How To NOT OVER DECORATE For FALL!

   Keep It Simple, Keep it Natural

GOAL:

To add texture and warmth with the additions of a few Autumn touches.

There are copious amounts of Fall home tours going around blog land right now and it is a great way to get ideas and inspiration that you might apply to your own home.

I have seen the:

THE GOOD 

THE NOT SO GOOD

&

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY DO THAT? 

 There is nothing worse than when a home's decor looks as if it should have price tags on everything. Also remember not everything requires a bow!!

Of course it is all subjective, and I am a self-proclaimed a less is more, big is better kind of gal when it comes to decor. 

If you are a more is more kind of gal, please don't take offense to my methods, it is just what works for me and what I'd like to share with you today.

 My perspective comes from let's keep it simple and natural as possible.

Seasonal decorating can be tricky because it is so easy to get carried away. 

We have so many offerings out there, and social media and the internet has opened up so many opportunities in the decorating world.

The very first thing you need to do is to remove all the accessories in your room so you have a clean slate. 

Then slowly move the larger additions you would like to add, and create your layers, always keeping in mind less is more, and you don't have to have everything you own out all at once. 

I have a few guidelines that I use when doing seasonal decorating.

1. Keep it simple
2. Use natural elements whenever possible
3. Choose 3 different areas in your home to decorate.
4. Just like on the stage, there should only be one star in a room 
5. Repeat elements to give continuity to your home, I like to use 2- 3 main elements in my Fall decor.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE 

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My home

USE NATURAL ELEMENTS

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CHOOSE THREE DIFFERENT AREAS TO DECORATE

ENTRY:

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MANTEL

I am going to show you a little contrast here. The first mantel is what I would call simple, natural and tasteful Fall decor. The second mantel is in the, "Let's put a price tag on this stuff and sell it!"

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The Don't Do This!!

You will notice the only thing natural in this arrangement are the candles. They could have saved themselves so much money and work by doing something simple and natural.

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 If you need a little help in doing your mantel I have a step by step blog post that can help you out. 

Read it HERE!

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE STAR IN THE ROOM

What I mean by this is if you have a dining room attached to your kitchen decide where you will put the Fall decor, the table , island or counters. If you have Fall decor everywhere, the eye will be bouncing around the room and not be able to relax and enjoy the view.

The same for your living room or Great room. If you want the mantel to be the focal point then you should keep the coffee table and end tables very simple.

Remember to always enter your room and stand back to see if the eye flows seamlessly or if you have moments of jumping around from one area to another. Your home should have a flow and continuity.

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Of course these are all just guidelines and methods that I have found that work for me over the years.  

Nothing in design is ever in cement or an absolute.

Use your own discretion and keep in mind at all times the look and feel you want your home to have. 

Keep in mind........

You will have to put away ALL the stuff you put out in order to do your Christmas decorating. Ho-Hum sigh!! That just might be what puts a limit on the more is more look!!

 

 

A FASHION POST: How To Wear Plaid Pants

How To Wear Plaid Pants And Still Look Like A Grown-Up!!

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Plaid has been on the fashion scene for several years now.

We can all wear a cute plaid shirt in cotton, or flannel with our jeans, and feel in style, and quite comfortable. 

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However, when it comes to plaid pants we are not all quite as brave, or adventurous.

Plaid pants were huge in the 80’s, and they were a staple in my wardrobe back then. 

I had a black watch plaid pair, and a cute red plaid pair of pants that were go-to wardrobe staples in the winter months.

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I was one happy lady when I saw plaid pants emerge again. 

I purchased a black watch plaid pant at the beginning of the winter season, and I must say those pants have become my go-to pair of pants.

Since I have enjoyed wearing my plaid pants I thought I would share a few ways to wear them that are appealing to me.

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When I saw this outfit I immediately ordered a mustard sweater. I knew it would make a good combination for me, since mustard is a color I can seem to wear with my coloring. 

One very important detail  I want you to all notice is the proportions in the outfit above. 

PROPORTIONS, PROPORTIONS PROPORTIONS, LADIES!!!

The sweater is not pulled down around her hips, which is a good thing it would only shorten her legs.

She also has a V-neck sweater, which is also a good idea since  that will elongate her neck, and make her look thinner. If you don't have a V-neck sweater try wearing a long pendant to elongate your look.

She accessorized with one great statement necklace, and  simple cuff bracelet. This was a very smart choice. She kept the plaid, and the pop of color in the sweater the focus.

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I love the pop of the red shoe with this outfit. It feels a bit unexpected, and makes this outfit more fun, and interesting.

The layered tops are dark enough to make your top look slimmer. 

The shirt peeking out of the bottom of the black sweater is fun, but to be honest it is peeking out just a tad too much. If you decide to wear the peeking shirt tail make sure it is just barely peeking out.

Also remember with this look you are creating a horizontal line  across your body that is going to stop the eye unless it is close to the color of the pant. 

A simple black purse would have been a bit more classic, and I would have added pearl stud earrings, and a simple strand of pearls. I almost always wear one gold bangle so that would have been my choice of bracelets.

