Hello there! Well, the bins of fall decor have finally been pulled up the stairs, and I’m a little shocked at how much beady/leafy/pine coney stuff I’ve accumulated over the years.
I mean, I lurve me some beady stuff, but it’s a little much. :)
I set to work on the family room mantel today and started out putting it together like years past, but quickly realized I quite liked the way I had it decorated already…so I just decided to make some fallish changes and I LOVE it!
I especially love that it only took about 20 minutes and stuff I already had.
I started with some long, branchy, beady thangs I found deep in a storage bin…I don’t even remember buying them. :) I love finding surprises from the previous year! How fun is that?
I piled four of them up across the front of the mantel and fluffed. And fluffed. And fluffed some more:
I love that their twisted branches look so real.
Well, as real as branches with squishy foam beads can look:
:)
Instead of adding a ton of candles across the mantel like I’ve done in the past, I just changed out the cream candles for some in warmer tones:
The warm, fall-inspired candlesticks work perfectly!
I filled the cloche with some fall fillers, but when I stood back, it was looking a bit too busy. So I grabbed a candle stand, perched a twiggy pumpkin on top, and tied a ribbon around the base instead:
I love how the pumpkin ties in the texture of the large rattan platter in the back -- that platter stays up there throughout almost every season because it’s so honkin’ big and fills up the space perfectly.
I was determined to use what I have, and I realized this week I had PLENTY to use. ;)
I’m really pleased with how it turned out!:
I’m not sure where I got the beady stuff last year, but I’m willing to bet it was Hobby Lobby. I’m obsessed with the Hob Lob. The huge gourd was from Michael’s last month – I think $10? The twig pumpkin was a Goodwill find this summer ($1.99!) and the cream ceramic candle stand is from Target (they still have them in the Smith and Hawken section.)
I’ve mentioned before this corner mantel has been a thorn in my decorating side – it’s much deeper than a normal one and not nearly as wide. It’s a bit challenging to make it work, but I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.
It only took six years. :)
I love that I’m able to layer decor a bit more with a mantel like this:
Of course, I especially love it at night…lit candles make just about anything look lovely!:
Have you started fall decorating? Are you feelin’ it yet? Just as I start to get in the fall mood…it’s supposed to get in the 80’s here again this week.
GAH!! Bring on October!! :) (I’ll be putting up the Halloween mantel before I know it!)
**I’m linking this up to Nester’s mantel party and Julia’s fall decorating party!
