Autumn Decorating

I've waited so long to talk about Autumn Decorating, it's my favorite season of all, but here in California, summer has been hanging on. and on. and on. Last Sunday, when we had a darling French Birthday Party here for our Linden {more about that in a post later this week} it was 90. YES. 90 in October. For those of you who wrote and asked how I decorated for autumn, I apologize for the lateness. I tried to jump start fall by decorating just a little bit, starting outside our front gate. I generally follow the "natural materials" tradition of my European heritage when decorating for every season. Hanging a fall wreath is an easy way to greet the season, I added real pumpkins to our planters, and on the antique French baker's rack by our front door, and just hoped they wouldn't "cook" in the hot weather. Blessedly, our weather has taken a turn for the cooler, autumn temperatures I love.

Since my first love is antiques, I use all my antique decorative pieces to their best advantage as much as I can when planning seasonal decorating. I nestled both real and faux pumpkins in the antique tureen in our family room. When not serving at the table, antique tureens like this happily decorate your home with great seasonal flair. {A pumpkin candle adds just the right scent of pumpkin pie, baking, without the calories.}

In the little seating area, bright green apples and pears fill an antique brown transferware bowl.

A stately line of petite pumpkins march behind the sink, I replaced the ivy topiaries that are usually on each side with russet mums, encircled with a little wreath. On the stand next to the sink, I added pumpkins and gourds from the market to our antique ironstone pedestal bowl.

Even the stove gets a little touch of autumn, with the antique transferware platter and the French copper kettle, my favorite hotel silver sugar bowl {it is from the Hotel Badger} wears a small pumpkin hat.

Another shot of my kitchen sink, overlooking the back garden.

The best part about decorating like this is that it can stay until it's time to pull out the Christmas decorations. Until after Thanksgiving, we have a festive Fall ~ feeling home that looks natural, and came about fairly painlessly. I hope you are all enjoying autumn, and decorating your home. You can add fall pumpkins and flowers, leaves, and gourds to some of your antique pieces and be surrounded by the beauty of autumn in your home. Happy Fall!