renter/lessee tip.

Before painting the interior or exterior of a property, obtain written permission from the landlord or property management firm.

With written permission from the property management firm giving the okay to paint firmly in place, we’ve reached a color compromise of sorts.

We both agree the 14′ X 13′ bedroom is better equipped to do a core color decorative justice as a focal point color.

Enter the accent wall.

“I Heart NY” is one of my favorite Sex In The City episodes.

Moon River.

A red accent wall.

The charismatic Chris Noth as Mr. Big.

That one red wall is captivating!

Other than my gush, our son has no point of reference.

Unfortunately, Dave the Builder does due to the years of overexposure to my obsession.

Dave suggested the above image for visual reference.

The decision has been made and we have a winner.

Sherwin-Williams Hyper Blue SW 6965 is the one color he is set on.

Dave the Builder insists on making a custom upholstered headboard.

It’s a practical and affordable way to bring more color into the space and to create a striking look.

One sheet of plywood, a jigsaw, upholstery foam, batting, upholstery fabric, and a staple gun will get the DIY job done.

For the next two months one thing is for sure- college decorating days are here again.

This is a refresher course for me in the ABC’s of decorating rental property, an all in the family affair, and I’m loving every stylish minute of it!