Give your Home a Seasonal Makeover
There’s just something about Autumn…
The brilliant colors of turning leaves, crisp mornings, soups simmering and the dressing of our homes!
Our homes tell a story to all who visit....it showcases our families, our styles, our lifestyle.....what does YOUR home say to those that enter? I read once that you could go through a person's home, alone, and know everything you need to know about them when you leave. If family is first and foremost, you will find photos and keepsakes of the family members on display throughout the home. If "appearances" are more important, you will see store-bought decor, well placed and specifically designed living areas, but very little in the way of personal touches. For those that place more emphasis on careers, outside hobbies and activities, the home may simply be "functional" and often untidy. It says "The home is a place to simply come in at night and sleep".
As a REALTOR®️, designer and professional stager....I find that my personal home is a bit of all three....full of family photos, keepsakes and special momentos yet decorated full out in a warm, inviting way. My home is also very functional due to the long hours and outside activities I participate in. So there is no "right or wrong" .....just step back and take a long, honest evaluation of your home.
What does it say?
As Autumn arrives and the holidays are fast approaching, many homeowners get excited about pulling out the pumpkins and fall decor while others are overwhelmed with the dilemma of how to decorate for autumn when fall colors (oranges, reds, yellows) just simply do not coordinate with the other decor that is in place and stays year round. NO PROBLEM....if your home is a light and bright decor with a French Country flair, those oranges and reds just won't blend and probably not your best option. I would suggest using the same palette as you already have in your home.....white pumpkins, perhaps soft sages and light blues. Beautiful natural grasses, baskets....all of these are warm, inviting and extremely suitable for a light decor.
If you have a farmhouse, country or rustic home.....you are in luck! All of the traditional fall colors blend wonderfully and you can put your own unique flair on your home using antique jars, baskets, woven throws.....it does not (and should not) be all pumpkins and scarecrows.
The two areas of the home that are vitally important to keep decorated for the changing seasons are the front porch and the mantle above fireplace. If you don't have a fireplace, I highly suggest finding a faux mantle to create a focal point for decorating and staging throughout the seasons. The front porch or front entry is the "eye" through which visitors see your home....have an unsightly, unclean and cluttered front porch/entry and nothing else inside will matter.....the vision has been cast and that first impression has been made. Again, the decorations should coordinate with the style of your home. Once inside, a focal point, such as a mantle (real or faux) creates a wonderful opportunity to showcase your style, your likes and what is important to you and your family. Use a sampling of multiple textures....wooden candle sticks, glass photo frames, greenery, soft natural grasses...this area should be the truest indication of who and what is meaningful to your family.
Remember, decorations are nice. Decorations are fun. Decorations are expensive. Make certain that your decorations are reflective of your family, your values and YOUR style.
