9.07.2011

A Simple Harvest

It might be best to begin this post with a photo of how I decorated in the past. I've always been a fall junkie and the sight of pumpkins (real or fake) still gives me heart palpitations, but my style has changed and evolved into one of a more subtle fall look. I liked how Virgina put it in the comments yesterday, "show, don't tell" - she nailed how I've changed in my decorating style over the last year. So here's the BEFORE:

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This photo was taken a couple of years ago and is actually toned down quite a bit from what I used to put out for fall. For being a rather plain person, it was always a bit of a surprise (even to me) that I went with floral curtains and rug (I had matching pillows for a while too) and a plaid couch. The blue pillows on the aforementioned couch were made by my mom shortly after Peter and I were married, and I loved them...11 years ago. I did keep the one in the middle because my mom cross-stitched three pumpkins on it and I had a hard time parting with something she put that kind of work into (it's now on our bed - as you'll see).

But enough of the before, let's start looking at some AFTER. It's still a work in progress and I'm continually tweaking and rearranging and trying to make it more comfortable, but I like the way it's headed. Here's the new look (and new Ikea Ektorp couch) in our living room...

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The bedroom is another area where I want a splash of fall, but I don't need it to scream at me. I have a beautiful fall quilt, but the thing is so heavy and warm that we can't even use it until October at the earliest. However, wanting to spread some autumn cheer to our boudoir, I flipped the quilt that I had been using and added some orange sheets and shams that I picked up at Ikea over the week-end.

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And while we're discussing Ikea, yes, the bed is new too. After 11 years of using the bed frame that belonged to my parents and my grandparents, we decided it was time for an upgrade (but loving that Ikea price!). A little rearranging (thanks to the new bed and the couch purchase) and we now have someplace to sit in our bedroom as well! With the new bed, we're discussing the idea of painting the dressers (same era as our old bed frame) black and changing out the hardware. We'll have to see if/when that happens.

The rest of the house is still in the process of being cleaned up and cleaned out. I'm fairly sure that when I'm done, there's going to be a large pile to be donated and not a lot of fall decorations other than the real pumpkins and gourds that I have sitting around. And I'm okay with that. I have a couple of pillows I need to sew up and toss into chairs (probably in the other two living room chairs that you can't see in the photo), but otherwise, I think I'm done.

Simple is good my friends.


10 comments:

  1. your house is beautiful! I love your colors (I have an almost identical color scheme in my house!) AND, I didn't even notice your chair rail red until you cleared away all the other colors/patters from the room. Simple, clean, lovely.

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  2. Gorgeous!! I love the colors and everything looks so subtle and pulled together and relaxing. Your Ektorp looks great...we also bought a neutral Ektorp this summer and it makes the living room so much more versatile.

    Thanks for sharing your pictures!

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  3. Looks good! I love the new couch and bed frame. I've got to hit up an Ikea sometime! Anyway, I like the pared-down simplified look... much more relaxing. Happy fall (almost)!

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  4. I like the orange sheets a lot. You're making me want to make a pilgrimage to Ikea with all your great finds. :)

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  5. Your house looks so nice!!! :) Love the colors and the furniture and the hardwood floors! I really enjoy before and after pictures like this.

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  6. Nicely done. Love the new changes! The living room is really looking great and your floors are gorgeous.
    IKEA rocks...half our house is IKEA. Plus we hate the German's taste in furniture. Yikes. :)

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  7. Thanks everyone! You're all very kind in your comments. I'm really enjoying playing around with the house and I like the way it's turning out so far.

    For those who haven't been to Ikea - GO!!

    @Beth - closest one to us is Charlotte, NC (approx. 3 hours from E'ton)

    @Molly - The Atlanta Ikea wouldn't be that far from you I wouldn't think.

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  8. Those rooms are very beautifully and tastefully decorated. I love the pillow your mom made! I don't think it was too over-the-top before though, but then my mom's a bit of a maximalist when it comes to decor (which I enjoy in her, but don't want all the crap in my house)! ; ) Anyway, really nice fall looks!

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  9. LOVE the decor!! And isn't IKEA wonderful?!

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