Pumpkin Sage Candles and a Twisty Handle Basket
I couldn’t wait any longer. The garden was telling me fall was on the way so I took it as an excuse to add autumn warmth indoors.
When we had the back of our bookcases flanking the family room mantel painted Sherwin Williams Sea Salt, I joined the “Sea Salt Club” as it is a popular paint color. It is a lovely blue-green shade and was just the right color to go with my usual blue-gray favorite.
We have had this little pumpkin guy (see below) for a while. Our kids have loved him and he signals fall. I decided he really needed some sage pillar candles to go with him and our new Sea Salt paint. When I came across pumpkin sage scented candles (in a set of three sizes!), they came home with me. If you follow along on my Instagram, you know the gardener in me is obsessed with herbs, and right now, especially sage.
I have a lovely farmhouse wooden mirror centered on the mantel and on the other side a tiny little house with windows that light up at night, sage green pumpkins, and a basket whose twisty handle makes me happy.
An Amish, French Country Dining Room
When we bought our second home, we splurged for our dining room and ordered a handmade Amish dining table, chairs, and hutch. We had to wait six months for them, but it was worth it. Not a day goes by that I don’t wander through this space and admire the huge table (it converts to seat 10 — great for our large, extended family). I’m a fan of French country, farmhouse, and cottage decor and confess we have a bit of it all throughout our home. I’m pushing more toward modern French country so when updating our home, I lightened up the dining room with white accessories like a French market cart and a whitewashed wood chandelier.
I kept the table runner white and went with a farmer’s market theme of apples and artichokes (TAG candles), faded fall leaves, and a white pumpkin on a white cake stand. The charcuterie paddle says, “Happy everything.” That about covers it!
On the French market cart is a rustic wire basket filled with several favorite books. “Atlanta At Table” is a cherished gift filled with tablescape ideas from local designers that I received as a volunteer at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The ceramic pumpkin is a piece I collected from a Virginia potter I admire.
The Kitchen Pantry Shelf
Above our kitchen pantry is a shelf I use for both storage and design. With the change of seasons, I move items on and off this shelf and place items I will pull for entertaining. Yes, that is Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, peeking from the corner where I change out favorite cookbooks on small shelves (an IKEA spice rack hack). I may or may not have four of her books.
The new addition this year is the sweetest blue-gray (there’s that favorite color!) pumpkin-shaped ramekin I came across. It is front and center.
I have already designated it as the breakfast ramekin in which I will make individual servings of pumpkin pie baked oatmeal (for me, that is — my favorite pie is pumpkin so why not?).
Floating Shelves from a Barn, Well Sorta
The floating shelves above our beverage bar are reclaimed Amish barn wood (we converted a useless kitchen desk to a coffee/beverage bar — genius use, try it). You can even see the old nail holes in some of the wood. They are a new addition that brings warmth to our white kitchen.
I elevated a favorite glazed, ceramic pumpkin on a mini cake stand. It’s sandwiched between my old, Bodum coffee press and a teacup candle holder. This also represents my love for coffee and tea, and, um, pumpkin.
An Eclectic Mix of Color
Every day through generous windows, the kitchen table is flooded with light. Best place to greet the morning sun with a cup of coffee from nearby. I placed a French country navy blue and white grain sack runner and pitcher on the table and then used pretty much every fall color from the rest of the house to decorate.
There are navy blue pillar candles, copper mule mugs, yellow Chinese lantern florals, yellow farmer’s market scented votive candles, a light coral pumpkin, a sage green wooden house sign, AND sparkly leaves with all of those colors. Sounds like a lot, but they are pretty muted and blend well together — just like in nature.
The French country touches are new and the fall items I stole from the past. My creative side loves to see it all flow together. Hope this provides some inspiration. Use what you have and love and add in some new. Happy fall! Happy everything!
