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The Design Inspirationalist

~ Inspiring Ideas | Spectacular Creations

The Design Inspirationalist

Tag Archives: nature

Tis’ the Season for Autumn Decorating

13 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

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Tags

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

Tis the Season for Autumn Decorating

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.

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating - © 2012 Melissa O'Connor

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating - © 2012 Melissa O'Connor

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating - © 2012 Melissa O'Connor

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.

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating - © 2012 Melissa O'Connor

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.

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: Pottery Barn

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: (left) Fancy House Road (right) Farmhouse Country Style

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: Pottery Barn

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: (left) Blissfully Domestic (right) Front Porch Ideas & More

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: Fresh Home Design & Architecture

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: Front Porch Ideas & More

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: (left) Creating a Family Home (right) Revedecor

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: Revedecor

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: (left) Heather Ballard Lifestyle (right) Shelterness

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: Cupcakes and Crinoline

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: (left) Brown Eyed Gal (right) HGTV

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: Decoist

Tis' the Season for Autumn Decorating
Photo Credit: The Glitter Guide

Inspiration Photo Friday: The Blue

12 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Inspiration Photo Friday

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Tags

blue, color, earth, gray, interior design, moss, natural, nature, new jersey, palette, photography, raritan, rocks, stream, water

I always liked this photo because it was serene. The delicate water resting against the earthbound rocks set a nice canvas for nature to shine. The fantastic blue of the sky showing its reflection oh so beautifully in the water makes me smile. The moss slightly peeks out among the stream. Earth is truly a main character here.

I shot this in Raritan, New Jersey about 6 years ago. I remember that quiet March day being nice and cool and the setting where I was taking photographs was calm. No one was around which left me and my subjects at ease. No distractions. No unnecessary noise. Just me and the blue.

The color scheme from this photo is a great inspiration for interior spaces as well as events. I have this palette throughout my own home because it is soothing, earthy and adrogynous. It allows for many accent colors to come into play as well. Think of it as a natural background for endless possibilities.

Inspiration Photo Friday: The Blue - © Melissa O'Connor-Arena

 

Inspiration Photo Friday: The Blue

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

04 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Advice & Inspiration, Everyday Design

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

decor, earth, fall, harvest, interior design, natural, nature, seasons, terrain, weddings

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Terrain is one of my favorite shops, even if its to browse around their website and look at the all the goodies they sell. Being a designer and a photographer, I truly appreciate the gorgeous images they showcase and the beautifully styled still life’s. I wanted to share some images I felt were perfect for fall and true representation of autumn harvest style.

These can inspire tons of decor ideas for weddings, parties and even holiday dinners. I included some color palettes as well. Enjoy!

Fall Harvest Flavor at TerrainFall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain
Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain
Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain
Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain
Fall Harvest Flavor at Terrain

Inspiration Photo Friday: PEI

28 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Inspiration Photo Friday

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Tags

beach, bride, canada, cliffs, earth, grass, groom, honeymoon, land, marriage, nature, ocean, pei, prince edward island, rocks, sea, vacation, water

Since my husband and I are on our honeymoon in Prince Edward Island I wanted to showcase a photo from our trip. There is so much beauty to capture here, it’s amazing. Everywhere you look there are endless fields, rolling hills and lots of trees. Not to mention the cows, horses, sheep and other animals that call this island home. PEI is nature at its best.

I chose this photo because it was truly an amazing experience for me. Standing on the tip of the island in Cavendish, I looked beyond the ocean and was transported to a world far far away. To see the Earth meet the water in such a remarkable way was not only inspiring but memorizing as well. You have no choice but to put the life as you know it in perspective and be thankful for our planet. Earth is such a gorgeous place and we are all lucky to be here.

I am so thankful and appreciative for being able to visit Prince Edward Island and capture all the magnificent views and peaceful surroundings. This place is surely a dream. The more I see, I am taken back and astounded that a place like this exists. You certainly feel like you are in a storybook, it’s very unreal. I am so happy we chose to come here for our honeymoon. It is an experience we will both never forget.

Inspiration Photo Friday: PEI - © Melissa O'Connor

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