I know layering of bracelets is in style and I love the look, BUT and I do mean a big BUT,you do not want to over accessorize, and become a TREND-ZILLA. So keep that in mind when adding layer upon layer.

Helpful Hint:

When you know you are wearing one very current trend try to not overload on other trends, keep the other pieces more classic and simple. Let the trend speak for itself.

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I  love every element of this outfit.

Unfortunately I can no longer wear a high heel so I would opt for a leopard flat, but every other piece is a smart and classic look.

For the winter I would also wear this ensemble with a black turtle neck and a simple long gold pendant necklace.

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In this outfit collage you can see the person shows 6 different  shoe options. 

I personally would not choose the nude shoes, only because I think the plaid needs a little more weight as in the leopard or the black shoes.

The chambray shirt is fun, but with the accessories I think the shirt needs to have a bit more tailoring, and I would never wear a huge statement necklace with a shirt that has two pockets. 

Too much going on in one small area. A more tailored chambray in a darker color would be a more classic choice for me personally.

HELPFUL HINT:

When choosing a necklace keep in mind what is going on around where the necklace will be placed. If there is a yoke, collar and pockets, keep the necklace simple, or do not wear one at all, try statement earrings instead.

Two pair of plaid pants that I like……..

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Classic black watched plaid, slim cut ankle pant.

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Fun red, cobalt and black plaid on a winter white background. Slimmer cut ankle length pant.

The current way to wear plaid pants is a slimmer cut, and hemmed at the ankle. 

When wearing this look make sure you can see skin, that is key. 

I just ordered these pants at a great sale price of $29.99 marked down from $89.00. 

One thing about these pants, they will hem them to your desired length, and if they don’t fit you can still return them, now that is what I call great customer service, and the hemming is FREE!!

I love fashion almost as much as I do interior design, and I hope you enjoy my post on fashion from time to time.

I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, however I do like to dress well, and feel good in my clothes, so that keeps me on my toes with my ever changing body at this age, if you know what I mean.

Have fun with your wardrobe, study what is out there and find the looks and proportions that are right for your body type.

I have 18 pinboards on fashion that are at the top of my pinterest page if you would like to see what I like to wear.

Click HERE to go to my pinterest page.

More post on wearing plaid can be found:

HERE

Getting More For Less

Designers are often considered lucky people because they have resources at their finger tips that the consumer, or home owner does not have access too.

This is true BUT it is their keen eye to detail that sets them apart. 

I loved the saying above because it does not  always take a lot of money to design, or decorate a room.

However, it does take a keen eye to see the special detail, or quality in pieces that might be passed by because of the store, or the preconception that it could not possibly be worth buying because of the pricing.

This is where a good designer can really save you money on your project. 

When it comes to quality in furniture that you want to  keep long term, it is wise to invest in good solid pieces, especially in a sofa, but if you find that you like to change things up a bit more often, or maybe your budget won’t allow for the best quality piece at the moment, at least go for something that has good lines, and proportions.

A friend of mine taught me a saying a long time ago that I like to use when I find something at a great price that looks like a much more expensive piece……

LLM can be a challenge at times, but if you keep your eyes, and mind open you will be surprised at what you can find. 

Sometimes it might even be in your home already.

By placing a piece in a different room, or displaying it differently it can become a piece that you admire and enjoy having in your home.

If you are not familiar with the blog Copy Cat Chic you need to start putting it on your daily blog list.

Reichel Broussard has a keen eye for style, and design, and she is decorating her own home with her keen sense of design and style on a tight budget.

On her blog she will show you a piece that cost more and then a piece that looks very much like the more expensive piece for less.

Here is an example that caught my eye this week……

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Urban Outfitters Ava Velvet Tufted Sleeper Sofa
^$749

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Walmart 9 by Novogratz Vintage Tufted Sofa Sleeper
^$349

Neither piece is terribly expensive, but if money is tight you can get the same look for $349 instead of paying $749. 

Do the math!! That is a $400 savings.

 LESSON TO BE LEARNED!

The lesson in this post is to not limit your creativity by where you will shop. Stay open to all possibilities.

I hear people say all the time, “ Oh I can’t afford anything in that store so I never shop there!”

BIG MISTAKE

The only way to educate yourself is to study good design at higher price points so when you see something that possibly cost less you will know it has good proportions, design, and it is worth purchasing.

This will be like an adventure! I call it treasure hunting!!

PRACTICE THIS….

……I want you to find a piece that you absolutely love! You probably already have one in mind. Maybe it is a piece that you can not afford at the moment.

Now I want you to look at the silhouette, the overall design and proportions. 

Next I want you to go perusing on line to find a piece similar at a less costly price. Don’t limit yourself by not looking at all different online shops. Remember the goal is to find something that LLM!

You will not only have fun, but it will be so rewarding if you find something you love that you can actually afford now.

CHANGE THIS WAY OF THINKING

So many people only think from the perspective of, “I will never be able to have anything that nice!” 

That is such a sad way to look at your life, and it actually closes you off to all the possibilities that are out there for you to enjoy now.

One last thing for you to do…….

Look at the room you want to change up a bit, and think of new ways to arrange the pieces. De-clutter, and maybe add something from another room to give it new life. 

OPEN UP YOUR MIND!!

THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS