Giving Thanks to Fall

While attending Nuit Blanche on Saturday and experiencing the nights cold reality first hand, it became painfully obvious fall has arrived. Although I don't look forward to the harsh realities of winter any more than the next Canadian, I really do love this time of year!  There is something about a change of season that inspires changes in other areas of our lives - including our décor.  As you prepare for Thanksgiving and spending time with your loved ones, think of new ways to be inspired by fall and bring its beauty indoors - especially if you're lucky enough to be hosting this year.

Front Door: Pumpkins and mums are a great way to inject colour and create a fall inspired focal point around the entrance to your home.  Be sure to use different sizes and heights to your advantage so your temporary vignette is both inviting and pleasing to the eye.  A few candles in mason jars are a nice way to softly light the way for guests and create the appearance of warmth outdoors.  If you're looking for bigger impact, consider painting your front door a fall inspired colour or covering it in a sophisticated wrapping paper.  The latter is an inexpensive way to add texture, colour and maybe even a subtle pattern to your entrance - all design elements that are just as effective outdoors. 

Entrance:  While doing my weekly shop at the St Lawrence Market on Saturday I was overwhelmed by the abundance - pun intended - of inexpensive ways to inject colour indoors.  Everywhere I turned were dahlias, gourds, apples, pumpkins and leaves all of which can easily be incorporated into your décor.  Consider adding a beautiful fall inspired flower arrangement accompanied by small gourds, apples etc.  A true cornucopia of what fall has to offer and a nice way to greet guests as they enter your home.

Living Room: I'm a fan of an all-neutral interior as much as the next designer - Brian Gluckstein comes to mind - but this fall I encourage you to change your accessories and inject some of the beautiful colours we see outdoors.  As the leaves turn from green to gold, yellow to orange and red to burgundy think of mixing some of these colours into your living room décor via pillows and accessories.  Not only will they add colour, they also add warmth making your home cozy and inviting. 

Texture is also important this time of year as we start digging out sweaters, mitts, jackets and warmer clothes.  Layering is key to transitioning clothing in the fall but it's also a huge trend in décor.  The "less is more" philosophy is quickly becoming a "more is more" mentality and fall is the perfect time to experiment indoors.  Try injecting additional warmth by layering area rugs, knits, pillows, curtains, throws and other textiles that may not have worked in warmer months.  Not only do they look great they also protect you and your visitors from the cold.

Dinning Room: Look no further than a branch of beautiful fall leaves as the perfect centerpiece this Thanksgiving.  If celebrating with family, consider adding favourite photos of your loved ones to its branches or asking people to write what they're thankful for and add it to the tree.  Plates of all colours are inexpensive and available at retail stores all over the city this time of year.  Layering colour and texture to your table via accent dishes, textiles and glassware is a fun, easy way to bring the fall indoors.  Consider also adding metallics and candlelight for additional warmth that creates an ambience throughout your dinning room.  Jewel tones, although not traditionally fall colours, look great as accents on an otherwise fall inspired table and are less predictable in an equally warm way. 

Kitchen: I always refer to the kitchen as the heart of the home and it's especially true if you've embraced open concept living.  Anyone that entertains knows the kitchen has a unique way of luring guests in - especially at Thanksgiving - so be sure to embrace this tendency by extending your entrance and dinning room décor to this part of your home.  When entertaining I always like to set up a bar featuring seasonal cocktails which provides yet another area to inject fall inspiration indoors.

Fall is about texture, colour and warmth so I encourage you to create an inviting environment for you and your guests this Thanksgiving that helps celebrate the change of season and protects the ones you love from falling temperatures outdoors. 

Feel free to share your fall inspiration and décor by sending images to sarah@highstreetdesign.ca

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