Your CartWELCOMING FALL HOME TOUR
Welcome to FrenchGardenHouse and thank you for joining us today for the Welcoming Fall Home Tour hosted by Randi of Randi Garrett Design and Jennifer of Decor Gold Designs.
I’m so glad you are here! If you are coming StoneGable, I’m sure you enjoyed Yvonne’s fabulous tour, she is always so inspiring!
I love everything about FALL. Crisp morning air, crunching leaves, and the blessing of gathering together. Oh! and Pumpkin Spice everything. You, too?
Let’s talk about how to welcome FALL to your home!
Here in southern California, it can still be warm at this time of year, but the early mornings are golden. Morning dawns crisp and cool, before the school bell from the little school across the street from our home rings, our front garden is my favorite place to sit and enjoy that first cup of glorious coffee.
Please join me!
Nestled among silver sheen trees and potted plants, this little seating area is a perfect place to invite a friend or two over for a simple coffee and a light breakfast.
Usually I serve muffins, fruit, cheese and something amazing from Trader Joe’s. It’s a casual gathering, which is what makes it so easy.
ANTIQUE BOULANGERIE BOARDS | FRENCH POIVRE PLATES | KHAKI BOWLS | NAPKINS
No tablecloth needed, I usually just choose one of the antique French breadboards from my collection, and place the French coffeepot, dishes and food directly on that.
A few mis-matched silver forks and spoons, and my new favorite fall napkins, and I’m good to go!
Once we’ve talked about the important things and people in our lives, let’s move inside!
To welcome fall in our home, I celebrate this glorious fall season with mostly natural elements. I’m a great believer of using things you can “glean” {= find in nature or your garden for free} to set the tone. So many of the fall decorating I do is with branches, leaves, flowers and things you can buy from the farmer’s market!
Few events are awaited with as much anticipation, at least by me, as the annual debut of pumpkins at the little farmstand in our town. Because of the warm weather here, that usually isn’t until early October.
This year, I’m starting out my fall decorating with a light touch, with colors that give just a subtle nod to fall. In our living room, I recently changed out the mantel decorations to these two Delft ginger jars flanking an antique loving cup with a bright green fern. Two simple silver candlesticks flank the trophy cup-planter.
I’m playing up the blue and greys in our living room, below the mantel, a grey antique French coal bucket is the perfect place to showcase some dried eucalyptus branches from the tree in front of our home.
I love when they dry. They turn the perfect grey-green colors, just right for the color palette in the living room.
I prefer to let my antiques and decorative accents take centerstage in decorating, so small subtle fall touches are my usual this early in the season.
One of my favorite santos is cradling an incredibly beautiful velvet pumpkin from PlushPumpkin. They are hand made of the most amazing fine quality velvets here in the US. And…they have real pumpkin stems. I added a dried eucalyptus leaf to this pumpkin, you can’t see it in the photo but I wrote “grace” on the leaf with a gold permanent marker.
Grace is my word for the year.
Every day of every year, I am reminded of God’s grace and blessings to our family.
I am in love with my velvet pumpkins from PlushPumpkin. They are so beautiful, and bring such an elegant texture to our interior.
At the end of our living room, in front of the large bank of windows with a view of the garden, I recently placed a small round table for two.
Especially late in the afternoon, the light there is incredible!
BRUSSELS COVERLET | HAND PAINTED PLATES
The soft grey velvet tablecloth is a coverlet, the texture and the quilted design is so appealing at this time of year.
It’s a wonderful place to have lunch or dinner for two. The grey and white plates are hand painted Delft plates made in Oxford, England, each one has a gorgeous scene of palladian gardens, and grand estates.
I leave the table set, that way not only does it look beautiful, it’s ready to go for the next meal.
The little white velvet pumpkins on each plate look so charming.
LINEN NAPKINS | FRENCH GLASSES | ANTIQUE MOP SILVER FLATWARE
The trophy adds a silvery glow to my little bouquet of flowers, the colors of white, grayish greens and blue echo the rest of the room’s colors.
One beautiful way to welcome fall into your home is with a grand gesture. Spreading a few pumpkins around your interior doesn’t really make a statement.
But piling a bunch of them in different shapes and sizes into one grand display? INCREDIBLE!
I layered the ornate gilt mirror with a very simple swag made of rose leaves for that touch of nature I love.
Keeping the pumpkins company are a few of my very favorite sterling match safes. That spoon is a sugar sifter, meant to use for sprinkling little clouds of sugar on a dessert or cake.
