Autumn Design 2009, Part 1: The Mantel

It is such a great season, so many people love the colors of fall. I'm going to share with you my love for fall design. I made some simple changes today to welcome the autumn season, first attacking my mantel. It's a quick, easy change that can make a bold statement.

My tips for creating a seasonal change to a surface:

• Choose a few seasonal items that looks realistic such as a garland, some fruits/vegetables
• Find things from around your house that you love that will blend in nicely with the colors
• Make sure you have a balance of height- don't choose anything that will overpower the others in size, unless it is a picture or mirror that will serve as a backdrop
• Move things around until it feels aesthetically pleasing
• Step back, go across the room, look at it from different angles to determine if it is right

Some of the things I chose from around the house include the copper cooler and tray (both with brass handles). I thought the copper and brass were perfect accents to the colors of fall. I also used my small hurricane to hold a cute arrangement that was on clearance at Michaels. The pottery was already a part of our mantel, so it wasn't a complete transformation for us. I moved the wheat, also normally there, to the copper cooler and thought it rested nicely at an angle.
I did make some other changes for fall, and plan to share them soon! Please share what you've done for fall, inside or out!