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Monday, October 6, 2014

Autumn, past and present.

I didn't go overboard decorating our house for autumn this year,
as I've been known to do in the past.  In fact, I hardly did a thing!



I kept the dining room mantel very neutral.



A new wreath from HomeGoods replaced my sheet music wreath.

Of course I brought out my old pumpkin lamp, which, believe it
or not, I rewired!  Pam (House of Hawthornes) inspired me with her
 easy to follow tutorial.  Thanks Pam! 

Photo from last year on the left and proof that it works on the right!

The lamp is now home to the one and only compact fluorescent light bulb at 911.
Hmpf!  Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?!




I found a new spot for one of the hats I bought at the thrift store. 
My tool caddy centerpiece is filled with brown bottles, candles, and scented pine cones.
I love the spicy smell of cinnamon in the fall.




This little farm girl comes out to play every autumn.



I found the orange heart vase for just a few dollars at an antique shop
and the colors are perfect for our dining room!  I've had the figurine so long
I can't even remember where I got it.


Now, prepare yourself for a frightening sight of autumn past.......

Before & After


Eeek!  The photo on the left was taken...oh, about 6 years ago
when I was still trying to make our old furniture work in this house.
Truth be told, that dining room table and chairs we purchased way back in 1980
 never worked for us, so we gifted it to a needy young couple.
The furniture is still going strong, but unfortunately their marriage isn't.

That's it for the dining room.


I cut the last of my black-eyed Susans to fill canning jars on the
living room mantel.  After trying every mirror I own (and that's quite a few!)
 I settled on the oval mirror to offset the straight lines of the fireplace.

I replaced the old wicker rocking chair with this chippy
 turquoise chair to lighten up the dark brick.




A basket of old quilts covers up the black gas insert
when the fireplace is not in use.


My Limelight hydrangeas really took off this year and provided
plenty of blossoms to fill baskets around the house.

There are a few updates in this corner, like our new clock that actually keeps time.
Imagine that!  I love the color, but it's one more dark element in the room, so
I'm going to paint it a lighter color.  I also changed out our old
lampshades with new linen shades and what a difference it made!


Before & After



Yikes!
The photo on the left was taken 2 years ago, and I'm not missing that dark trim
one little bit!  Now I'm rethinking my decision to leave the fireplace as is.

Looking back, I realize I've made quite a bit of progress in lightening up the rooms
and also in practicing the Less is More design theory........sort of.
  :o)

Well, that's it for now.

Thanks for stopping by!

Vickie

*I'm joining the parties at:
Mod Vintage Life Mod Mix Monday
Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Ivy & Elephants What's it Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson Share your Cup Thursday




37 comments:

  1. Evening Vickie, You have a beautiful home~~~I love a clean, keep it simple look myself! I understand what you mean when one has a piece of "old" furniture that just doesn't work......I'm a weedin' out!! Those blues and oranges are sooo pretty together and my favorite vignette is the blue jars with the black eyed susans (again simplicity at its best)....Of course, hydrangeas steal my heart...yours are uniquely gorgeous~~~Blessings~~~Roxie

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  2. Boy it's amazing how changing out small details can deliver such a bit impact. Your fall décor all adds up to such a warm, brightly lit, cozy home. And I can't believe you re-wired a lamp. I've been so intimidated to try that. I have to visit Pam and read that tutorial. Can someone who is a total computer tech failure do something like that ? :)

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  3. Vickie, I love that little gourd lamp, and the composition of your styling at the LR mantle is beautiful. The colors of the quilt in the basket against the jars & Black-eyed Susans - perfect!

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  4. Amazing transformation of your dining room, Vickie! I adore your subtle fall touches throughout...just enough! Your home is so warm and inviting...it exudes a welcoming spirit!
    Mary Alice

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  5. You are welcome! Glad I could be of assistance!

    I'm loving your non-overboard fall decor. It's just enough to give a fall feel without smacking you upside the head with it!

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  6. Your home is beautiful! The autumn touches are just right... now about that dark brick fireplace... could you bring yourself to paint it a (much) lighter color????

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  7. LOVE the new mirror and glass jars with sunflowers! Looks lovely. (And I like the dark brick fireplace. :)

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  8. I love all the changes you have made. Your home looks very lovely and I especially like the photo featuring those beautiful hydrangeas!!

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  9. I love the freshness of the lighter paint on the walls and trim, and the blue looks so nice.....blue and white always a good combo........I don't decorate for fall much either, a few pumpkins.....

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  10. Isn't it great when you have older pictures and you can see the progression you make? I envy you as we lost ours when my computer got wiped. I love all the improvements you've made. And the chippy turquoise chair is fab. xx

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  11. Oh your reaction to the before pictures remind me of mine when my house was very different. I cringe whenever I look back at them! I had SO much stuff everywhere and SO much color that it was overwhelming compared to how things are now. I love how you've styled your dining room and fireplace mantel. Your little pumpkin lamp is adorable too!

