simple autumn inspiration

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quick refresh: succulent corner

Well it's officially autumn, and though it's my favourite time of year, I also hate to see all the green go away. So this year I'm giving my dining room a quick refresh by creating a corner filled with succulents as a way to bring the green inside year-round. 

I got the hanging garden from my sweet family who came to visit this summer - picked up from the awesome shop Centro Garden in Burlington. Friends had given me a terrarium from West Elm that I now put to use, and I added a cactus in an antique crock to the mix. Finally, I added one more succulent in a dollar store container that I wrapped in birch bark from my home in New Brunswick. This and a wood cutting board add a natural modern rustic feel. 

Great way to refresh your home for the long haul through winter, don't you think? 

natural fall table setting

As you know I love table settings. Especially ones that use natural elements. At the market recently I picked up some fresh Ontario peaches and squash, paired them with white dishes, a wooden bowl from Crate & Barrel and a new linen place mat from C&B as well. Easy, affordable and natural. Gotta love Fall! 

monday refresh: no cost gallery wall

I've recently created two different gallery walls - no money spent- by simply gathering various existing frames from the home and filling them with home-made art, personal photography, prints from old calendars, and vintage posters. 

The first was at my parent's country home on the East Coast. The grouping is in all black frames to create unity. 

 This small gallery in a different corner of the same room groups wood frames. The pictures are from old calendars, and the leaves are from good ol' Mother Nature. 

The next was in my powder room which has a blank white wall and a wallpapered wall behind the toilet. I wrapped the gallery around the two walls and mixed up the frames to add some interest to a small space like this. 

Hope you are inspired to refresh a wall without purchasing anything new! 

enter : autumn

Does your entryway need a refresh? Simply paint your door a soft almost-autumn colour for a doorway that will charm and welcome. 

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before and after: upcycled vintage lamp

I found a beautifully shaped vintage mid-century modern lamp in Alberta before I moved, and never had time to refresh it and put it on display. Until now. 

I was inspired by the amazing fabrics in the concentration of shops along Ottawa Street in Hamilton. They are gems! I found a taupe and white cotton that is reminiscent of the 60's, and also would go well in my home office, which is turquoise. 

The lamp when purchased was in fantastic shape except for the shade, which was outdated and stained. 

BEFORE

I cleaned up the lamp itself, painted the inside of the shade white to cover stains, and then simply cut a long strip of the fabric, slightly wider than the shade, and rolled it on tight with the help of my trusty hot glue gun. 

So simple and cheap (the lamp was $10 and the fabric was $6), and so much more sustainable and interesting than buying a new lamp! 

Happy refreshing everyone. 

nothing gold can stay

Etsy

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf,

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day

Nothing gold can stay.

~Robert Frost

transition to autumn by bringing natural colours inside

Yep, it's the time of year when just a hint of Fall is in the air and I begin to make a few small refreshes inside to mirror the transition outside. You don't need to go overboard though. Just add a few of the late summer pale natural colours like peach and yellow in small ways - vases, candles, pillows, curtains, new handmade paintings. Maybe even a headboard! Have fun. 

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real life inspiration: market fresh

Happy September! Don't you just love this culmination of warm days, cool nights, and harvest colours? The farmers markets are filled with goodies - and the colours are amazing. Like these peaches, fresh from orchards here in southern Ontario. 

It's inspiring for Fall decorating. I'll be posting some design tips and inspiration featuring harvest colours over the next little while. For now, feast your eyes on the abundance of natural hues from the earth - from the stalls of St. Jacob's Market. 

Happy Long Weekend!