We may not have hit our seasonal stride with a welcoming cool breeze blowing in from the north just yet, but trying to enjoy your own fall feel just has to start with a warm front. Warm tones can be incorporated in your design style this season and still meld nicely with our local temperatures. It is all about picking and choosing the right simple fall updates for your living space.
Soften your sofa with a chenille throw draped over the arm or over the center of the back in a shade that compliments your fabric or leather but picks up on a crisp fall feel, such as a dark khaki, chocolate brown, brick red, or olive green. Tuck your accent pillows into a linen closet and replace them through November with warmer colored options that play up more earthy details, like wooden toggles over glittery sequins. Store away your placemats around the dining table for now and incorporate more textured versions with wood beads or stone pieces, or choose chargers for each place setting in gold, chocolate, or another warm metallic finish.
Faux flower arrangements can be put away in storage cabinets, and their spots can be replaced with any decorative piece that features something from the dried naturals’ aisle of a craft store. This could be a bunch of branches, curly willow, or spray painted mesquite limbs in a vase or decorative container, as well as a bowl of dried natural ball decorations that are entwined pieces or that have items like beans, coffee, or dried berries lacquered to their surface. Any brightly-colored candles can be stored away for spring, and clean white or cream tapers and pillars can take their place in a centerpiece, display, or fireplace arrangement.
Little swap-outs can take your space from hot summer to cool fall with some warm additives tossed in. Raise the temperature on the tones of your fabrics, linens, and decorations to create your own seasonal ambience inside your home, no matter the temperature outdoors.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 25th.
