Bouncing into Autumn…soon.

Bouncing into Autumn…soon.

While we have 3 weeks of summer left, approximately, it’s not too soon to begin dreaming about how you’d like to transition into fall….when it comes.

First thing is to take a good look at your entry…at the colour of your house. Keep this colour in mind when choosing your entry decor colours!! No orange shades on  a pinkish-red home!! PLEASE!!  If that’s your house colour, then stick with some mellow yellows instead!  Always keep the big ‘picture’ in mind when decorating.   Know someone with a cornfield? see if they could spare a few stalks – stealthfully strap these to your entry or stair posts. this gives some great vertical structure!

Next, see if there are some flowers that could be planted to reinforce your colour scheme. Here in southern BC, near the coast, we can plant pansies – in many shades – that should overwinter.  Use restraint with your colours – vary your plants instead! Pansies don’t come in colours that cooperate with your colours? hunt down some white pansies! they exist! Call around to nurseries and locate them.   Remember, some sheet moss under your plants will hide the bare soil until these plants get going – and around here, the rain will keep it looking fresh!

Don’t want to do a fall planting? find a beautiful obelisk for a pot – and plant even ivy to cover it!!  You can expect the gardener rain to look after keeping THAT green over winter!!

obelisk-and-square-pot1Two of these on the steps or beside the front door would look beautiful!   Have you got a bench or nice (weatherproof) wicker chair? Find an inexpensive plaid throw (in your colours) to lay casually on the back or side of it!! Instant punch!  (bring it in after a month for a quick launder- just so it stays fresh)

Like wreaths? But want to be frugal?  I’m personally quite gaga over Southern Magnolia wreaths..don’t think they need much added to them…but pricey. (in my dreams, in other words!!)   Bare branch grapevine wreaths allow the look and you can change them seasonally. But get a HUGE ONE!  Even if that means you have to mount it to the side of the doors. (door action is hard on wreaths anyway…its all good)   Find a white pointsettia blossom or two for winter…use white pumpkins (yes mini) with some burlap ribbon for fall. (i hope you can picture that)

Additional items to consider:  your garden rake – stand it tines up amidst your fall items (also very handy for constant use), Water can, anything grapevine branch/wicker-like…see here…

instamatic1Our decor outside our homes needs to be weather-tolerant. These items could be wrapped in lights for Christmas/winter also! So think ahead…make your items multi-task for you!!

That’s it for now – wanted to share just enough to get your creative thinking-caps on! (remember when teachers would say “thinking caps”…i always figured i’d lost mine…rofl)

Until later,

Denise

Cottage by the Sea Studio