Since I’m an antique dealer, the collections of antiques on display can vary from week to week here at home. But silver is always a favorite, I love how it sparkles and reflects the light.
Another great way to welcome fall at home is to add lots of different textures.
In the kitchen, a different antique French boulangerie board serves as the base for this centerpiece. One of our French demijohns adds country charm, the apples piled in the country bowl lend autumnal ambience. A few European cups I bought years ago are ready to serve apple cider.
The leaves are a hint of what is to come as the trees in our little neighborhood slowly dress in their autumn finery.
In the fall, if you come here to visit, we will most likely sit in the kitchen around the table, with either a cup of coffee, hot tea or apple cider. Instead of flowers or another centerpiece, I place useful items in the middle of our farm table, so that I’m ready to host a friend or neighbor anytime.
Ps. I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with these napkins, kitchen towels and matching aprons. Imported from England, I couldn’t resist them when I spied them at market there.
There are several patterns, but this one? The horses remind me of fall in the south, of the rich beautiful countryside of Tennessee and Kentucky especially.
Our bedroom is my sanctuary, it’s where I retreat to relax. The colors I chose in this room are muted greys, beiges, creams and whites to provide a cool, casual contrast to the antique gilt French bed.
I have a secret crush on over the top, rococo gilt antique furniture, but to bring them down to our California casual level, I keep the fuss and frills surrounding them to a minimum.
BRUSSELS COVERLET | BEE PILLOW
To cozy the French bed up for fall, I switched out the linen duvet with a luscious, soft velvet coverlet in pewter grey.
A very simple organic linen duvet with a single ruffle to add some romance, white linen pillows and a huge, cushy velvet European sized pillow are the perfect setting to showcase my favorite French BEE pillow!
A chunky throw is just right when I’m reading on the bed, drinking a cup of hot tea, and those cooler autumn temperatures I love so much make it a little chilly.
Thank you so much for your visit!
I hope you will come back. To make it super easy not to miss a single post, please sign up on the top right to get every post in your email inbox.
IT’S BEEN SUCH A JOY TO HAVE YOU VISIT Our WELCOMING FALL HOME TOUR!
It was so much fun to collaborate with PLUSHPUMPKIN on this post. All these incredible pumpkins are from there….the “over-the-top-I-love-these-pumpkins!” feeling is totally my own.
HOW DO YOU WELCOME FALL INTO YOUR HOME?
For more fall inspiration, please go visit my friend Randi at Randi Garrett Designs. I know you will love how she welcomes fall, she is a genius at decorating!
Click on the photo to visit Randi and get more tips on how to welcome fall!
For more beautiful fall inspiration visit all my friends:
Lidy– Such a beautiful article with gorgeous photographs. Each scene you created has inspired me to get our nest ready, layered, and textured for Fall. Thank you for the inspiration.
My best to you,
Janet in SA
Janet, thank you so much, it was so much fun using non-traditional colors and those gorgeous pumpkins this fall to mix in with our antiques. I love seeing you here!
Looking at your photos makes me feel so zen. Everything is so tasteful and welcoming, the colors are so soothing.
Thank you! I agree, the colors are soothing, it’s a big change from the usual orange, and I like it!
Gasp, Gasp . . . . This ~ ~ ~ took ~ ~ ~ my ~ ~ ~ breath ~ ~ ~away! The photos are stunning! Autumn done with grace!! Happy Fall Lidy!!
Lidy, your fall home tour is beautiful in every way!
Thank you so much, Stacey! I hope you are having a beautiful fall, friend.
Absolutely gorgeous, Lidy!
Thank you so much, Cindy!
Your rooms are all so beautifully decorated for Fall. It gives me motivation to start making my home ready for the season! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much, Gladys. I hope you enjoy Fall {it’s my very favorite season!} and decorating your beautiful home.
Everything is so perfect that it leaves me speechless!
Thank you so much, Linda. Happy Fall!
You’re always outdoing yourself, Lidy! Your home looks just perfect for Fall, and that display of velvet pumpkins piled up is my favorite photo. Love the neutrals your using this year in your displays. Sigh………
Ginger
Thank you Ginger, for visiting and your sweet compliment. It was such fun decorating for fall with these colors, in the coming weeks I will transition to more traditional colors as fall really appears here.
Lidy your home is absolutely stunning! I want to sit and eat muffins at that charming table! I didn’t realize you are in southern California! That is where I grew up! Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us!
Thank you Randi, it is a special treat to be on this tour with you too. I wish you could be here to have coffee, how much fun would that be! xo Lidy
Lidy what an inspiring fall tour. I adore the soft neutrals that you used. Your garden scene is magical.
