Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Simple and Sweet Fall Decorating

We spent yesterday painting the outside of the new doors (along with caulking and painting some peeling siding, because I’m kind of a maniac once I get going) but I thought it would be fun to go from sharing something kinda big that happened around the house (Jean-Luc the french door) to something smaller and totally free. Sometimes it’s the little things – and you guys have been asking for some fall-decor-related posts for a while now. So remember our old kinda minimalist mantel in the kitchen? Well, I decided to slap some fall into it and spend zero bucks. Call it a Use Whatcha Got Challenge if you will.

3 Things Mirror ReHung After

And why not do it on video, just for kicks? Nothing about this video is set up (I didn’t have the arrangement figured out before I hit record or anything) – I just put a bunch of potentially fall-ish items on the counter and moved things around until I liked them. So I thought it might be fun for folks to see the magic. And by magic I mean “me walking back and forth fifty times with different things and stepping back to see what stuck. Really, that’s my method.

Oh but the video cuts off a little bit at the end (the camera goes to sleep after 20 minutes of filming, and it took about 22 to finish) so it missed the last-minute addition of a bunch of corks to the tops of those topiary pots, which I thought were cute and fall-ish. So random, right? I swear the put-things-everywhere-and-see-what-you-like method can lead to the weirdest things, like corks on faux topiaries (aka fauxpiaries) but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Warning: the music in this video might make you want to dance.

You’ll see from the video that after starting out by putting a bunch of stuff on the mantel I stepped back and realized it was all really cluttered and small scale (aka: ugly without an alibi) so I just course corrected as I went and brought in some larger scale items (like the topiaries) to help with the balance. So it’s nice to just piddle and switch things up and see where you end up.

Fall Mantel7

And now for some detail shots. Along with the corks in the fauxpiaries, I also liked the little fake pumpkins and gourds in a hurricane (found in my Halloween tupperware bin in the attic from last year) and the sweater vase that always hangs out on our dining room built-ins along with a bronze paperweight to top it off (both of those guys are from HomeGoods a while back).

Fall Mantel3

In the middle I added my 50 cent (not the rapper) thrift store leaf plate that I mentioned here along with some super old printing block letters from this flea market adventure back in 2008.

Fall Mantel4

The other side has more subtly fall-ish items like gold boxes, a Thanksgiving-ish wishbone (from Marshall’s last year), a white painted pumkin that I DIYed back here, and more corks in the topiary for that cozy fall texture.

Fall Mantel5

In the end I love that I used things we had and only spent around twenty minutes on it, but I get to enjoy it for a good month or two as the temps cool and it starts to actually feel like fall around here. Three cheers for sweater weather.

Fall Mantel6

What has happened for the past day since I did it is that I forget that I did it and every time I walk into the kitchen I smile a little when I see it. Like the fireplace is saying “Surprise! It’s fall!” and I’m all “What? It is?! Sweet. I like the tableau.” Yes, sometimes I use fancy words like tableau when I’m fake-talking to my mantel.

And just because I was still in the fall mood, I decided to turn my attention to the nearby console table in the hall and continue my makeshift “Use Whatcha Got Challenge” over there. So here’s what it looked like before I got my fall-hyper mitts on it.

Fall Mantel8

And here it is now:

Fall Mantel9

Nothing too crazy, but it definitely feels more fall-ish to me. Here were my ingredients:

  • some weeds from our side yard (I envisioned some orange and red leafy branches but none of our trees have turned yet, so yellow weeds growing in the wild side area of our house worked)
  • a bunch of corks that I added to the vase before I added the water and the weeds
  • a funny little thrift store bird that I got for 10 cents almost a year ago

Fall Mantel10

I actually bought him to use in some book styling shots that we took back in Jan/Feb, so you’ll see his cute face in the book too (feel free to play a little game of Where’s Waldo – yes, I have just named the bird Waldo so that makes sense).

Fall Mantel11

The new fall console + the new french doors = happy momma. And happy Waldo. And happy Clara (she loves looking at Waldo – and so far there is no desire to Hulk-smash him, which is awesome).

Fall Mantel12

What have you guys been up to in the vein of seasonal switcheroos? Anyone else trying to use what you already have around (both in terms of weeds from outside and items you’ve collected over time like corks and ceramic birds?). Do tell.

Comments

  1. Beth says

    Looks great, as always! FYI, those “weeds” look like ragweed to me. I am horribly allergic to it, but hopefully none of you are!

    Reply

  2. Randa says

    Looks great and Waldo looks quite cozy in his new home. How’d you get so many corks? I’ve contemplated asking at restaurants for their old corks. Is that weird? :)

    Reply

  4. Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says

    Ah, I love goldenrod (the weeds). It’s so pretty! It used to grow in the pasture behind our house growing up.

