French Country: Fall Inspiration in the Living Room

When gusty winds begin to rattle leaves outside my window 

and we start to enjoy the feel of jeans and sweaters again,

I like to embrace the warmth of the Fall season in my living room 

with colors, textures and light.

Mantels are the easiest place to add touches of Fall to your room. 

This clock seems to remind us that as the seasons change, time is passing by.

I couldn't resist a couple of these velvet pumpkins for the mantel.

Can you believe it has started snowing in the high country in Colorado

and resorts are prepping the slopes for the ski season? Not being a skier, 

I'd rather curl up on the couch next to a nice fire with a warm throw and a good book.

My living room looks a little different since we decided to downsize . . . our couch that is. 

Although we loved our big Pottery Barn sofa, it was simply too big for this small room.
We gave it to a college girl who was renting a house across the street. She loved it.

At an estate sale, we found this loveseat (newly reupholstered) and it was the perfect size.

I had some hesitation about having a white couch since we do have a dog but 

I simply cover the seat with a white blanket. Easy to wash and remove when visitors stop by.

You may have noticed we also downsized our coffee table. 

This was a really hard decision for me because I loved our BIG rustic table . . . 

. . . but when we found this smaller table at another estate sale
we knew it was just what we'd been looking for.
The room feels so much more spacious now. 

With a 1940s French vibe, the table once belonged to the family of a former Colorado governor. 

The nice thing about this table is it can easily go from elegant with a few silver accessories . . . 

. . . to rustic with antlers, Indian corn and vintage books -- a warm look for Fall. 

As evenings are getting cooler, I like to dig out the chunky throws to wrap up in.

Apparently, Roxy likes them too.

A small table next to the leather recliner holds a simple arrangement in a silver pitcher.

Soft light is filtered through airy linen curtains. 

Candlelight, even when it is tiny, always brings a warm ambiance to a room. 

The colorful coasters are from Provence. 

Across the room I added just a few natural fall touches to the dining room table.

This moody painting is one of my favorites;
it whispers to me of Fall with its changing colors of a time gone by.

So, as we say goodbye to September, 

I hope you enjoy the beauty of Fall inside . . . 

and out. 

Happy Fall from Colorful Colorado!

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards and see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Blue Willow House, Little Farmstead, Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch,
Coastal Charm, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, 21 Rosemary Lane, Katherines Corner, French Country Cottage,
My Thrift Store Addiction

Tag Along on a Historic Home Tour

Fall is the perfect time for home tours. 

One of our favorite activities, home tours offer an opportunity to peek inside beautiful houses
while strolling through some lovely neighborhoods. 

A home tour in the Historic Baker District in Denver gave us a chance to visit six eclectic homes 

including Queen Annes, Victorians, Classic Cottages, Bungalows, Denver Squares
and even a Hobo Craftsman. 

Baker was first developed in the 1870s and currently has about 5,000 residents. 

We enjoyed walking from home to home on old sandstone sidewalks
in this quirky neighborhood of red brick and frame houses.

It was easy to imagine the carriage houses behind the main house stabling horses while 

streetcars clanged up and down nearby Broadway, a main avenue leading to downtown Denver. 

The houses are all a little different and are well maintained and creatively painted.

Buildings here are tightly packed,
some having only a few inches between them.

Most of the houses were built in the 1890s and early 1900s.

While many of these houses have been renovated, we enjoyed seeing original features 

such as this transom window with metal hardware,

this beautiful blue tile fireplace with a distinctive sculpted frieze,

and even an original doorbell knob that turned manually.
And it still works!

Our tour ended with a Hobo Craftsman built in 1928 for $100.

Constructed with recycled materials, the eclectic home is filled with art and unusual collections.

There are several cobblestone out buildings on the large lot, 

some used by transients during the Depression.

This home tour on a crisp fall day gave us a new appreciation
for this unique Denver neighborhood
and a better feel for the history of its people. 

My kind of perfect day. 

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Blue Willow House, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings,
Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style,
A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, 21 Rosemary Lane, Katherine's Corner,
My Thrift Store Addiction, French Country Cottage

French Country: A Quiet Transition into Fall

Fall arrives next week and I find I'm looking around the house, wondering how I will transition
my decor into the new season. I want to keep it simple and dramatic all at the same time.

