I love to walk home store shop floors early in the mornings before anyone else has arrived. It inspires me.
As I walked a floor recently, I was awestruck by the one thing that tied each room together: Fall foliage.
Florals are always fantastic, but this season, I felt as though I was seeing them with fresh eyes.
It’s true — fall foliage is having a moment
Incorporating floral elements into fall designs just made perfect sense. I love celebrating fall, especially through design, though the season seems fleeting. So for now, I am looking for timeless pieces that can make the transition to Christmas.
This mantelpiece is a fantastic example. The stag head is an element that could be put up in the fall and transition through to Christmas. The candlesticks could ride out the holiday season, to be swapped with something lighter and brighter in the spring.
How to achieve this look: This stag head was affixed to the wall using professional help and needed to be anchored in place above the mirror. We wreathed the stag in gold and green garland to incorporate an organic element into the design. We polished the look with a series of symmetrical candles on either side for balance.
Different ways to feature fall foliage
If you don’t want to block a piece of art or beautiful mirror from view, we don’t blame you. Keep your visual interest at the edge of the piece to allow your eye to travel across it. Layer in everyday items at varying heights for a design full of movement. In this mantel, monochromatic books and gourds lend to the autumnal motif without stealing the show from the striking red dahlias in the floral arrangement.
How to achieve this look: A floral arrangement layered between everyday items makes for a stunning mantelpiece. We took monochromatic books and pumpkins and tucked them on the mantel, ensuring that they were playfully stacked at differing heights.
We then crafted this floral centerpiece using moody red dahlias and seasonal stems. The more stems the merrier for this bouquet for a full but not heavy look. Don’t forget the candlesticks. We placed one on a stack of books to allow your eye to travel from the floral arrangement all the way across the mirror.
Fall foliage in full force
Not just for use during the holidays, fall garland and picks can create quite the statement, like on this mantel. Blue and white matches everything. The tried and true color combo really lets the colors of the season do the talking in this design.
How to achieve this look: To re-create a statement autumnal arrangement, add in your big stems and larger foliage first, then layer in the smaller stems to add fullness and visual interest. The beauty of this design is in its simplicity.
We recommend a long and thin container for your blooms, to ensure it isn’t too deep for the mantel, and to give your arrangement some room to spread out.
The season isn’t officially here until my mantel has been updated. It is usually where I start with a seasonal changeover at home. Whether you like to swap out a few simple elements or completely redesign, these focal points in your home make for great places to display your love of seasonal decor.
Katie Laughridge writes for Tribune News Service.
