Preparing for Autumn

Now that we are officially in the “ber” months, there’s no holding me back! Autumn decor is second only to Christmas decor in my heart. The warm colors, the crisp foliage, the cozy ambiance of all the candles and twinkle lights, as well as the fragrant scents of fall all call to me.

My coffee bar is almost always the first thing that I decorate each season and holiday. It is easy to do, and it brings so much joy multiple times through the day when we visit that area. After that area was completed, I started on my dining room. Now I love decorating my dining room. It doesn’t get used a lot so it’s almost always clean! A perfect place to showcase the pretty stuff! Plus, right now, our son is living with us again for a few weeks, and my living room is filled with his stuff! Let’s just say that wouldn’t make for pretty photographs right now;)

I began decorating the hutch first. I kind of let it set the tone for the whole room. I kept things fairly simple and also kept the colors pretty neutral. Lots of wood and natural tones are used throughout.

I wanted to use these wheat dishes that I found at a yard sale about 5 years ago. They were buried in a box in an old shed. It was such an amazing find, and they were a steal! I got about 30 pieces for less than $20. I am always on the lookout for others to add to the set.

Then I added pumpkins. Lots and lots of neutral mini pumpkins. It might only be September, but pumpkins are an essential part of fall decor. I just can’t put them on my porch yet with all of the heat that we still have.

I have also mentioned Dawn from EverythingDawn and her amazing faux cakes and pies that she creates. This decadent chocolate cake with fall roses and foliage is enough to make you start drooling! I love using these kinds of pieces on my hutch because they just seem to fit there!

Adding something unexpected to an area is what will catch people’s attention and really stand out. I like to add a pretty tea towel to a drawer or door. Now that I look at this, I really should have ironed that towel. Just try to ignore all of those creases! 🙂 You can also leave a drawer partly opened and have some decorative element sticking out of it. Let your imagination roam when decorating!

A dough bowl full of mini pumpkins. All neutral colors, but the textures are varied: fabric, painted, woven grasses, felted, and paper mache.

It’s always fun to decide what to put on top of the hutch. This year I added my “vintage” scale from Hobby Lobby with my real vintage chicken cookie jar. She is one of my prized possessions! She belonged to my mom’s parents. My Nan always kept Keebler chocolate graham crackers in it for my Papa. They were his favorite. Sweet memories indeed!

An old doily softens up the area, and then I added this pretty sign that I got from Walmart last year. I love how you can mix elements from so many places, and they all work together!

Decorating the sideboard was next. My large paned window always stays there, and I just layer on top of it.

I was so happy to receive this gorgeous canvas sign from Tailored Canvases. It truly looks like a vintage metal sign, but it is very lightweight. That means I could hang it on my window with literally two thumbtacks! Now that’s a win!!

The details on that sign are just amazing!

I used this beautiful printed fabric as a runner. The large piece in the middle is one of my favorites from Hobby Lobby. I filled it with some beautiful hand made fabric pumpkins and a bunch of teeny pumpkins. Those came in a bag of 25 from Joann Fabrics for $5.

I used a ceramic pumpkin that I got years ago from Home Goods. It isn’t meant to have lights in it, but I just pushed a string of twinkle lights through the bottom to light it up! Two wood houses and some amber jugs with wheat complete the top.

On either side, I used the large glass containers from Walmart. These are only $12 each, such a steal!

I put a fall garland from Michaels into the bottom, and then placed one of my milk glass pieces in the center. Inside of that, I added a candle. The glow is so pretty coming though the glass!

The table decor is simple, but I’m really loving it.

Each place setting started with these gorgeous macrame placemats from Snug Life. They create a beautiful base for the rest of the place setting and the texture adds so much dimension. I used my basic white dishes. I always say that white dishes are a must have for any home!

You can find very reasonably priced cutting boards at Marshall’s and Home Goods. I got these for $4-$5 and that wasn’t a sale price. They make great layering pieces plus they are a lot of fun to make individual charcuterie boards for your family and guests.

A cute little fabric pumpkin cupcake on top adds just a little pop of color. These are in my shop, and there are two different styles to choose from.

Finally I added this beautiful wood lantern that was made by a friend. Another one of those small fall garlands from Hobby Lobby wrapped around it was just the perfect touch. And of course, another candle.

Lastly, I decked out my newest addition. This cute corner shelf was a fun yard sale find. I added a few vintage pieces, pops of foliage here and there, and of course pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins!

You can find some more fall inspiration here, as well as a DIY on how to create a high end look garland on a budget.

If you are looking for a little bit of fall table inspiration, check out last year’s farmhouse kitchen table.

I am so glad that you stopped by and visited my fall dining room. I hope that something sparked some inspiration for you! Let me know what you think of everything, and then tell me if you have started adding fall touches to your home yet.

Don’t forget to pin this image for inspiration and to help you find these ideas again faster.

Each month I get to join a wonderful group of bloggers for our monthly It’s Good to Be Home Blog Hop. These ladies are amazing. They are so talented and creative, and I know that you will enjoy all that they are offering today. Be sure to hop over to each blog to check them out!

The Ponds Farmhouse

Robyn’s Southern Nest

My Weathered Home

Southern Spangled

The Frugal Homemaker

At Home in the Wildwood