I don’t do a lot of decorating outside for autumn, just a few pumpkins and I love the varieties you can find now at the local supermarket. But I do make an effort indoors to cozy up the house for autumn, especially if I’m entertaining.
Once again, I’ve partnered with Schlage Canada to create an inspiration board, and share some tips on how to layer in the all the cozy elements for autumn in your home, just in time for Thanksgiving – including tips on using what you already have around your house, the farmer’s market, a thrift store or a walk in the woods. Whether you're hosting a big Thanksgiving meal or just want to cozy up your décor for autumn, you don’t have to do a lot to make an impact.
It's all about the layers.
When the weather cools it's all about the layers and that applies to your home as well. It's time to pull out the wool blankets and cozy throws so that they are easy to grab and curl up with on the sofa. Sometimes I swap out my cushion covers too for warmer fabrics with texture, like the felted wool pillow in the mood board above. Even if you do just one or two cushions it can really refresh a space.
Bring the outdoors in.
When I think of autumn, it's all about the colours. For some, that might mean bright reds and oranges but I prefer the earthy hues of Fall. There is something beautiful about the flowers that are in decline. Hydrangeas turn various shades of brown, flowers lose their lustre but I actually find it a soothing palette. It all starts to feel a little delicate.
A walk in your backyard or the woods can yield a lot of treasures to bring indoors, like fallen branches of coloured leaves. Just make sure you take what is on the ground and forage responsibly.
Speaking of coming inside. If you're hosting Thanksgiving this weekend you know that when the guests start arriving you're going to have your hands full. One of the benefits of the Schlage Encode, a smart lock for your front door, is that it makes it easy for guests to make themselves at home - because you can unlock the door from your phone using the app or using voice commands via Alexa or Google Assistant. The Encode comes in different styles and finishes but I think the Camelot trim with warm Aged Bronze finish (pictured above) looks perfect for Fall.
Reduce, reuse and upcycle.
Foraged branches, grasses and flowers look great displayed in vases. Thrift stores and antique markets are a treasure trove for display vessels. Even something as simple as old glass soda bottles look pretty displayed along the length of a dining table, filled with foraged botanicals. I love to save jam jars, it's a bit of an obsession, the jars and the jam - especially the pretty ones from Bonne Maman. It's amazing what you can find in your recycling bin. Just remove labels from jars and bottles, give it a scrub and you can suddenly a nondescript jar is transformed and given a new use. Have a look around your house for things you can repurpose - that speak to the season. Baskets, rustic crates, even a off cut piece of wood, cleaned up of course and placed down the centre of the table can look amazing if you layer in foraged finds, like leaves or even fruit and veg from the farmer's market.
Vintage ink bottles and other clay bottles and jars are having a bit of a collectors moment right now, so prices have gone up but their colours - brown, terracotta, beige and sometimes black look amazing as part of an autumn palette.
Set the table with something old, something upcycled and something handmade.
Welcome guests to your table with decor you've found foraging in the garden or woods - acorns, pinecones, fallen leaves, cut grasses and flowers look pretty as place cards. Wrap a few stems with twine and add a little tag to write your guests name or use a metallic calligraphy pen to write your guests name right on a leaf.
Second hand stores are also a great place to find tableware - they are always stocked up with glasses and plates and often you'll find pretty vintage ones as well. When you don't want to do all the hunting head to websites like Etsy Canada - a great source for vintage. Instagram also has lots of vintage sellers. Sometimes delivery is included or you make arrangements to pick the item up.
Add something handmade. There's nothing quite like adding something made by a local artisan to your home. I think it adds that soulfulness that you also get from something old, that's lived a life before you inherited it. Handmade is like that too. Human hands have touched it, molded it and made it unique. I love that you can find unique handmade pieces not only at small, local shops but also larger retailers like Homesense. I had a conversation recently with Homesense reps who talked about how their buyers also source product from small artisan manufacturers. They have been stocking a lot of beautiful ceramics - bowls, plates and vases that are made in Portugal. Anyways, I just thought I'd mention that because it's something you might not expect from a large retailer like that.
However you do Autumn in your home, I hope you have a beautiful celebration of thanks and gratitude this weekend with family and friends. My daughter is coming home from university for the weekend and I'm excited to have her home.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Disclosure: I've partnered with Schlage Canada in this sponsored post. All opinions and text are my own.
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