Are you a Clean Slater or a Transitioner? Let me explain; a Clean Slater is someone who keeps all their decor the same throughout the entire season. They put all their fall stuff up, they take it all down and put all their Christmas stuff up. A Transitioner is someone who around now starts itching to pull out their fall stuff but it might seem a little early to them; they don’t want to pull everything out so they pull out a few things, little my little. I know for me here in Western Pa, I can really struggle to pull out the fall decor before it gets cool outside- I don’t want summer to think I’m rushing it away! We usually enjoy warm weather, or at least warm-ish, until the middle of October and while September is back to school and the leaves start to change, I usually end up vacillating back and forth until the 3rd weekend in September, when I break down and pull out my fall decor. (The third weekend is the actual start of fall according to the solstice.)
But no matter when you decide to officially transition over all your decor; you can start to sprinkle in decor of the coming season with a few simple “hints” of what is to come. Just like outside it is nicer when there are hints of the coming change rather than an abrupt out with the old and in with the new.
Change Out your Door Hanging
I like to start with changing out the wreath on my front door because it is what people see first. Setting the tone upon entry to your house makes a good first impression and sets the expectation for what will follow on the inside. This doesn’t mean just for visitors either- you get to enjoy a lovely first impression of your house too! Its like your house is saying, “Welcome Home!”
Fall flowers
Maybe you decorate with fake flowers- maybe you decorate with real flowers- either way fall is a great time to grab a few mums for outside your door, or a bouquet of sunflowers to add some color inside!
White Pumpkins
I tend towards the traditional side of things when I’m decorating so I enjoy the classic fall colors; I like the reds, golds, oranges and creams rather than a muted palette of white, green and blushes which have become popular over the past few years. I think these new colors are lovely- they just aren’t quite what I love right now! But regardless of your specific color scheme I think white pumpkins scattered about your decor add the perfect “not too fall” fall touch to things.
Fruit Can be Decor!
Apples arranged in a tiered serving stand, Brussel sprouts and fall squash in a big dough bowl or tray, the options and combinations are limitless when you start playing with decor that you can also eat!
Moss Balls, Pine cones and Acorns- Oh My!
If you have used some beautiful moss balls to add color to your decor don’t feel the need to take them down right away! Instead add the feel of fall but tucking a pine cone or two into your vinettes. Scattering a few acorns on a surface will also help add hints of a coming season change.
Add a Throw
As the weather, for us in the north at least, starts to cool off and the days take longer to warm up it is time to pull out a few throws to warm up your decor. Adding a plaid throw will definitely speak of fall, but also try adding some striped throw, and keeping the texture more of a cotton or linen. This will keep your decor from looking too warm and wintry.
Pillows
One of my favorites! Who doesn’t love a cute fall pillow? If you’re hesitant to pull out the pumpkin and fall pillows then follow the same rule as you did for throws and either pick a plaid or a solid in a fall color; gold, orange, red, deep magenta or navy- any super saturated color will get the message across that we are no longer fully in summer anymore! Come join me on Instagram at @essentiallyemmamarie or share some photos by sending me an email at essentiallyemmamarie@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you and in the meantime- happy fall y’all!
We have reached the time of year when we can fall into a little decorating slump- at least I know that this is the case for me! It seems the summer has peaked, the 4th of July is over and before we know it school will be starting up again and all the summer fun that we didn’t get to this year, will have to wait until the next year.
I find myself getting a little stuck in my decor at about this time- it’s wayyy to early to pull out stuff for fall but things need a little freshening up now that summer is halfway through! Here are three things to ask yourself when you’re feeling a little stuck in your summer decor.
1 Is Your Decor Stale?
If you tend towards Americana themed decor for Memorial Day and Independence Day, then you may just need to take a look around and take down a few things. Yes, Labor is still coming but you can always pull out a few Americana pieces as a mini refresh. In the meantime, tuck away some of the flags and red,white, and blue pieces, and instead try bringing in some fresh cut flowers- either gathered from the garden or store bought to brighten things up!
2 Has Your Decor Gotten Cluttered?
One major perk of freshening up your decor frequently is you are better able to keep tabs on clutter that may be appearing around the edges or worse- on the coffee table! Are someone’s keys starting to always appear on the kitchen island instead of the entry table? Have you been meaning to tackle that pile of miscellaneous stuff by the front door? Take a good look around and then- attack!
