Today marks the first day of autumn. There is a buzz in the cooler fall air here at Eastwood Homes; we are almost like kids on the last day of school before a holiday or summer break. You see, we love fall. We love decorating our homes with oranges and reds and pumpkins and pinecones. We love baking holiday goodies for our friends. We love the scents and tastes of spiced pumpkin and apple cider. We love putting on our favorite scarf over the sweater we’ve been missing since last winter. We love that first crisp cool night when we start a fire in the fireplace (even if we don’t really need it yet.) We love hot cocoa and hot cider. We love all that fall has to offer.
It makes sense that, being in the business of “home sweet home,” we would appreciate the fall season. This is the time when we decorate our front stoops and porches with pumpkins, wreaths filled with the colors of fallen leaves, and a few dried corn stalks off to the side to welcome our guests. This is the time of year when we start baking hearty soups and cuddle up on the couch on a Saturday afternoon to watch our favorite college football team. Now that we’ve escaped the sweltering heat, we can invite our friends over for a fire in our built-in outdoor living area. This is the season when we invite our entire family and maybe even some close friends to give thanks in our home while we feast on turkey and mashed potatoes. And broccoli casserole. And gravy. And stuffing. And pumpkin rolls. Well, you get the point.
In the spirit of all things fall, we’d like to share with you our Top 5 favorite DIY decorations for a fabulous fall in your home. You can find these and so many more ideas on our Pinterest board, “We Fancy Fall.”
Wreaths, wreaths, everywhere. We’re big supporters of wreaths and of the big, burlap wreath movement in particular. We like them on our front door, over our fireplace, on a wall, and anywhere! Fall wreaths can even incorporate small pumpkins, pinecones, mums, and more! Or how about a corn husk wreath? One of the best parts about these wreaths is that they are relatively simple to do at home. In fact, this would be a great project for a get-together for a group of friends, while sipping on some warm apple cider!
Pinecones as far as the eye can see. We think pinecones are nature’s gift to us home décor enthusiasts! There are so many options here. Paint them in any variety of colors, or even decorate them with glitter! Hang them from some gorgeous strips of fabric for a change of pace for your front-door décor or hang one between each baluster on your staircase. Make them into a garland, or tie them to the back of chairs as a way to dress up your holiday seating. Check out this Pinterest post about how to clean and dry pinecones for crafts.
Mason jars: Let me count the ways I love you. The jars themselves can be painted and used as flower vases for your fall flowers or branches. Use stencils to add the word “Fall” to the outsides of four mason jars grouped together. Or, by simply painting around the shape of a leaf, you have fall, fabulous candle holders! Then add some fall-themed filler like corn kernels to the Mason jar, filling about halfway, so that your tea light candle is visible through the leaf “cut-out” portion. Another amazing idea is to use mod podge to paste leaves to the exterior of the mason jars. Add a tea light and you will have the gorgeous colors of fall spilling into your home! Use the lids of the mason jars to form a pumpkin-like this!
Mums the word. Every porch in the fall deserves a pot of mums. But decorating with mums can go even further than that. How about using a fake pumpkin as a holder for your potted mum or planting mums in your window box? Mums also make great floral centerpieces for the dining room table, as well.
We’ve never met a pumpkin we didn’t like! There are so many ideas for your pumpkins that go beyond the classic jack-o-lantern, like painting your pumpkin, or adding glitter or beads to your pumpkins! Pumpkins in 2015 can get totally glammed out if that is your décor style! Or maybe you love monograms. If so, monogram your pumpkin with some paint and add a few bows to the stem while you are at it! We also pinned this great tip on Pinterest about how to use a drill to carve your pumpkin, too. Truly, the ideas for pumpkin decorating are as endless as the reasons we love fall!
We’d love to hear some of your favorite fall decorating ideas. What is the first decoration you’ll pull out this fall season? Do you have any decorations that have become a tradition in your home? Let us know in the comments below!
Don't ignore your bathroom space. Give it some TLC with some easy and inexpensive DIY projects that will turn a boring space into a beautiful space!
No matter how crazy life gets, our Eastwood homeowners always have a sanctuary - a retreat from all that life throws at us – a primary suite. These spaces have plenty of room for a king-size bed that will make you feel like royalty and a walk-in closet fit for a queen. They come with en suite bathrooms that parents can mark as kid-free zones (hopefully) and keep the fancy bath salts and bubble baths away from the youngsters. Some even have calming sitting rooms for the end-all-be-all primary suite spaces.
Once a new homeowner moves into their new home, they often find themselves with blank, bare walls. For some, the idea of picking artwork is a challenge. We've compiled some tips and resources that will help make that decision process a bit easier and help our homeowners create a space they are proud of!