Once upon a time I started a blog, which meant sharing my home with friends both online and in real life. I quickly learned that blogging forces you to decorate for the seasons well in advance—think Christmas displays appearing in early October. Over the years I’ve adjusted that pace. Lately I’ve chosen family time over rushing to dress the house, so here I am in mid-October, still finishing up fall decor and planning to enjoy it a few weeks before breaking out the Christmas decorations.
If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you know I share seasonal updates each year. Even if your home has been decorated for fall for some time, I hope my kitchen shelves and entryway give you fresh ideas or inspiration for next season. I also enjoy keeping these photos and notes for myself—it’s fun to look back and see how my style evolves year to year.
This year I did something different: not a single touch of orange. Instead I leaned into navy, turquoise, blues, greens and soft blush tones—no fiery reds or traditional orange pumpkins. In past years I tried neutral palettes and often felt something was missing, so I added color. This time the mix of blues, greens and blushes feels complete and right for my home.
I really love how the shelves came together. The lamb’s ear, eucalyptus and cotton stems in the arrangement on the top shelf are the same elements I used on the mantel in the living room, so they create a nice visual flow through the house. For the holidays I’ll likely add a few red berry twigs for Christmas and keep things simple—one of my current goals is less fuss and more enjoyment.
One small DIY element I’m smitten with is the tiny embroidery hoop art tucked in the top corner of the shelves. When I made a pillow using a free printable and iron-on transfer paper, I tested the design on a scrap of drop cloth and cut out just the floral portion. It looked so sweet that I couldn’t toss it—so I framed it in an embroidery hoop. The little pop of pink adds a cheerful, feminine touch to the autumn display.
Get the “Come Thou Fount” free printable: Come Thou Fount Free Printable
If you’d like to make your own embroidery hoop art or try the pillow project, I documented the pillow process using iron-on transfer paper and a free printable. The test piece became this little hoop and brought a sweet accent of pink to my shelves—proof that small DIY touches can have big impact.
The entryway is more restrained than the kitchen shelves. I wanted the Cinderella pumpkin art to be the focal point, so I kept the vignette simple—just a few faux pumpkins and a couple of complementary accents. The artwork has been in my collection for a few years, and its color palette fits perfectly with the blues and greens I’ve used throughout this year’s decor.
If you’re still pulling together fall decor, I hope these photos and ideas help you finish with confidence. We’re finally getting cooler air here in Alabama, so I’m looking forward to enjoying these autumn touches a little longer while the weather outside matches the cozy scenes inside.
Wishing you a lovely day and happy decorating!
Sources:
- DIY “Blessed” Pillow
- Faux Pumpkins – from Michaels (older supply)
- “Come Thou Fount” Free Printable
- Cinderella Pumpkin Art (print)
- DIY Farmhouse Kitchen Shelves
- DIY Painted Dresser with Chalk Paint
- Embroidery hoop art tutorial