    I love how it’s subtly fall-y with the golds and pumpkins, but not screaming HEY GO CARVE A PUMPKIN NOW!! Although, I would kinda like to go carve a pumpkin.

    Reply

  6. Amy says

    I think that’s goldenrod, which is definitely not a weed. And won’t make you sneeze either, despite what people might tell you.

    There are no comments that I can see now, but I totally bet I’m like the tenth person to tell you this. :)

    Reply

  7. Esther says

    First of all I never noticed before that changed your pic on the blog on the right for the “Us” section – soo pretty! Also, I loooved the music in the video, a little edge is always good, and I never noticed the campaign style hardware on your mirror before – beautiful!

    Reply

  9. Michelle says

    Sherry, I love your decorating style :-) The mantel looks all dolled up for Fall, and I love what you did with the console table–very nice! Did you use corks from your own bottles of wine, or did you buy the corks at a store? (I always wonder when there’s a charming cork display!)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Those were collected by a bunch of folks for me a few years ago (I recruited my mom and my friend Jeff, who both saved up bags for us every time we saw them). I love using them all over the place!

      xo
      s

  10. Lindsey d. says

    Seasonal decorating is so hard for me. Not sure if it’s because I have a limited area of space I can decorate (no mantel, just a skinny piano top and a few end tables), or if it’s the 3-D aspect. I MUCH prefer decorating walls.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hahah! I’m afraid I had to recruit others to end up with that big cork collection (my mom and my friend Jeff) but randomly they drop off a ziplock of them! It’s awesome.

      xo
      s

  15. Jenny says

    I love changing the decor for the seasons. I have a glass vase on my kitchen table that changes with each season. Seashells for summer, right now it has little pumpkins in it. I also love changing the wreath on my front door too!!

    Reply

  16. Emma (Broke Ass Home) says

    Yay Fall! It’s sadly already almost winter here in Michigan (yes, I know, bite my tongue). Already dipping below freezing over night and I’ve had my heat turned ON at 62 for over a week.

    Last week I DIYed a little fall apothecary for my mantle. My mantle is kind of challenging because it is two mantles straddled around a mirror. Yep. But it’s original to the house so I can’t really change it.

    Here’s my directions for the apothecary! It cost me under $20.
    http://www.brokeasshome.com/2012/09/afordable-adorable-apothecary-able.html

    I also Halloweened up my front porch here
    http://www.brokeasshome.com/2012/10/bit-by-bug.html

    Tell me what you think! I have added some other fun stuff too as the season goes on (yesterday I bought witches brooms from target for $1! They’re made of bamboo and hay and that make me swoon)

    Reply

    • Vicki says

      Ooh thanks! I was just about to ask where everyone gets those cute glass apothecaries(?) and bell jars without breaking the bank.
      Let me tell you, my new and therefore brokearse home and I appreciate it!

  17. Ann Marie says

    Cute mantel! You really have the touch!!

    I spent an hour (or few!) cleaning and trying to style my mantle and crowded bookshelves in my small 1br apartment this weekend. It takes a lot of time and trial and error! I think my book shelves still look cluttered, albeit a different arrangement of cluttered than before! Maybe I’ll try again!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes! I used to think it was impossible, but years of puttering around have helped me get faster/better at it. It still isn’t completely automatic to me (aka: it takes around 20 minutes) but after I’ve done it I’m so glad I did!

      xo
      s

  21. Shannon H. says

    Always love your posts – thanks for the fall inspiration!
    Is it weird that I’m sitting here wondering how you’re going to get all of the corks out of that big vase with the small opening? haha.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hahah! I hope I can drain the water out and let them dry out in the empty vase and hopefully shrink up and slip back out the neck (it’s a wider mouth than it looks up there). Here’s hoping…

      xo
      s

    • Trish says

      @shannon Is it weird that I just searched through the comments to see if anyone had already asked that? hehe :)

    • bethany says

      Haha that was my first thought too! Luckily they look good in there so it probably wouldn’t be the end of the world if they are stuck forever.

    • Amy says

      I was totally thinking the same thing! All I can picture is that old SNL skit where David Duchovny is trying to get the pick out of the guitar! :)

  22. Emma says

    Oh god that video was very helpful. I have so much trouble with arranging odds and ends.
    I’m a fulltime nanny to 4 kids and the younger two (2 and 3) watched the video with me “Emma das you! You funny Emma” *babygiggles*
    Apparently the back of your head looks kinda like mine, TWINSIES!
    It didn’t help when I told them your name was Sherri because we know a sherry that delivers us fosterpuppies. So they kept asking where the puppies were.
    Anyway thanks for the video! I promise I paid attention.

