The colors of fall are so gorgeous that they tend to dominate décor far into the winter months. We love the deep reds, creams and golds of harvest time. We enjoy seeing glimpses of the natural world at key points in our homes. Here is a list of ideas for making the most of fall “found” items and a few store-bought ones as well to highlight this wonderful season. Whether you’re decorating for parties, or just enjoying simple seasonal color around the house, you’ll be inspired to get outside and bring some of the color indoors.
When you’re decorating tables, be especially aware of the table covering you’ll use. The gold, tan or other fall color beneath centerpieces will set off the rest of the display. A centerpiece or a runner with a strip of various fall shapes or designs will hold the attention of guests more fully when augmented with well-placed folds in the fabric or perhaps a grape vine or string of twinkly lights encircling it. Another consideration is the height of the piece, as those gathering around a table for a meal enjoy seeing one another with no barriers in the way. If you enjoy creating a large centerpiece, perhaps it can be moved to another location when guests sit at the table.
Decorate side tables, mantles, picture frames, doorways, stairways and more. You’ll find ample natural fall foliage and produce to surround with a variety of natural branches, ferns, wheat grass, and the like. Add candles, fruit, nuts, acorns, flowers and even glitter to create the beauty of the season within your walls. Choose interesting containers for your fall pieces. Try clear glass, colored glass, wooden containers, metal pots, ceramic pieces, baskets, terra cotta pots, and even actual produce such as hollowed out pumpkins, gourds and mini-pumpkins.
Here are some suggestions for ways to bring all the beauty of fall into your home:
* clear glass containers filled with nuts in their shells for a variety of sizes,
shapes, colors and textures
* hollowed pumpkins as a vase. Use wires, frogs, or other devices to fasten
fall foliage, and produce into the pumpkin
* glass candle holders with berries, acorns or nuts placed around the bottoms
* miniature pumpkins turned into candleholders. They can be used along a
table runner or set by each table setting
* another fall theme suitable for your guests. They might be football fans,
gourmet cooks, members of the military, etc. Fashion a placecard with
the appropriate stickers, drawings, or stamps and then add festive fall
leaves and other decorations
* Use edibles. Tiny leaf cookies, wrapped candies, candy corn, cookie scarecrows
and the like.
* Bring in wheat stalks, oats, corn stalks or other tall outdoor growth to use in
doorways, corners and porches.
* Fill a bowl with beautiful fall apples and pears. Find contrasting colors
* Make an arrangement with dried corn, gourds and squashes
* Use pine cones, branches, acorns and nuts to make an interesting elongated
centerpiece
* Make a wreath of silk leaves, ribbon and raffia for your front door or for a
wall piece.
* Decorate each step of a staircase with repeating mini-pumpkins, candles, or the
like.
* Decorate a runner with a selection of found items; acorns, nuts, leaves, flowers
* Pick seed pods, cattails, grasses or vines and mix with zinnias or mums
The list could go on and on. The idea is to go for a nice walk somewhere near your home and make it a point to bring home your found items, turning them into a beautiful part of fall brought indoors. For some spectacular uses of pumpkins and some lovely autumn table designs go to http://www.porterhousedesigns.com/colorsizzle/category/autumn-decorating. Enjoy the beauty of fall!