Lidy, this is so over the top gorgeous! Every photos made me sit and take in more. That santos doll is amazing and everything else is too.
Thank you so much, Kim! I always love your home, too…you and I love all the same things.
Lidy, what a stunning tour of your gorgeous home…I will be touring several times to take in every detail! Perfection!!!
Thank you so much, Pam, for your kindest words. My home is like any other, at it’s best for the “photo op” but
I am grateful and blessed by being allowed to live here. Especially these days, when so many have nothing resembling a home left. xo
Love the luxurious feel to everything. Those grey and white plates are gorgeous! Your home is perfect for the fall.
Maria
Thank you Maria, I was thinking your shell candle holders would look perfect with those colors.
When I visit you my heart beats a little faster! Gorgeous and swoon worthy!!!! Your home feels grand and welcoming all at the same time! Beautiful, Lidy!!!!
Thank you my sweet friend. It’s home, and I’m so grateful for it. I try to pretty it up, most importantly I want it to be a soft and pretty place to welcome my friends and family, so that they feel like they are snug and welcome. xo
Oh Lidy!!! I love everything. I am crazy over that perfect little table for two. Every detail makes my heart happy. You are truly talented! xoxo
Thank you so much, Jennifer! It is such a joy to share this Welcoming Fall Tour with you, thank you for including me!
I love all of your beautiful and festive fall touches, dishes and vignettes. You have an incredible sense of style and class—and i’m not just saying that.
I really love the first table setting and the inspiration to have special people over for coffee and sweets. You’ve created the perfect atmosphere. I also love the Delft dishes…gorgeous, and just the right thing for your table any time of year.
Much love,
Jane
Your home is so elegant and enchanting!!
Mary Alice
Thank you so much Jane. When it all boils down to the core of why we decorate, it’s about creating a home to share with other people, isn’t it? Our family, friends and neighbors. It’s always uppermost in my heart to create a little bit of a haven from our hectic and often wild world, a pretty place to gather and share hearts, joy as well as tears around a table.
I just knew I would love it all – so beautiful, Lidy! The white pumpkins, flowers, and warm texture have me inspired! Happy weekend, my friend!
Thank you! Happy weekend to you, too!
I followed Southern Hospitalities link to your blog. Beautiful! I tried to sign up for email subscription but it kept coming up with an error?
Thank you Kathleen. And I’m sorry about the technical difficulties, I think it’s because there is an “n” instead of “m” on your email address. Let me see if I can manually add you somehow. xo
Such a fun fall tour! I followed every link and enjoyed it all very much. But, I must say that your home is the one that captured my heart. I know it is a reflection of your gracious and loving personality combined with your creative gifts and talents. Thank you for sharing the lovliness.
Thank you so much, Julie. I’m so glad you enjoyed my, and all the other, fall home tours! Happy Saturday, friend.
Hi, Lidy,
I can only say what everyone above has said, everything is just so beautiful and so lovely and love all the velvet pumpkins and how you put everything together, so enchanting, always such a joy to look at all you do over and over again, thank you for sharing, Happy Fall~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Lidy,
What a beautiful tour. I love your “Fall Light” concept. It works so well with your beautiful treasures and California sunshine.
Thank you Patti. As fall progresses, I switch over to the deeper colors, but early on, you are right, the light colors work beautifully for our California weather, which usually means a very warm September!
Loved the tour. I fell in love with the Plush Pumpkins. I sent a link to my friends back home in the states. I am living in England for the next two years. They don’t decorate for Fall like we do back home in Va. i am glad I brought a few things iver here. I have some pretty ceramic gourds and pumpkins. I am glad I brought those. Your ideas are very soothing.
They are beautiful, aren’t they Lorraine? Thanks for your visit!
Hi Lidy!
My first time to visit, thank you for the tour. Love your taste in decor, fabulous actually, very inspiring.
Nancy J. Tx.
Thanks so much for your visit, Nancy, and welcome! It’s a great season to decorate for, please come back Thursday, I re-did a few things in deeper colors, and it’s for my second Fall Tour that I’m part of this year. xo Lidy
Lidy your home is so rich and beautiful! Lovely soft colors with lots of signs of Fall. Fall is mt favorite season and I enjoy it to the fullest. I love that you have chosen GRACE to be your word. So much meaning is involved in such a 5 letter word. I shall remember it through out my day. Thank you for your inspiration! The PlushPumpkins on the site are amazing! Happy Fall!