Inside, It's Autumn

November 8, 2012

by Heather

The nights and mornings are cool at this time of the year in the desert Southwest, and that's enough to get me ready to add autumnal touches to my decor. I like to "re-merchandise" my house seasonally (a left-over from my days in retail)  and change out most of the accessories, so here are some pictures from my living room and front dining room as it looks from Labor Day through Thanksgiving.

I added burlap ribbon (from Michael's) to the leather pillows above and below to help warm them up. The lamp shade below is actually black, not purple.  Have I mentioned that I need to invest in a good camera?  Any suggestions about digital cameras would be greatly appreciated.

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The round table below (and above) has an antique mirrored surface which reflects the lighted vine pumpkins from Target.  Mercury glass pumpkins and leaf-topped bottle are from Pottery Barn.
Tall candlesticks are adorned with small mercury glass pumpkins (Z Gallerie) centered on mossy nests instead of their usual candles.



The English tea table is topped with a white pumpkin wreath surrounding a mercury glass candle holder. Since my living room is small, the sofa (Henredon) is love seat size.

The baker's rack below is laden with mercury glass pumpkins and gourds, lighted vine pumpkins, books, and candles.  I'm already thinking ahead to Christmas and planning how this will be re-merchandised for the holiday season this year.

My favorite corner is just below.  The wing chair (Baker's) is just the right size for me (and much too small for husband Tom) so when I'm ready to read, knit, or have a cup of tea, it's always ready for me. Oh, there's also plenty of wine in the wine rack just in case a cup of tea isn't strong enough to put the world right.

The chest holds all of my smallest appetizer plates, cups, and trays behind the cupboard doors and the top serves as one more spot to decorate with fall pumpkins and leaves.

The antique drop leaf table sat in my grandmother's home and while my sister was the one to inherit it, I ended up with it because it suited my style better than hers (at least that's what I told her so don't tell her differently, please).  The black wing chairs were my mother's and done originally in red -- I like to spray paint which is my one claim to doing "crafty" things.  My mother's silver tea service is relegated to the kitchen so that the pewter tea service has a place of honor in the fall.  My mother and grandmother were both born and raised in England so if there's a little English vibe going on, I come by it genetically.  Branches and large jug are from Pottery Barn and I wrapped some more burlap ribbon around the jug to warm it up for autumn.

Can you tell I like a zebra print? The zebra pillows are there year-round and I just add other pillows (Target) as seasonal accents.

No surface goes untouched, so even the top of the glass cabinet gets done.  If you look closely enough, you can see that small orange as well as mercury glass pumpkins are added to the glassware and shelves within.

The plant shelf by the staircase is also fair game.  I spray-painted pumpkins in gold, copper, and silver and arranged them on top of one another in the birdcage. Mercury glass objects were placed in the Crate and Barrel wooden trough, with a Pottery Barn leaf garland draped over them.



That's all for now.  Join me next time when I'll show how the other rooms in the house got dressed for fall.

Love,

H