    Reply

    • EngineerMom says

      I had the same thought – the video was so helpful. When I see shots of things like your office or living room, with the perfectly placed books, I think a part of me just assumes you know exactly where you want everything in the room right away. It’s nice to see that even the little things are a process!

      We moved 2500 miles about 6 weeks ago, from a 4-BR house to a 2-BR apartment, and I’m struggling with figuring out how to decorate! There’s so little we can do – we can’t paint unless we’re willing to pay a pretty hefty fee for them to repaint when we move out, and they’ve painted every.single.surface beige, including the ceilings. Seeing you do a little swap out of decorative objects has inspired me to find a way to fall-ify our space, if only by picking up a bunch of winter squash to slowly turn into soups and baked goods.

  24. Anne says

    Very cute! I’m doing a “use what you have” challenge too, but since I don’t have very much fall decor, it is indeed a challenge!
    P.S. I think I need to reread some of your thrifting posts, because Waldo would totally be something I’d just walk by–but he looks so svelte in the cloche!

    Reply

  25. Desiree C. says

    That bird (I think it might be a grouse!) really makes your hallway console awesomesauce. The texture of the weeds are a nice touch, too. Heck, everything looks great!

    Picturing a little girl’s hulk-smash on an innocent ceramic bird made me choke on my banana. Bahaha!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha! Here’s hoping nothing gets into Clara! So far she just stands there and looks at him and says things like “what’s it doing?” and “it’s moving!” – haha!

      xo
      s

  26. Teresa @ wherelovemeetslife says

    Ahhh… now I am inspired :) I actually have a few places that I can put some fall decor finally..and I beleive I may spruce up a bit this weekend. Fun fun! thanks for posting, I was just not getting into the fall spirit with this baby coming right around the corner and I so need to!!

    Reply

  27. Stesse says

    Love the mantle, but what had me falling off my chair was when you used the word “piddle” – I’ve never heard anyone outside our family use that!!! We “piddle around” (kinda fussing around, like you used it here, or my mom would accuse us of procrastinating). I have no idea where that came from. Anyways, thanks for the smile this AM!

    Reply

  28. LauraC says

    Shame on you, I nearly spewed my cereal on my monitor when I read, “Jean Luc the French door.” Still can’t read it without laughing. And you’ll be relieved that I actually read the post and discovered that you *didn’t* spray paint an actual wishbone as initially thought. ;)

    Reply

  30. Christine says

    What I took from this post the most is that you guys drink as much wine as my husband and I do. (hehe) I have saved enough corks to decorate tens of mantles. :) Although, I have other plans for those babies. Thanks for the ideas!

    Reply

  31. Candice says

    What do you guys do with any decor stuff when it’s not in season? Do you have a method to the storage madness? I’m asking because I totally don’t and totally need one :)

    Reply

  32. Nora Rose says

    I’m going to scope out those weeds as goldenrod perhaps? I did a semi-use what you have, just added a pumpkin and some fall flowers from my parent’s yard. We hollowed out pumpkins and put flowers in florist foam to make center arrangements.

    Reply

  33. Megan @meandwee says

    Wow! This is great! Much better than my arrangement…a melee of crap and tiny toys I toss up there to keep out of reach of the baby or the dog along with some assorted knick knacks and a giant ugly painting. ha!

    Reply

  34. Audrey says

    Oooh – decorating with cork – what a great idea. I have loads of them – I have been saving them for years (10+) – whenever we have wine for a special event I write the info in sharpie on the cork, and toss it in the “cork bowl” – which is collecting dust on top of my cabinets as we speak. This inspires me to blow the dust off those memories and display them. Thanks!

    Reply

  35. Stephanie says

    We’ve been hoarding corks like crazy so I can DIY table numbers with them when we get married (spring 2014!) but instead of keeping them in a bag in the closet, I used them for part of my fall table centerpiece! Love it! :)

    Reply

  36. Joanna says

    Looks great – I’m definitely going to give my mantle some fall touches today- and I’m going to try and work piddle and futz into my vocabulary more frequently, too.