Fall decor takes it cue from nature: hillsides covered in gold, 

bugling elk in the mountain meadows, leaves crunching underfoot, 

fruit pies warm from the oven, and cool, fresh air.

Definitely one of my favorite times of year.

I thought I'd try a fall look on my chippy red farm table.

All the paint colors, chips and scars tell a story of a well-loved piece
so sometimes I leave it bare.

Here's the current look -- summery, fresh, ready for a picnic.

But with fall just around the corner, it's time for a mini-makeover.

It's always fun to look back for inspiration.

This earthy basket filled with apples was from last year's dining room table. 

The southwestern look always makes me think of fall trips to Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

White pumpkins, antlers and nuts on a white platter is simple fall perfection. 

OK, so I'm inspired. Let's get busy.

First thing I do is remove everything from the table and start from scratch.

I love vintage tablecloths so I pull a couple of my favorites out of my storage cupboard 

to see what might bring a fall flavor to the table.
This little table is the perfect size for old tablecloths.

I also consider a burlap runner.

But finally decide on this squash-colored tablecloth, a gift from my dear friend, Rusty. 

I love its simple, warm beauty, perfect for fall.

Oh, and I just have to tell you about this little chair I found at Goodwill for $12. 
The wood was dull and extremely dried out; the legs and seat were clogged with dirt and cobwebs. But it was sturdy and I could see its hidden beauty so I took it home and cleaned it up.
A furniture expert told me it's probably English and from the 1800s. 
It's actually quite comfortable and now I'm always watching Goodwill for its mate!

Back to decorating for fall. What kind of centerpiece should I use?
We often think of brilliant red leaves and bright orange pumpkins for fall color
but neutrals can be just as seasonal and as lovely.
Gathering several objects, I'll try different arrangements and see what works.

Maybe some ironstone and an old breadboard.
Love how it looks but it may be too much for such a small table.
The small basket with the forks in it graced our supper table every night when I was growing up.
It was always filled with sliced white Wonder bread.

I like to use a tray or platter as a base. 

It anchors the centerpiece and makes it easy to move when we want to use the table.

Aren't these little metal chicks adorable?

Baskets have a nice natural feel that quietly complement the season.

I'm liking this neutral palette indoors this fall so I'll enjoy the bright colors outside.

Happy Fall Everyone!

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards and see all my favorite photos.
Thanks!!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Blue Willow House, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings,
Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style,
A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, 21 Rosemary Lane, Katherine's Corner,
My Thrift Store Addiction, French Country Cottage

French Country Garden: Endless Summer

Just when I thought summer was over, 

a new flush of late-blooming flowers burst upon the scene in my French Country garden.

Is it the slightly cooler weather and a bit more rain that gave my garden a second wind?

After an afternoon shower, everything is fresh, dust bathed away and stale air cleansed.

Pools of watery crystal beads lie on a rose bush leaf like a broken string of pearls.

Whatever the reason, gorgeous flowers are sprinkled throughout the garden
that I thought had run out of gas. 

They're even sprouting in the cracks in the sidewalk.

I'd just finished cutting some perennials down to their fresh basal growth 

when I noticed this unexpected flush of flowers.

(The tall pink flower is agastache, my favorite perennial.)

These yellow flowers have popped up everywhere.

Good thing I like them!

(Rudbeckia are easy to grow and reseed themselves.)

I have big trees in my yard so my garden is quite shady.

I don't get masses of flowers
which may be why I appreciate each singular flower more.

(White flowers are garlic chives in bloom.)

The potted plants have taken off too.

These urns have never looked so lush and full.

Can you spot my little garden assistant, never too far away?

Hopefully, my late-bloomers will last through September 

when golden hues paint the aspen trees 

and asters add a soft shade of purple to the garden.

I have learned many life lessons from Mother Nature and I think this time
she is telling me when you feel like you've run out of gas and are ready to quit,

think about these late-bloomers and don't give up. Your season isn't over yet.

Draw on your inner strength and you may get another chance to bloom again.

(Japanese anemone buds ready to bloom).

I'm grateful for this endless summer in the garden. 

Truly a blessing.

Thinking of our friends in Texas, Florida and the Northwest. 

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see my favorite photos.
Thank you!!

***

Linking with:
Little Farmstead, Shabby Art Boutique, Blue Willow House, Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch,
Coastal Charm, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, 21 Rosemary Lane, Katherine's Corner, My Thrift Store Addiction,
French Country Cottage