Autumn Decorating Ideas

Fall in the air and Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner.  I can’t think of a better way to get into the spirit than switching up the décor of your house and yard.  This time of year, my kids love to make the yard spooky with gravestones and skeletons in the front yard and scary jack-o’-lanterns and witch’s cauldrons in the atrium.  Inside, I keep things a little more subdued, but still like to spice things up with a few touches that add seasonal interest.  A few splashes of orange brings Halloween into the house, pleasing the kids – but not overwhelming the adults; and anything that isn’t specifically Halloween themed can hang around until Thanksgiving is over.  I love this 2-for-1 way of decorating.  I can get the house ready for two holidays in one fell swoop!

Prepping your home for the Fall festivities can be as simple as filling a basket with pumpkins and gourds.  A visit to your local flower store or farmers market is a great start for getting your creative juices flowing.  This year I found Surinam cherries, which take a novel departure from the traditional mini-pumpkins (and, incidentally, inspired a few “what are these?” conversations around the dinner table).  For the warm reds and orange hues of the season, try sprays of dried Chinese Lantern flowers or a couple of small branches with brightly colored leaves off the Japanese maple in your back yard.

For outside (or the atrium) I like the idea of luminaries stenciled with the shapes of fall foliage.  They are simple to make: all you need are some leaves from the backyard, an X-acto knife, and plain, lunch-bag sized, brown and white paper bags.  You’ll also need battery operated candles and sand.  Trace the shape of your favorite leaf on a brown paper bag and cut it out with the X-acto knife.  Line the stenciled brown bag by placing a white bag inside it (no cutout in the white bag), add a couple inches of sand, and put your battery-operated candle in the bottom.  Voila!  You can have a gorgeous set of autumn luminaries in next to no time at all.

If you’ve got some great seasonal ideas for dressing up your Eichler – whether it be in the front, back, atrium, or inside – drop me a line.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.