    Reply

  37. Roxana says

    Hi guys! you are inspiring
    When Clara was 1 going on 2, how did you manage to keep her from destroying your beautiful home? I have rambunctious 16 month twin boys (my cute mini demolition crew) and I’ve had to remove EVERYTHING from out living room but the couches, tv and rug. I’m so sick of having our living room look like a daycare. They seem determined to climb, chew and jump on everything. How did you guys teach Clara? As frustrating as it is, I’ve not given up on having a neat and beautiful home again and getting the rest of my furniture and decor from storage down in the basement.
    Can’t wait to get my book- I’ve pre-ordered it a while ago.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I really think half of it might be nature (Clara walked really late, has always been pretty cautious, isn’t much of climber, and likes to chat and play with small detailed things like puzzles more than throw things on the floor, etc). We definitely have taught her as much as we can through redirection (ex: she crawls towards the Christmas tree so we redirect her to something fun, like a ball or a puzzle or her trains, etc). She really loves books in a crazy way, so if she’s messing with something on the counter (yes, she’s crazy tall so she can reach the kitchen counter now) we’ll just say “hey, do you have a book you want to read?” and that usually does the trick. You can also try to stock up on kid-safe stuff like moss balls and other soft and not breakable things for a while (I did that on lower surfaces that she messed with all the time). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  38. Stacy says

    Don’t worry – I think your flowers are golden rod – a common wildflower and not rag weed. Here’s a site that tells the differences.

    Goldenrod flowers are bright yellow and grow in large masses resting on single stems. The flowers of ragweed are green to yellow and appear in smaller formations on branched stems. Often found growing side by side, goldenrod’s showy flowers stand out against ragweed’s pale blooms, causing it to be unfairly blamed for most pollen allergens. Goldenrod flowers contain nectar to attract pollinators, while ragweed flowers don’t contain nectar, depending primarily on the wind for pollination.

    Read more: What Is the Difference Between Goldenrod & Ragweed? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8599702_difference-between-goldenrod-ragweed.html#ixzz290BehstZ

    Reply

  39. Leslie says

    Now I’m going to spend the weekend looking for a sweater vase and white ceramic pumpkins! Just when my husband thought we could get through Halloween without decorating…

    Reply

  41. Julia says

    I’ve had a similar endeavor on my mantle, rearranging items that were already there to make it more seasonal. And I’ve been working on an ever-evolving mostly-free project. It started with some dead branches from a bush in our backyard stuck into a vase we already had. The color of the vase (a kind of bright purpley color) does not go with our decor, though, so I wrapped it in some brown burlap ribbon (that I got for 50% off at Hobby Lobby). Next, I had the SAME thought you did and grabbed some branches from some of our trees/bushes that have started turning and added them to the bare branches I started with. It screams fall, but can also scream other seasons with a few simple tweaks, and I love that is was (mostly) free (just $4 for the ribbon)!

    Reply

  43. Catherine says

    I have to admit to snickering a bit when I read “piddle”. It means “peeing” here in ireland, as in I tell my dog to go outside for a piddle & praise her for piddling when she’s done! In my defence, she’s only a baby & needs all the encouragement she can get…

    Reply

  45. SueP says

    I am decorating with sheet rock dust! Woohoo. We are finally, finally finally finally having the main floor bathroom remodeled. So I don’t mind the fine white film at all. Well, not much anyway.

    How much space do you dedicate to storing extra decorations that you rotate in and out? You are minimalist in so many areas of your life (makeup, shampoo, etc…) I’m wondering if you have a huge closet full of stuff to rotate, or if it’s corralled into one or two boxes.

    Reply

  46. Shannon Summers says

    I love the console display in the photo wall hallway! Sometimes weeds can really look great. I really need to make more of an effort to use free cuttings from around the yard. Anyways, in the way of fall decorating, the other day, I got bored during lunch and made a fall leaf garland. It was quick and it was free, which I for sure can always get on board with. (http://www.compartmentlife.com/2012/10/fall-leaf-garland/) I just wish I had better leaves for it. Texas leaves just don’t measure up to the North and the Northeast. Anyways, I took some photos of it for my blog, and then the next the wind blew it away….sad day. I’ll probably make a better one for indoors if I can find some prettier leaves.

    Reply

  49. Jenn says

    I love the vase that the yellow weeds are in. Do you know where you got it? Are you at all worried about getting the corks out later? I’d be paranoid about wet corks getting stuck in there.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That was from ZGallerie a while back, although I see something similar at HomeGoods sometimes. As for the corks, I hope after I pour out the water they’ll dry out and then come out a bit later (the neck isn’t that small, so here’s hoping…).

      xo
      s

  50. Shannon says

    I’m not allowed to buy anymore decorations (self-inflicted), so it’s been a use what you got since I’ve become a stay at home mom! But, I have enough fall stuff to decorate the whole house.

    Love the wine corks as fall decor. My SIL and BIL are big wine drinkers and use them as filler in their basement well window! We’re not wine drinkers, so I’ll have to examine our beer bottle caps and see if they will work! LOL

    Reply

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