Thanksgiving Decor Ideas

12 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Everyday Design, The Home

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autumn, centerpieces, Country Living, decor, design, flowers, fruits, harvest, holiday, nature, thanksgiving, thanksgiving decor

I love Thanksgiving. The harvest theme, autumn weather, all the yummy food, how can you not love this holiday? My husband and I have started our own tradition 3 years ago and are excited to have our first Thanksgiving in our new home this year. Our vegetarian feast will include lots of veggies like roasted asparagus & carrots, corn and mashed potatoes. The main course, orzo and spinach stuffed peppers. I can’t wait!

Besides cooking, I love to decorate the table and allow the space to feel festive and fun. I always think its best to keep it simple, natural and whimsy since this holiday is all about the Earth. Here are some ideas I found on Country Living that are all beautiful and easy to do. I wish you all a happy holiday this year!

Use different items to hold flowers and centerpiece items. Get creative and have fun.

I have always loved the idea of using fruit and vegetables as centerpieces. They look and smell lovely and will surely add to the harvest theme.

Bringing in various branches from outside allow texture to and color to shine in your home. Whenever you look to nature for ideas, it never lets you down.

{For more ideas visit Country Living, Thanksgiving Decorations}

Flowers to Use for Fall Holidays and Events

10 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Daisy Hart, Guest Posts, Weddings

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autumn, berries, bouquets, brown, calla lily, daisies, decorations, dried leaves, Fall Holiday Flowers, gardenias, Gloriosa lily, halloween, hydrangeas, peonies, Pumpkin, red astilbe, red roses, reds, ribbon, rye grass, seasons, sunflowers, Table Runner, traditional, twigs, vines, Wedding Flower Ideas, weddings, yellows

There are many wonderful opportunities to use and give away flowers during the fall season. It could be a wedding, pumpkin decorations or simply flower garlands and autumn-themed decorations of our homes for those with a sense of aesthetic. For that reason we are ready to give you some great ideas on how to enjoy preparing a beautiful gift for your friends, family or yourself by pointing out the best fall season flowers and their respective occasions. Thanks to Flower Delivery in the UK for these great ideas!

Wedding Flower Ideas
Although years ago summer was the preferred season for weddings because of its favorable weather and bright, sunny days it is now fall which is becoming increasingly popular due to its particular charm. The best thing about this season are the scents, the vibrant colors and clean, crisp air far removed from the heat and humidity of summer.

Photo Credit: (left) Brides.com (right) Knotforlife.com

Photo Credit: The Sweetest Occasion

The best way to go about decorating bouquets and arches of flowers is by combining them with dried leaves and twigs. They will symbolize the change of seasons and will feel more than natural in these environments. Remember yellows, reds and browns are your friends, however you can always combine this with flowers such as daisies, the gorgeous calla lily, hydrangeas, red roses and combinations of berries, rye grass and vines are a great way to combine all of these in a work of art.

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Bouquet Centerpieces
Reception tables often need something to keep them good at attracting attention. For that reason bouquet centerpieces are a great way to catch the eye. Add some autumn leaves to the arrangement of flowers since they will be easily available. On the other hand, adding a yellow or brown ribbon also works well. Use your imagination and trust your inner sense of aesthetic beauty when arranging the bouquet for the best results possible.

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Photo Credit: Western Wedding Flowers

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Pumpkin Decorations
Although these may not be extremely popular in other countries outside North America where Halloween is not celebrated they are a traditional idea and their symbolism as a representation of autumn is well-known. You can carve up pumpkins filling them with fall leaves and flowers in nice bright orange, yellow or red colors. You can use mini calla lilies in red and orange colors or hydrangeas as a nice, classic flower arrangement. These decorations will easily add color to your table and they will spark the autumn mood and lift the spirits.

Photo Credit: Eddie Ross

Photo Credit: (left) Kate’s Place (right) The New York Botanical Garden

Photo Credit: A Pretty Life

Table Runner Flower Garland
This is a great way to put some color and life on your table by placing such a flower garland running around the whole table. You can use flowers such as the Gerber daisy, orange roses and hypericum berry. You can place those on a wall or arching over a doorway, or even on the table in such a manner which will spark the attention and tease the imagination.

Photo Credit: Real Simple

Photo Credit: Love to Know Weddings

Other Flowers You Might Use
You can always use more than what we mentioned here of course, there are plenty of chances to use flowers such as Gloriosa lily, red astilbe, sunflowers, daisies, peonies, gardenias and pretty much anything your heart desires. If you go to a flower shop simply trust your inner feeling on what you’d like to place there for your event. Don’t go traditional even, just do what feels natural to you and be unique!

http://www.flowerdelivery.org.uk/wedding-flowers/

Written by Daisy Hart

Tis’ the Season for Autumn Decorating

13 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

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autumn, Autumn Decorating, brown, corn stalks, crates, decor, decorating, fall, festive, front porch, gourds, halloween, hay, holidays, leaves, nature, orange, pumpkins, red, seasons, thanksgiving, trees, wreaths, yellow

Autumn is officially here and I must say it is the best season for decorating. With holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving and the beautiful fall weather, there are more than enough reasons to get creative and play dress up with your home.