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  12. Hi Vickie, your home looks amazing for fall. I love all your special touches and treasures. The before pics remind me of my country style days. I look back and say Yikes too!!
    You have done a lot everything looks amazing.
    The chippy aqua chair is perfect by the fire.
    Thank you for always inspiring me.
    XO

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  13. Hi Vickie! Oh, K just love your sweet home and those tiny touches of orange look so good with your blue and white! Love your pumpkin lamp too! You're the smartest one!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  14. Your room looks beautiful all dressed for Fall!
    Loving that sweet little chair by the fireplace!

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  15. Looks wonderful to me. Mine consists of some Indian corn tied on a door. I'm already thinking of not decorating for Christmas but I'm sure the spirit will overcome me and I will.

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  16. Wowza! The old was nice, but the new looks are so fresh! I really like your dark window trim, your paint colors, and the pretty woodwork painted white...stunning. It makes your ceilings look even taller!
    I'm currently into "more is more" at my house...but we'll see how long I can stand it. Your less is more looks lovely. How can you create a lovely home that is still so fun and whimsical? Nice balancing act, Vickie.

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  17. You're just lucky I don't have your address or I'd be moving in. I just love your home. I need to get my act in gear and shake things up around here at Chez Posy.

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  18. I love the new looks. I'm trying to embrace the less is more philosophy too. I love you little fall figurine. So cute.

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  19. Vickie, your dining room looks wonderful! You have that ability to keep things bright and to be simple but cozy too. I think I've already told you that after visiting your home I want to throw things away at mine (a lot of stuff). Those little girls are so sweet, you know I have a weakness for them.
    Besos!

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  20. Love your decorating and your style. Your home is fabulous.

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  21. Your home looks beautiful and the before/after pictures are amazing to show how you've lightened up the rooms. You did a great job!

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  22. your dining room is just lovely, vickie!! great job on re-wiring your cute pumpkin lamp! your hydrangeas are gorgeous! i need some lime lights:) and your new clock is so fabulous--love it! your brick fireplace would be lovely painted white, imho:)

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  23. Your touches may be simple Vickie but I love them all.

    Cindy

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  24. Everything looks beautiful Vickie. You definitely have the decorator's touch.

    xo Danielle

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  25. You have THE perfect dining room and I like the lightening up around your fireplace area as well! :)

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  26. Your subtle Autumn touches are perfect. Funny, but when I was growing up I thought that a home was suppose to stay the same forever. I guess I got that idea from my mom, grandmother and other family members who hardly ever made any changes to their homes...But I changed that in our cottage. It has gone through several design changes and I love that I don't have to live with one forever! Love the change your living room has gone through. Beautiful!

    Hugs,
    ❤️Ana

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  27. I need to take a lesson from you my friend. I have changed all of my Fall out for Halloween now and then it will change for Thanksgiving. Your home is gorgeous and I loved seeing the before and afters. The moldings in our home were all tan and that is something I want to change so badly. Once I start we will need to do the whole thing because our home is so open. I love your pumpkin light and the turquoise chair is just delightful! Every little piece is sweet! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  28. the window . . . the ladder . . . the lamp . . . the table runner . . . the little chair . . .I am in love!

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  29. That is precisely my kind of seasonal decor. Just enough to make it feel like the season changed. Beautiful!

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  30. LOVE your touches of fall, Vickie! The fall wreath on your gorgeous window and the little turquoise chair with the black-eyed Susans are my favs! (Lovin' that blue barrel, too)
    Isn't it funny to look back on pics of our decor and see how we've changed? :)
    Susan

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  31. Vickie,
    Your home is so beautiful it doesn't need much seasonal décor...just the touches you used are perfect! I love how you showed us how your tastes have changed over time. I think we all had a few looks that would cause us to yell "EEK" today! Remember the heavy dark pine furniture with the must-have plaid couch? Yup...I had that. EEK! ~Cheryl

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  32. I LOVE all of your beautiful fall decorating, Vickie...your home is so lovely! The combination of blue and orange is one of my favorites and the wreath on the window was stunning! It was fun to see the befores and afters...

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  33. Vickie,
    I love your less is more. It looks beautiful. I love the trim white and the pretty color on the walls. Everything is so pretty. The wreath on the old window is gorgeous. Love that so much.
    Kris

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  34. You have certainly lightened things up! The dining room is looking fantastic! Enjoy the fall.

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  35. Love your home! We are so fond of blue....ahhhhh....so it was a delight to stop by today! You also are making us feel really good today (we haven't decorated for fall yetl!!) So....we'll just go grab a little and say we simplified this year :) thanks for the inspiration lol!!

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  36. Hi Vickie, just hopping back to let you know that I will be featuring you at SYC this week.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  37. The rooms look so much fresher now and so inviting, but then I am partial to a bit of white !!!

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Your comments make it all worthwhile. Thanks for visiting today!

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