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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
And here it is now:
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
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).
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).
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.
Heather - Diapers&Divas says
This is really cute! I love Waldo!
Fall in our house usually means that we are immediately jumping into the spooky Halloween stuff and not just into pumpkins and corks. Too bad it still doesn’t feel like fall out here in the OC. Sunny and 85 doesn’t spark motivation for doing fall decor before October.
Cher says
So far, my fall “decorating” involved pouring a bag of candy corn in a pretty glass jar. Then eating it (the candy, not the jar.) Does that count?
My real question: What’s the deal with the color samples above the hallway console table (next to the light switch)? Is it just inspiration, or decoration, or does it function?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, first of all that totally counts. Second of all, that’s my favorite swatch ring. I use it so much it’s easy to keep it out so I can grab it off the hook instead of rooting around for it in the drawer with all of my other paint decks.
xo
s
Katie says
Piddle, tableau, Hulk-smash….made me laugh out loud! Looks great and happy Fall :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Katie!
xo
s
trish says
Love that video. That’s truly how it goes…back and forth, back and forth till you get it right! It looks awesome Sherry! That little spot in your kitchen with the fireplace has got to be my favorite part of your house. I could just sit there all day, that is if I weren’t busy with a thousand other things like you! Ha…one can dream!
Jocelyn Pascall says
Looks adorable. As usual :)
gemma@thesweetestdigs says
Oooh the mantel looks all kinds of cozy. Sweet!
Nice to see someone else’s “add/take away/add/take away” approach… glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t always get it right on the first try! :)
David says
Your “E” is upside down. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! You’re right!
xo
s
Jennifer says
Love the touch of fall you guys have added. I’m sure somewhwere on this lovely blog you guys may have mentioned this but where oh where did you guys score that antler candle on your console?? I’ve been searching for weeks for something just like that!!
YoungHouseLove says
That was from West Elm a few years ago- maybe try ebay?
xo
s
Carolyn L says
Love the wishbone!!! :) (Yes, that’s what I took away from this entire post)..
Kelley says
Now that’s my kind of seasonal decorating – small, stylish touches and nothing to “themey.” Love it!
j says
love the wish bone.
i really need to fall it up i only have one mini pumpkin on my mantel but i’m doing a no spending monday-friday this month and once the weekend roll around i forget all about my need of my very own pumpkin patch in my living room.
Rachel says
I think Waldo should be named Bob. He’s a quail and they make noise that sounds like someone saying “Bob White.” ;)
Luke says
I found some awesome $2.50 faux pumpkins made out of natural materials at Target, and mixed them with some real gourds in a tray with a few tealight holders I already owned. The tray has a Chinese red interior, so everything else is in bronze, white, and brown. It looks great on my coffee table, and is a little more subtle than the usual orange.
jessica@fourgenerationsoneroof says
Oh my that video cracked me up!!!! :) Very fun and cool. Your mantel came out great and I like the corks. Nicely done !
Rachelle says
Hmm. No fall decorating but my pantry shelves are filling up with glass jars filled and sealed with the harvest. I love all the colors and sense of accomplishment the tidy rows give me. And the yummy food inside is a bonus.
ashley says
I, also, have a put it up, stand back and look, change it again, approach to decorating, esp the mantel ha :) Nice to know I’m not alone in that method. (I’m loving my clear canning jars of dry split peas for part of the fall decor) and your goldenrod is our state flower here in KY too =) i love it though! and ditto to the person above who warmed you of the crazy yellow mess you may end up with! ha
ashley says
I went inappropriately comma crazy in the first sentence in above post. I apologize for not proofing! ha
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I loved it! It felt back-and-forth like the method!
xo
s
Kristy says
KICK BUTT VIDEO!! That was very cool! :)
Sharon says
I am so not fall inspired this year. We are in the middle of a major kitchen reno so I just feel like it’s not even worth the effort to make anything pretty anywhere in the house. I didn’t even “fall up” the urns on the front porch. Somedays I feel like I’m just being lazy, then I walk into the construction zone and cook dinner in the makeshift kitchen in my garage, sweep up all the dust and think….”next year I will decorate my new kitchen beautifully for fall”
YoungHouseLove says
I can totally relate to that! We moved right before Christmas in 2010 and it was a hard year to get that holiday stuff together!
xo
s
Jasanna says
Love it. Wish I had a mantle to dress up! :) But regardless I’ve fall’d it up too. I really like that wishbone. Looks like something I’d pick up at TJMaxx. :) I collected some random pinecones on the way back from my husband’s and my run. I’ve decorated our bookshelf and table and they look quite fall’ish. :) Best season of all after all. :)
http://www.munchtalk.net
Abby says
Look what I found this morning while perusing Joss & Main… Look familiar??
https://www.jossandmain.com/Chevrons–Stripes-Global-Views-Urchin-Object-Sculpture~CURN1015~E2378.html
Thought I’d share in case anyone else fell in love with this little guy like I did! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh, so funny! It looks just like ours, although I think ours is more bronzey and that one’s more gold.
xo
s
Marijeaux says
Those “weeds” are actually Solidago. Florists use them all the time as filler flower.
Kacie says
I have a gorgeous red maple tree, so I grabbed some leaves and asked my husband to pick up some pine cones while he was on a run (haha! He’s the best). I put them in a large glass jar and added some dried vanilla beans. Pretty and smells lovely!
It is on my mantel. I am still trying to find some items for it, namely a mirror, and I have found that taking everything off it and adding back one at a time helps keep it deliberate.
Tarnya says
Looks great Sherry but I hope you meant “fiddle” and not “piddle”. In my family my mum would say “do you need to piddle” when she was talking about going to use the ahem facilities…. Lol. So I really hope you didn’t do that on your kitchen floor… Hehehe.
xx
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I actually learned it has two meanings! To putter around, and to use the potty. Hilarious.
xo
s
how2home says
Love the new little fall update! Those are wine corks right?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! I love sticking them everywhere. Haha.
xo
s
Rachael Krehel says
Can you tell me the significance of all the stuff you have on the wall??? I’ve always loved the “collage” look on walls but always steered clear of doing photos for fear of looking kitschy. I love that yours in the eccentric side (for lack of a better word) and wanted to know how you chose the pieces. THANKS!!!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s mostly family pics, quotes we love, momentos from NyC where we met, etc. we try to keep it personal!
xo,
s
Allison says
What color yellow are the walls?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s Sesame by Benjamin Moore.
xo
s
Stephanie S. says
OK funny story about this one. I was looking through your fall ideas and went out the other day to get some mums and pumpkins. I also noticed the ‘weeds’ in your vase and said to myself, “I see those growing everywhere.” So I stopped and grabbed some and put them in a vase on my console. They looked great, until my husband and I both got runny noses and red eyes. Apparently it’s ragweed and we’re both allergic….oops! Guess I’ll wait until the fall leaves are here ;) I’ll stick those in a vase instead.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! That stinks! Hope the fall leaves are more allergy friendly!
xo
s