In my opinion, using the harvest theme is always your safest bet. Plus, you can start decorating in September and change it all up in December when Christmas starts to roll in. That’s 3 months of super fun and also a good time span to not have to do anything else! Easy peasy, I say. From pumpkins and gourds to corn stalks and hay bales, there is so much to work with as well. Playing of autumn’s finest colors of oranges, reds, yellows and browns set the tone for endless possibilities.

For our front porch, we combined some of the season’s finest elements; corn stalks, leaves, pumpkins and mums. I used a few vintage crates for height and variety but kept within the fall color palette. I’m also considering adding a hay bale or two and I am waiting for a wreath I ordered for the front door to arrive. When Dan and I go pumpkin picking we will showcase our carved art pieces on the stairs as well. Just in time for the holiday.

I understand Halloween is a fun holiday, especially if you have kids. Incorporating themed decor is fine during the end of the October. Just be cautious to not go overboard, unless you’re creating a haunted house. I notice a lot of people can get a little cheesy with their seasonal decorations and most of the time its what they chose to use, not how they put it together. As long as you go with nicely styled pieces, you should be fine.

Bringing the outside in, isn’t so hard either. Just shower some fall goodness around your home, a little here and a little there, and fall will bring warmth and cozy to your space. From the front door to inside the comfiest of rooms in your home, autumn can come alive. This is one of the most colorful seasons and there are many reasons to celebrate it.

For my dining room table, I just wanted to bring a touch of the season so I dressed it with tiny pumpkins and gourds. I also showcased a vintage crate I had in my office that was sort of hidden so it felt new. Nothing crazy, just a little bit of earthy goodness.

Here are a few inspirations for autumn decorating that I felt were beautiful, fun and most of all, realistic. We can all make a nice statement at our home’s entrance and we can all surely give the inside a seasonal makeover. With the right decor and placement, fall can be celebrated in your one and only home sweet home.

Photo Credit: Pottery Barn

Photo Credit: (left) Fancy House Road (right) Farmhouse Country Style

Photo Credit: Pottery Barn

Photo Credit: (left) Blissfully Domestic (right) Front Porch Ideas & More

Photo Credit: Fresh Home Design & Architecture

Photo Credit: Front Porch Ideas & More

Photo Credit: (left) Creating a Family Home (right) Revedecor

Photo Credit: Revedecor

Photo Credit: (left) Heather Ballard Lifestyle (right) Shelterness

Photo Credit: Cupcakes and Crinoline

Photo Credit: (left) Brown Eyed Gal (right) HGTV

Photo Credit: Decoist

Photo Credit: The Glitter Guide

Fall Colors in the Home

12 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

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autumn, brown, color, cream, fall, home, house, interior design, nature, neutrals, purple, red

Well it feels like fall is officially here. It’s a season with tons of inspiration, especially its colors. How can you not love the many hues that are showcased by nature? It truly is a beautiful time. It’s also a great time change it up a bit in your home. Besides having fun decorating for Halloween and Thanksgiving, try sprucing up your interior space with fall colors and inspiration.

Here are some great examples I found on Better Homes and Gardens’ website of how to use this season’s colors to create warmth and coziness in your home while still having a designed feel.

Using the neutral tones of nature such as browns and creams with a pop of color like red, gives a sophisticated but fun look to a space. Bring in high contrast elements such as the mirrors and lamp and you add more dimension and a way for light to reflect its shine. This helps make the room lighter and airy.

This nature inspired space showcases all the neutral tones of the season with a few brighter colors for interest. You can see there is a nice even feel to the room. This is due to the different browns and yellows that are used. Everything flows nicely and the space is cozy despite the high ceiling. All the wood textures help as well.

I love the texture in this room. The linen wallpaper adds so much warmth and interest and plays as a nice backdrop to the deeper colors in the space. From the dark brown wicker chair to the taupe couch, the amount of different tones allow the eye to be carried around with ease. The pops of red and orange are nice, especially since they aren’t bright. Everything has the same tone which gives the space a sense of cohesion.

This next room proves you can use an array of shades of one color and still have an interesting space. Doing this allows a feeling of warmth and relaxation. The creams help break up the darker browns in a subtle way.

Creams and browns will always give a space a sophisticated look while creating a cozy feel. I love how this space is airy and open but warm as well. The rustic elements such as the chandelier, beams and textured wood chosen for the door, truly add a woodsy yet elegant style.

When pairing dark colors together such as this eggplant purple and brick red, its important to remember to include brighter hues and reflective elements to help break up the space.