I grew up in a Northern California mountain town with the most stunning fall foliage. Every year I would anxiously await summer to end so that the season of magic could finally begin. There's something so magical about the leaves turning bright orange, gold and red, the air getting crisper and evenings spent by the fire place getting cozy.
I live in LA now and while I LOVE this city, I miss the Fall season immensely. It's not that we don't have Fall here (we do!) but it just not the same.
For years I've complained about LA's lack of autumn and even would get slightly depressed come this time of year...BUT...no longer! I finally found a solution to my reverse seasonal depression.
If LA doesn't have much of a Fall then I'll bring Fall to LA.
How exactly? By celebrating all that is good about this season and bringing the season to life through my home decor, food and festivities.
Here are some of my favorite ways to spice up my home each year come October...
swap out your pillows, throw blankets and bed sheets
This is hands down the easiest way to completely change the look and feel of a room with minimal effort. It's my favorite way to give any room a facelift without having to go too crazy on the wallet. You can reuse your seasonal pillows and blankets each year making it cost effective. I scooped up these gorgeous accent pillows from H&M for only $12.99/a piece and they've completely revamped my room with that Fall feel. Their simplicity and warm Fall tones make them classic which is great because they won't go out of style.
I love a rustic ticking stripe on pillows and sheets, and the chunkier lines on this particular set from Linens and Hutch really helps set off the accent pillows and fits the heartier, more thick and cozy feel of Fall. The bold stripes juxtaposed against the clean white duvet quilted cover is striking and rich in feel but not overwhelming...slightly eclectic without being too much. Add in the warmth of the gold accent pillow and the rust colored throw blanket and you've got yourself the perfect autumn bed. Some warm Christmas lights hung above the headboard along with some faux gold leaves in a mason jar on my bedside table make for simple, whimsical, and affordable seasonal decor that can be reused year after year. I picked up the leaves from Hobby Lobby for about $5. We actually keep the lights up all year long because they're so stunning and can really go season to season.
fall foliage in lieu of fresh flowers
Stunning, festive, inexpensive and you don't have to deal with the annoying swapping out for fresh ones each week. If you live somewhere where fall leaves are plentiful then you could use real ones for an arrangement but if not, no worries, you can pick up some lovely faux versions at Hobby Lobby or Michaels that you can reuse every year. I'm loving this cascading bunch I got from Hobby Lobby as well as this simple and elegant one I have on my bedside table. I always put them on my mantle, in my entryway, on tables and by our front door. When I sit down at night after a long day and see the warm colored leaves lit up by the glow of a nearby candle it gives me all the cozy fall feels.
head to the pumpkin patch or apple farm
There's nothing more festive or fun than the pumpkin patch...especially if you have kids. From hay rides, to corn mazes, pumpkin filled fields and candy apples, it's a great way to get into the spirit even if the tempature is still in the high 80s and sweaters are out of the question. You can find one on almost every street corner come October, but it's even better to head out of the city to your local farms for more of that country feel. Just north of LA (about 40 minutes out of the city) there's an amazing place called Gilchrist Farms that doesn't dissappoint. On top of the classic pumpkin patch attractions, it also boasts pony rides, an epic hay maze, a petting zoo and a giant sling shot where you can blast pumpkins onto the side of a canyon...plenty of fun to be had! Another great seasonal activity to partake in is heading to an apple farm to go apple picking. Glen Oak is just 2 hours south of LA in the mountains and boasts some beautiful fall color come October. It's riddled with apple farms where you can enjoy hot cider and homemade apple butter AND you can actually bust out that sweater since the mountains get chilly! Who said there's no Fall in So Cal??
Yes that's actual Fall Color here in LA on that tree!
Up Your Front Porch Game
Pumpkins are the classic and obvious choice for front porch decor (I'm loving the more neutral tones of the Cinderella ones) and they are truly all you need, but if you want to up the anti this year I suggest you add in some simple DIY autumn wreaths and a few white and gold mum planters in galvanized steel buckets.
I picked up these natural wood wreaths from Michaels last year and used some black and white checkered ribbon I had in the garage to make simple bows. The wood wreaths are great because you can use them year round and just swap out what you put on them which cuts down on waste and effort. The steel buckets are from Hobby Lobby and were less than $5 each. My favorite part of our porch this year though is the doormat I ordered from Etsy paired with this checkered mat from Amazon which goes with the bows on our wreaths. It makes me so happy every time I see it! Plus the checkers will work great for Christmas too...
Penny's Cute Toddler Girl Fall Outfit
And there you have it! All these things can be enjoyed no matter what the weather is, so don't despair if you don't live in an Autumn Wonderland...just make one yourself and enjoy not freezing your butt off in the process! There's a silver lining to everything 😉
Comments