Monday, October 1, 2012

Farmhouse Fall Decor (Part 1)

Today I'm bringing you Part 1 of this year's Fall decor.  I'm doing it in parts because 1) I don't have it all done yet, and 2) Imma just be honest here, I don't really have anything else to blog about right now so I'm gonna milk it a bit.  : )



For this first part we'll be focusing on the couch and coffee table area.


This arrangement on the shelf is SO different from my style of seasonal decorating in the past, but I decided I wasn't going to "cheat" this year.  Let me explain.  We've lived in 5 different houses in our 10 years of marriage.  At each house, the first year we were there the Fall decorating took me a good week to do to figure out where to put everything and how to arrange it, etc.  Come the 2nd year, I'd just look at pictures from the year before and put everything back up exactly the same.  Wham, bam, thank you ma'am, done in no time.  Well, this is our 2nd year here so technically this is my "cheat" year.  But I decided I didn't want to do that this time around.  I wanted to challenge myself to come up with some completely different things, and in more of a "junky" style - a little more understated and not so cutsie and "in-your-face-hello-my-home-is-decorated-for-FALL!"  Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not ready for white pumpkins and all things burlap, I still love the warm colors of the season and I don't plan to do away with them anytime soon.  I'm just going for "different" from what I've done in the past.



This framed artwork is just a page from a magazine - Family Circle maybe?  I can't remember for sure now, it's from last year.  And the "painting" was a recent .25 yard sale purchase.


I love the typography on these old levels.  (Found at a flea market for $1 each.)


Remember this wooden dresser/mirror piece I got for .50 at a garage sale?


I moved the hardware onto the front of it, flipped it over and hung it upside down from what it's supposed to be to form a frame around the artwork.  It kind of mimics a miniature mantel almost.


Moving on down to the couch and coffee table we have this great old vintage wool blanket.  It was a $1 estate sale find from last summer.



This cute little pillow was an after season clearance purchase from Hobby Lobby last year.  I think I might have paid $2 for it.


And here's what I came up with for the coffee table.  (My dog always insists on photo-bombing my pictures so this time I just let her stay.)  


The tray was a .25 garage sale purchase.  I layered it with a vintage hankie (.05 at a garage sale), a candle and beaded candle ring and pumpkin candy dish that I've had for a couple of years, and some scrabble tiles that were also a cheapo garage sale purchase this summer.  (My 2yr old likes to rearrange them and spell things like UTUMAN, and NATUUM.)


I really love the way it turned out.  It makes me smile every time I look at it.  And to me that's the whole point of decorating my home.  I don't do it for anyone else but my own family.  It's not about keeping up with or outdoing anybody else.  It's not about getting comments or traffic on my blog.  It's not about showing off my creative side or showing off my garage sale deals.  No...for me it's all about what makes my heart smile.  I love to have a cozy home where my family feels happy, loved, well cared for, and peaceful.  Part of that for me is having it decorated with things that I/we love and in such a way that it makes us happy to look at it.  My blog is just a way of sharing that with others.


Whew!  That was quite a rabbit trail that I hadn't planned on going down, but there ya have it.


And I'll leave you with this final picture.  I was cooking dinner the other day and I just happened to walk into the living room for something.  I noticed the late afternoon sun streaming in the window and illuminating my little arrangement and I couldn't resist a picture.  It struck me as so beautiful.  I only wish I could have captured it just as beautifully with my camera as I was seeing it with my eyes.  

I'll work hard this week and do my best to get another post ready for Part 2.  Then, once my mums start opening up I'll do a part 3 of the outside decor. 

Stay tuned!
 (And don't hold your breath for a Fun Friday Finds post.  Most likely those will be few and far between now that the sales are dropping off.  I'll do them on sort of an "as needed" basis.)
                                 
** Update - Part 2 can be seen {here} and part 3 is {here}.

                                          

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17 comments:

  1. Cuteness always abounds after your touch! I especially love that last picture with the lovely lighting.
    In the photography world, the early morning light and the late afternoon/evening light is called "sweet light" and is the most coveted for picture taking. You can see why in your photo. :)

    Looking forward to part two.

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  2. Sorry to have to tell you but I love all your "stuff" for Fall. The colors are one of things that are my favorites, really draw me to Fall decos. Your throw couldn't match better with your awesome red check sofa. I just love it all. Your shelf turned out great. That page from Family Circle does look vaguely familiar, darn why didn't I tear it. That little pillow from HL is adorable. Is it ok if I kinda copy it?
    We don't have a mantel either so we made a version of a shelf I'd seen on a blog. We used a shutter for the bottom backing. I had a couple metal brackets and the shutter already so we painted the shutter a sage green and the brackets and shelf a lighter green. I had such fun decorating that silly shelf. It will get alot of attention from now on. Even hubs enjoyed watching me fiddling with it.
    You sure do score some great finds at yard sales. Happy Fall

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  3. Hi Stephanie: You are off to a very good start. So comfy and homey. You got it all right and I love your reason for doing it. I feel the same way..Isn't it great when you see something that is shown in a special way, but when you take the picture it never looks as good to you. But I see what you saw and I love it and are looking forward to the rest..Happy Tuesday..Judy

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  4. I think it all looks so cozy and seasonal. I've done very little here yet. I don't even remember all that I have. I'm going out to the shed to look through things. I know one or two things I want to come indoors but like you I'm not into 'cute autumn'.

    BTW, your photo bombing dog seems to be saying "This is my best side..."

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  5. You have such warm and cozy fall decor at the farmhouse! I think the pumpkin full of candy is a darling idea! Lots of inspiration here!

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  6. Hey Stephanie! Love what you did with the dresser harp! Amazing buy at $.50!
    Thanks for linking up to My Monday Muse!

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  7. It's look'n good! Love the sweet little leaf pillow...what a great purchase! :)

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  8. Oh...forgot to mention I'm happy to be your newest follower <3. Would love for you to stop by for a visit! Hopped over from Carter's Cottage! :) Blessings ~ Judy

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  9. I love your decor Stephanie! The scrabble Autumn is GENIUS. I am sharing your talent on my FB page :) Happy Fall to you! ~ Julie redheadcandecorate.com your newest follower!

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  10. I do love that little pillow and a pumpkin candy jar is, of course, prime Fall decor. Can't go wrong with scrabble pieces either. It all goes together like a charm. I agree about the light streaming in. Don't you just love morning and evening light? Beautiful, all of it!
    Liz

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  11. Hi Stephanie! I just did my Fall decor post and gave you a shout out for the Scrabble inspiration! Thank you so much :) ~ Julie http://www.redheadcandecorate.com/4/post/2012/10/autumn-tour-in-the-midwest-w-a-splash-of-halloween.html

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  12. your lovely home is so warm and welcoming with all your harvest touches. Each detail reminds me of the richness of harvest, autumn leaves and pumpkin pie.
    Have a happy week,
    Blessings,
    Carolynn xo

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  13. Hello Stephanie!
    Just wanted to let you know I featured your autumn decor on this weeks My Monday Muse! Congrats on such a great project!
    Christie

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  14. It's so nice to hear of someone decorating for their family/themselves instead of "staging a tablescape", which always seems kind of phony to me. I'm glad you shared your decorating with us. I enjoy the warm color, especially of your cozy plaid throw and the pumpkin, hankie, and candle on the tray.

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  15. That last picture is absolutely beautiful!! You should have that printed into one of those "oil paint" pictures and keep it for display in the next years. You are a great photographer! I thought of you last weekend when dear husband came home from an estate sale with a beautiful antique level made of bird's eye maple. Oh my gosh it was pretty!!!
    Blessings,
    J

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