Along these same lines keep an eye open for any new items that you haven’t found a permanent home for yet and thus, stay perched in a less than optimal spot. If you haven’t found the right spot for that really cool vase you found at the flea market yet- its ok! Just tuck it away until the moment when the right spot jumps out at you and you wonder why you never saw it sooner!
3 Move Things!
It may not even be changing your decor that you need to do as much as moving it! If you decorate with greenery, flowers, and relatively season neutral decor, the secret may lie in rotating a select piece or two from one room to another room. Get creative! Try swapping pieces out of two vignettes with each other! Go through your house and try switching one of the pictures or items that you have on the mantle with an item in your entryway, and swap the picture in your entryway for the one on your dresser that you would like to see more. Just mixing up the decor you already have will make things feel fresh!
Lastly curate your decor that you have out. Was there something that you did when you were pulling out the summer decor that you weren’t crazy about but left it because you thought you might need to get used to it? If it hasn’t grown on you yet, then it’s time to change it. Sometimes it pays to walk away from a tough decorating area for a couple hours or a day. But when it’s been weeks on end and it’s still not working- it simply isn’t going to. This can be key for a situation. I think it is true both for myself and others that we have a tendency to over decorate. I even heard of one decorator who after working on a shelf or vignette would then step back and take away at least 2 items. Try it- I know doing this has helped me out of many a difficult decorating spot before! And it’s also okay not to have all of our favorite items out at one time; putting them away and rediscovering them later will bring a joy of its own!
I hope these tips help inspire you to get creative, play and above all, have fun with your decor! I’d love to hear from you, see pictures of what you tried and hear other tips you may have! Email me at EssentiallyEmmaMarie@gmail.com, or meet me on instagram- I look forward to hearing from you!
I believe creating a cohesive color palette is foundational for creating a well decorated home. How does one go about creating a cohesive color theme? That’s the fun part! Chances are you probably already have several colors that you are primarily using in your home. Whether you are starting from scratch or just needing to tweak what you already have in your house, here are a few starting points:
What are your favorite colors?
Are you attracted to the colors of the sea? Blues, greens, purples and beiges? Or are you more of a desert flower, preferring tans, browns, and creams, punctuated by bright red, orange and dark green?
What colors are you already using?
You don’t have to scratch everything you already have going on in your house- after all you probably bought that stuff because you liked it! But maybe that purple throw blanket isn’t working with your green, blue, and burnt sienna accents in the living room. Instead move it into the guest bedroom decorated in different shades of blue and viola!
Looking up different color palettes on Pinterest is one of the most energizing things for me! I love seeing different arrays of colors, by switching out just a shade or two you can totally change the vibe of a whole pallette!
How Many Colors Should I Use in my Palette?
Again, personal taste plays a large part here: the fewer the colors the more versatile your palette will be; the more colors you use the trickier it can be to make it all coordinate and work together, but this doesn’t mean it can’t be done! If you are a newbie or really trying to cull your decor, I suggest you start with 3 main accent colors, and then have a base of neutral colors for back up.
In her book, ”The Curated Closet,” Anuschka Rees talks about creating a versatile color palette for your closet. I think applying the same principle to your decor greatly simplifies and reduces the stress of the decorating process. Using her method you create a color palette utilizing about six to twelve different colors in all. This doesn’t mean you can never add a small pop of a color outside these colors but it will serve as a guide and when you really break it down twelve colors is a lot!
You have your main colors, usually about 3, and these are the colors you use the most. For me this means a soft greige,(my wall color), wood,(the floors and a lot of my furniture), and light heather gray,(my larger pieces of furniture like my sofa and loveseat). If this was a play, these are the main characters.
Next you have your neutral colors or supporting actors, essential to the plot of the story but not the key players. This could be anywhere from 2-4 different neutral colors. For my color scheme this is black, white, and cream and are items such as an end table, a throw blanket and the anchor for any vignettes I may arrange in my decor.
Lastly you have your accent colors, the characters that give the play life and keep things entertaining! My accent colors are sage green, (I will vary a shade or two), dusty teal, sunflower yellow, gold, silver, and a few minute touches of blush pink. These are my throw pillows, throw blankets, dishes used as part of my decor, and framed pictures.
I hope this helps your decorating process, remember it is a process and is rarely, if ever, a one and done thing! For more learning check out; “The Curated Closet” by Anshuka Rees. While this book is about creating a closet you love, many of the themes can be applied to decor as well.
The podcast, “Decorating Tips and Tricks”, where they have several podcasts delving deeper into the topic of color palettes. Happy decorating!
