Fall Hunting Season

Living in Virginia we are blessed to be able to experience each season to its fullest. We are now amidst the beautiful colors of autumn, enjoying the backdrop of yellow, orange, red and green. These basic colors seem to take on a whole new spectrum during the fall. Our natural environment assumes hues of amber, butterscotch, pumpkin, salmon, rust, scarlet, chartreuse, forest green, plum and eggplant, just to name a few.

As we head into the holiday season, many of us are thinking about decorating our homes for Thanksgiving. With a variety of places to find decorative accents for your home, the first place we suggest before hunting through the stores is the outdoors.

The outdoors:

Collecting decorative elements from the outdoors is the perfect way to prepare your home for Thanksgiving. Leaves, acorns, pine cones, greenery, mums and cereal plants (wheat, maize, straw, etc.) are lovely accents, many of which symbolize the American attributes of strength, power, patience, positivity and prosperity. Searching for these items can become a family tradition. Take your kids on a scavenger hunt near your home or the local nursery. When the kids see the treasures they have found displayed throughout your home, it is sure to warm their hearts and bring a smile to their faces.

The food markets:

Grocery stores, farmers markets and orchards offer a variety of edible and beautiful fall décor this time of year. Apples, pears, nuts and gourds present a diverse array of autumnal colors as well as flavors. Don’t forget to pick up a mixed bouquet of fall flowers, too. Hunting for these items makes for another fun family outing.

The attic:

Thanksgiving is a time when we reflect upon all the blessings God has given us. For most of us, our family is at the top of our list of blessings and honoring our family history becomes more important during this season. This is the time to bring out the recipes, serving pieces, china, flatware, silver, glassware and tablecloths which have seen generations of our family’s history. As we use these items, we may recall our family’s oral history and enduring traditions.

The shops:

The final place we suggest to search for Thanksgiving décor are local shops. If you must buy something to complete your autumn decor, consider thrift, consignment and antique stores like Thrift Storecenter on Sherwood Hall Lane and on Richmond Highway. They are great resources for giving your space an update without spending a lot of money. If you’re not used to shopping in these places, they can be quite overwhelming. There are many treasures to be found, but typically only if you enter knowing what you seek. Before your treasure hunt, pinpoint the areas in your home that you would like to decorate. Once you have your list of areas, take note of the amount of space you have and the best type of vessel to display in that area.

The elements and principals:

For the fun part of pulling it all together, we seek to incorporate the elements and principals of good design. A great way to accessorize is by grouping like items. Grouping pieces with similar elements such as color, pattern, texture and shape versus scattering these items creates greater emphasis. For example, collect several amber glass vessels, group them together and fill them with your outdoor scavenger hunt finds. Be sure to look for shapes that are well proportioned when grouped. Different items with a common motif displayed together create visual harmony. Game birds are a handsome fall motif that can be found on glassware and china. Brown English transferware and china in shades of fall are also some of our favorite autumnal accessories. Trays, vessels and baskets made of natural materials like copper, pewter, silver and wood blend well into fall décor. Gilded accents offer lovely highlights, too.

Using the ideas we have suggested you can create new traditions as well as a warm and festive gathering place for your family’s holiday celebration. Happy hunting and happy Thanksgiving!

Gracious Living by Design specializes in full-scale interior design projects offering a range of services and custom home furnishings. Owner and Principal Designer, Anna Kucera is a graduate of The George Washington University’s Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design program. If you would like to write to us, please send emails to graciouslivingbydesign@gmail.com.