I’ve share this before, but I thought it was worth sharing again. I’m not big on decorating for each season. I think in the world of Pinterest and blogs, it’s easy to feel like you have to do a bunch of projects and crafts for birthdays, parties and especially during the holiday season. As I’ve been immersed in that world and holidays seem to blur into one another as I’m dying Easter eggs in October and buying Christmas trees in April, I’ve gotten a little holidayed-out. So, for fall, I don’t put out a bunch of wreaths, hay stacks, cornucopias and scarecrows. I just sprinkle a few pumpkins around the house and that’s that.
Of course, I’m partial to the white and pale blue varieties…
After focusing on the studio for a few weeks, I did a few things in my home. I just moved some pictures and accessories around when I got the decorating bug while I was cleaning. The lamp used to be on my desk in the family room, but I’m moving that desk to the studio, so the lamp went by the front door. I feel like this arrangement looks more fitting by the front door and I’ve included an ironstone dish for keys and outgoing mail.
I’ll be painting in this room soon and then refinishing the floors and making new curtains. I’m still figuring out how to balance working in the studio and working at home. I am more focused, but a little scattered at the same time, because there are so many things I want to do! But, it’s a good problem to have.
I did get one orange pumpkin for the kitchen, but it’s a soft orange with a sweet heirloom shape.
As I was moving things around, I found a home for my newest cow painting. I’m not 100% sure it’s where it’s going to stay, but I like it in this room (the family room.) When I move the desk out, I’m sure I’ll be shuffling furniture around again, so who knows where things will end up.
I can’t wait to whip up a few pillows in the new fabric I got and some of the pale blue buffalo check I already had. I think that’s going to add some color and tie everything together nicely. Many of you asked about the fabric. It’s Darjeering Blue Stone by Richloom. I loved it because it looks traditional and it has all of the colors in my room…the light brown of the leather sofa, the dark blue from the grain sack stripes, the green accents and even has some yellow to give me even more options.
With getting ready for the Chapel Market as the main focus, I’m not sure when I’ll get around to painting and making pillows. Hopefully I’ll get some of that done this fall. So many fun things to do…
I like to keep it simple too. I still like decorating a bit for seasons but I don’t do as much for each individual holiday. Except Christmas. I still like decorating a lot for Christmas. Lovely pictures.
Marian, your photography skills blow me away! Your painting, decorating, diy, etc. skills have and will always be amazing. But you have grown so much as a photographer in the time I’ve been reading your blog. That pumpkin on the scale is perfection! I’ve just started shooting in manual and have a very long way to go as I fumble through it. But seeing photos like these and reading past posts about how you’ve gotten here give me hope. You are such an inspiration!
I love the painting you have hanging next to the lamp! Your new curtains will be gorgeous, just like everything else you do. I’ve been re-reading your book this week and feeling inspired to move things around and do some painting. Thanks for the daily inspirations!!
Absolutely stunning…….I love your “staging abilities”…….
Absolutely gorgeous!!!! What is the name of gold framed painting of the house/landscape scene? I think my aunt has the same one but I think hers is a print! Beautiful!!
I don’t know. It’s an original oil painting I picked up at an antique store for about $35. I thought it was so pretty, even though the canvas is punched in a little.
I love the minimal look with natural elements! Cartoony scarecrows aren’t for me either.
I couldn’t agree with you more! Sometimes less is more as they say! Everything is just beautiful and tasteful! I love it!
Xo, Kathy
Thank you so much for this post! I’m not big on decorating my house for the various seasons/holidays. I, too, have a few pumpkins scattered throughout my house, and a jar of pine cones, but that’s about it. I do feel like less is more, especially in today’s world. So, thank you.
Marian,
Love the small white and pale blue pumpkins paired with the ironstone. Gorgeous but simple.I too love decorating with subtle touches of the season without going into overload.
I found a beautiful little vintage alabaster bird bath in a shop a few weeks ago and filled it with those little dried pumpkin pods. I paired with a vase of dried hydrangeas in a old blue Mason jar, a few antlers on a ironstone platter and VIOLA…. Fall!
Sorry my French is rusty… that should be voila instead.
I love love love the cow painting…is that an old one?
I, too, am a minimalist when it comes to decorating for the Seasons. I love to look at decor at other people’s homes but like to keep things rather simple at the homestead. It’s a lot of work and a big space sucker upper to have totes of stuff. It took me several {several} years to figure it out but it finally hit me. I love non traditional colored pumpkins and plan on planting some Fairytale pumpkins next year. Hopefully by then the backyard will have been graded and divided into the rooms I envision. 🙂
Y’know…it wasn’t until I started watching your blog, and others like it, that I realized how “styled” rooms/houses/vignettes could be. Not all is what it seems. It’s fake. I understand that some decorate from season to season and some houses are never static – always moving and never resting. I used to think that a house basically stayed the same in blog land. Sometimes, a wall would get painted or a new piece of furniture would be acclimated into a home. Seasonal decorations would be layered on top of what already existed, and a house would rest until the next season. I watch a lot (maybe too many) blogs where it seems that a home is constantly in flux. What I have also found, by watching your blog, is that things are brought together for a photo shoot then are never seen together again. That’s too bad, because they looked good together. I have also begun to question why people are constantly fussing with their homes. They seem to be changed only because they are being shown/displayed rather than for any other reason. Are they not busy enough with other aspects of their lives that they constantly need to arrange their things, or bring new in, or even move altogether so they have something to do with their lives? Apparently, having a comfortable home is not enough. No one seems to have enough…enough stuff, enough room to display all that stuff, enough storage space for their stuff or enough confidence that a room with its stuff can remain in state for a period of time before fixing perceived flaws. Some people seem to direct so much energy toward maintaining their stuff. If nothing else, I have learned that I am comfortable with what I have and don’t have the need to acquire more. I use what I have, and my house is not a showcase for photo shoots. That said, I do enjoy watching you transform furniture with paint. It fascinates me.
