On Saturday it's time to adjust our clocks and "fall back". By now the trees are done showing us their beautiful array of colors and have lost their leaves.
Part of me dreads this time of year because it's dark when I wake in the morning and it gets dark so early in the afternoon. For a girl from California who craves warm sunshine, this can very difficult. However, there is a part of me that loves the "snuggie-ness" of this time of year. Curling up under a soft blanket by the fire with a good book (or more realistically, my computer!) can't be beat!
So what does an interior designer like me do to get her house ready for shorter days and long, chilly nights? Well, first I begin with a bit of a fall clean-up! And I don't mean just the leaves outside. Take a look around your home and decide what your are done using for the season. By now you no longer need the lightweight jackets and flip-flops. Maybe it's even your outdoor furniture (unless you can still use it to sit by your fire pit for a few more weeks). Sweep out the garage. Make room for shovels, boots and perhaps some sleds! Stack some wood, and if you live around me, get your generator ready for winter.
Inside, I like to change things up a bit with the onset of a new season. Simple ideas like changing out the photographs of my kids from summertime fun to pictures of them jumping in the leaves. I even like to change up my artwork around the house to something more fitting for the season. This way I don't get bored with my décor, because it's changing every season!
I bring out lots of soft, warm blankets to throw on the couches and chairs in fall hues like orange and red. Or, toss a fake-fur throw on the couch. On a chilly day, just the sight of a thick, plush fake-fur blanket is enough to warm the heart — and cuddling under it will certainly warm your toes! Faux-fur is classic and will never go out of style...just like snuggling!
Since orange is one of my favorite colors, I love to add pops of it all over my home. Right about now, I would love to be sharing a cup of coffee in this kitchen I recently completed with PK Surroundings in Exeter, NH.
Check out some more inspiring fall decorating ideas and photos from The Inspired Room blog.
And for that extra touch of fall, homemade potpourri that I found on Express-O.
Here is what you will need: - the peel of one orange
- one cut up apple
- 2 large cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon of cloves
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of almond extract
- 1.5 cups of water plus plenty more for refill
Place all ingredients in a cooking pot and simmer throughout the day while adding a bit of water from time to time. Also, you can reuse this mix for three days and store it in the fridge overnight. Ta dah!
Warmly,
Renee
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee is an absolutely wonderful designer. Very talented and easy to work with! She will transform your room or outdoor space into exactly what you want, only better!
Talented, creative, dedicated, great communicator. Renee is such a special person.
We have worked with Renee Carman at this company for almost 2 years. Renee is professional, personable, and a pleasure to know. She is very helpful and will go the extra mile to please her clients. Renee has excellent expertise and knowledge of interior design. We have a beautiful home and highly recommend her.
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee was a pleasure to work with and has great vision. We were doing a total rehab of a recently purchased property and she was able to look at a gutted out '50s cottage and turn it into a beautiful mid-century modern home. She understood our budget and timeline and was good about narrowing all our options down to just a few choices. This expedited the process, made it less difficult and more enjoyable. Once the rehab is done, we look forward to working with her again and finish the rest of the rooms.
Renee at Mandeville Canyon Interior Design was simply wonderful to work with. She was able to understand what we were looking for in terms of color, function and design from the moment we first spoke. She's easy to work with, goes above and beyond and delivers an outstanding design.
I highly recommend Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design. I don't think I will attempt to decorate another room in my house without the help of Renee!
Love working with Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design ! I had the opportunity to collaborate on a large scale design project recently and the results were fantastic! Creative, resourceful and one of kind design ideas made this design opportunity with Renee "one of a kind" Have a large or small project? You won't be disappointed!!
Renee not only has an amazingly creative eye, she also directed a massive renovation for us this past year that included the challenges of operating during the pandemic. She put together a team that had an incredible work ethic and brought the project in on-time and on-budget. She's a great listener. When we threw ideas at her, she was never dismissive; quite the contrary, she made them better. Her patience, attention to detail combined with her whacky sense of humor meant we were all able to smile while producing a home that we love. A great talent and a great lady.
Rene is amazing! Great customer care and wonderful attention to detail.