Seasons Change and So Do We – by Carmen Whitlock

Carmen Whitlock of Eleglance Home Decor

Making Your House Your Home – by Carmen Whitlock, Eléglance Home Decor

Fall is in the air and the leaves are changing colors. Should our decor follow suit? And if so, how? Will it be expensive and time consuming? Where do you start? Here are some tips!

Fall is really the most colorful season with a wide array of warm and inviting colors found outdoors with deep reds on tomatoes, beautiful golden yellows and oranges on tree leaves and ripening pumpkins. And deep purples will be found in our abundant vineyards. How do we incorporate this wonderful feel into our homes?

I suggest starting with things that can easily be stored away such as towels, tablecloths, pillows, candles and throws. Change them out with rich, warm, luxurious textured items for the fall and winter months. If you are like most people, you burn candles more often on the shorter days of fall and winter. Even the battery-operated candles provide a warm feeling and glow when it’s dark and cold outside. You can also store away the table centerpiece and door wreath that have served you well for the spring and summer months and display something in warmer-colored tones for a change in its place. If you don’t have the space to store away too many items for rotation, choose one area that can be your seasonal area. It might be an entry table, maybe a counter in the guest bathroom, possibly the fireplace mantle or just a wreath on your front door.

For a tabletop or mantle area, start with a bottom layer of greenery, grapevine, feathers or fabric. Add a second layer, possibly another fabric with a texture or pattern or a beaded garland and then add something dimensional such as acorns, leaves, or colored gemstones. Now add some height and interest such as candle holders, vases, statuary or cornstalks. Use soft-sculptured items such as warm and fuzzy squirrels, deer or owls in varying sizes or sparkly pumpkins and gourds. Where you place and how high you place an item is dependent on your overhead lighting, the height of your ceiling and the scale of other items in the space. Some people feel more comfortable with a centered focus display with equal sides for balance and symmetry. Others opt for an asymmetrical look with one side being taller than the other, with different but complimentary items to maintain a consistent feel with colors and textures. For a pop of interest, add some colorful candles, a beautiful ribbon woven in and out of your layers, some dried, fresh or silk flowers and voila—you have created a seasonal area of interest and appeal.

With cooler months ahead and as temperatures drop, we can easily warm things up in our homes with these design ideas, making our homes an inviting, wonderful, comfortable place. This fall season, enjoy your home and family and have fun “making your house your home.”

Carmen Whitlock is the owner of Eléglance Home Decor located at 110 N. Fifth Street, 541-702-2170. Click on ad below to visit her website.