Maybe they are trying to fill a hole in their souls.
Fonda,
You bring up some great observations regarding the world of décor blogging. However, most top rated bloggers do this full-time for a living not a hobby. Their homes must be a whirl of constant change and new projects to keep viewers interested and returning and therefore keep their sponsors. Because there are so many décor bloggers out there now, its very highly competitive.
With that said, I do wonder at times when many of them ever sleep!
This comment resonates with me because while I am also fascinated with the Painting and rearranging presented, it’s so far away from how we use our rooms in our everyday lives. I have two boys and they are constantly making things and bringing things home. I am trained as a designer and am a maker as well – and we all as a family of four attract a fair amount of paper! It’s a big task to keep all of the projects and collections under control. None of our rooms could ever begin to look like one of these styled photo shoots. Plus my sons ask for and like seasonal decorations that are not nearly as subtle as the ones presented here or in other “tasteful” decorating places. So no quiet cream and green pumpkins for me, at least for the moment.
I too love to keep it simple. I owned a quilt shop for many years and our Christmas fabric came in in April every year followed shortly by Halloween and autumn. That lead to holiday burnout rather early in the year. So I too favor white pumpkins, bumpy gourds and a simple change of pillow covers and quilts. It is also so much easier to change at seasons end. Thank you for your continual inspiration.
Where does one look for plaid fabric???? I’ve searched all the chain stores. Looked at small mom and pop stores. It seems to have disappeared.
Try googling it………I was on a mission to recreate a pinwhale teal dress that my mother made for me when I was a child. I found the vintage pattern online and the exact color teal fabric. Be specific
about what you google. Then there is always eBay. Good luck and please let us know if you get
V for victory. Mary
My house is on a housewalk this fall so I bought more pumpkins, gourds and mums than I usually do, but they are mostly outside. However, because I am cheap, at least half of them are edible, so I’ll be cooking my decorations as the month goes by!
What beautiful ideas for minimal choices for autumn. I also love your restive painting of pastoral cows. Fall is my season because Alabama autumn feels like late summer in your neck of the woods.
Thanks for regularly changing things around in your home. It is always fun to rethink what you already have. You are an inspiration!
Have a wonderful day! And to steal a phrase from one of my other favorite bloggers: Girl! You are a Rock Star!
I love your simple, quiet decorating for the season. I think it celebrates the holiday in a more beautiful way and is much more calming for me. I love to remove everyday pieces here and there and replace them with something minimal, yet season appropriate. My husband and I let soft, holiday music play and allow gentle lighting to get us into the spirit of whatever season or holiday we are celebrating. Your home is in a word, “welcoming”.
I volunteer at a 100 year old 51 mansion which has a Christmas display opened to the public. It isn’t the twinkle lights and stuff that seems to scream Christmas now a days. It takes you back to a quieter time
of the 1920’s, 1930’s, and 1940’s. Remember the funky live trees with ten tons of tinsel? Also old
time toys, christmas cards and simple decoratins. I hear some poepe complain that they thought it was going to be more glitz.
The person we can thank for the Christmastree shop Chirstmas is FW Woolworth. During the 1930’s
he bought out an entire factory in Germany that specialized in Christmas and brought it back to all
of his Woolworth’s 5 and 10 cent stores. The rest is history.
I am amazed at how much furniture we have in common ~ LOL~ As always ~Loving the inspirational blog! When I see a piece I have, I think WOW it WOULD look good in that color! Thanks so much, I hope someday to be able to create lovely pics like you for my website. I have a great camera, just a sucky eye~! EEEK
Miss M, where in the world can I find a rounded “plop” of boxwood like yours in the white ironstone? I see wreaths for sale, but not the rounded bunch like yours. Love your site!!
Etsy?
Sherry, I saw the rounded “plop” of boxwood at Wayfair.com.
Miss M, I love your blog and especially the simple white and light blue pumpkins. I’m on a mission now to find some.
Marian, My heart just pitter patterned over your cow painting with the sunlight beaming through! Absolutely stunning scene. Where did you find that? Do you know who the painter is? You are a brilliant woman with so much talent. I love following your blog! Sincerely, Alex
I am in LOVE with your Food Scale… Can I ask where you got it from??? Want!!!!!! 🙂
Pining away for your lovely for scale. It is perfect in every way.