According to all the home decor bloggers, and magazines out there, we are supposed to be redecorating our homes with masses of fall leaves, pumpkins, grasses and dried wreaths right about now.
Color coordinated pumpkins, that match your decor, autumn colored rugs, and curtains, pillows? Ummm yes, lovely, but maybe it’s my years of constant displaying of product in my retail jobs…I just can’t get enthusiastic, and I feel like I should be. I admire those who can, and do.
I can hardly find color coordinated towels for the bathroom, much less garner the enthusiasm for coordinating my paper towels to the season. What’s up with that? And I dread decorating for Christmas, more then you know, trust me, after doing hundreds of trees, it kind of loses it’s appeal.
It makes me wonder if cutting some faded, and browning hosta leaves, propping them up in a old spaghetti sauce jar, with pieces of paper label still attached count. I would also be using a piece of twine formally used by Bootsie as a toy, wound around it as a accent? Does that count?
Maybe I am spending too much time on Pinterest, or venturing out there in the rain to take too many photos, but I just can’t seem to get excited about it. Oh, and I work, as if that’s a excuse that counts. I am just hoping that this is a phase….
I have a very good and admirable friend who redecorates her entire house at least 4 times a year. She puts me to shame, without meaning to at all, as she would many a decor blogger. Fall arrived at her house, ages ago. Tasteful ambers, reds, auburns, and chocolate colored decor scattered around. The couch gets a makeover with it’s autumn colored pillows, and throws, the paintings are changed, the curtains rehung in the correct seasonal colors. Trust me, it’s beautiful, and it looks like a perfect show home. One that you can take the ideas home from, and use them in your own place.
Then I come home to my apartment. Well, the canvas crow photo I made for my husband’s birthday matches our decor, and he loves it. It is predominantly fallish colors…so maybe I am ahead of the game. Oh and look, there are some rustic chestnuts hanging out in front of it. They do double duty as the gas they give off as they dry, repels spiders. Does that count?
There have got to be more of “us” kind of people out there. Those of us that would rather do almost anything other then change out pictures, strip the couch of it’s layers, rehang curtains, and fluff pillows. I am happy with what I have, and it’s nice, it’s cosy, and uncluttered, and it looks good. I just don’t feel like expending the effort to change it all up every few weeks. And if it’s looked the same way for a few months, I really don’t have a problem with that.
So what do you do? Are you a fiddler, one who is constantly redoing the mantle, or are you like me, fix it and leave it kind of girl. Let me know, because I think that I might have to break out the paints and gussy up some pumpkins with glitter to get kick start my enthusiasm for fall decorating.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Esther Montgomery's pre-viewing a design show where the carpet is water and the walls are made of grass tiles.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/662b4m8
I'd go for the less dramatic and the permanently familiar, myself - and for muddy boots rather than stilettos!
Nothing can beat rain on leaves!
Do as little or as much as you can but for heavens sake put the glitter down. Gah.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to see you do a post like this, given how many home decorating blogs you read. But I'm with you. I used to LOVE decorating seasonally but gave it up a few years ago when "decorations" started looking so cutesy or trashy instead of vintage/natural, and I lost inclination for the constant churn. Fall was always my favorite season, though, so I just decorated my house permanently in those colors and leave out my favorite "fall" decorations (beautiful dried gourds, and wood-carved pumpkins, etc) all year ... even through Christmas (which I also dread decorating for and simplify more and more each year).
ReplyDeleteI love your beautiful display with the crows! Well...I thought when we bought our condo that I would fix it up and leave it...and enjoy it! But I do pull out my 2 small boxes of Fall things and set some pretty things around. I don't like doing so much that it's a chore to put it all away. I like to get my house clean and neat so that I can enjoy it! I want to GO and DO things and not stay inside all of the time! I think...when I'm older I'll do more of the inside things! heehee! I guess when I'm in my 90s...that seems like 'older' now! lol ♥
ReplyDeleteI do very little seasonal decorating. I have one box of Christmas ornaments that contains all the seasonal cheer I can handle. *smile*
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip about chestnuts - I wonder if it works for other bugs, too....?
Fix her up and leave her alone...I just try to keep the dust off my things... :)
ReplyDeleteI so used to have so much stuff decorating my house, always moving stuff about and changing things with the seasons. Well I stopped all that 3 years ago when we moved, now I like having just a few of my fav things out all the time, less to dust, less to have to move when cleaning....I would rather be outside with my camera enjoying life. Maybe it's the getting older thing.
ReplyDeleteJen, free yourself. If you don't feel like doing all that, don't do it. Who says decor has to be changed out all the time? I don't change things out because I keep only the few things I truly like and want to see all the time. Except for fresh greens and flowers in my vases.
ReplyDeleteI admire your friends enthusiasm for decorating.Like you retail work tends to burn one out on the seasons. Especially when you have Fall and Christmas all at one time. LOL! I do just a minimal amount in my home and call it done. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI like seasonal decorating - keeps life more interesting. Actually, I like seeing it but not the process so much. In a small space it lets me use a lot by cycling. I have had a fall look inside for weeks already. But, to each his own!
ReplyDeletewww.bsneeringer.blogspot.com
Such lovely shots!
ReplyDeleteOur house is decorated with children's toys!
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteI am with you on the "who has time for redecorating every month"
my sister has decorated so much for auntumn... my mom used to say "that girl's got more sh*t than cracker barrel.:):) My sister has always like seasonal decor. I like moderation. But hey, I love you little picture.Smiles, Susie
My fall decorating consists of boxes and boxes of apples all over the kitchen floor. Not cause it's pretty but the orchard is overflowing and there's baking to do. Straw bales on the patio that I haven't got time to move. They're not decoration but used as mulch and to line the cats winter nest. Inadvertant decorating if you will.
ReplyDeleteI'm in your camp. I completely relate to everything you've written. The extent of my seasonal decorating is when I put out a few autumn spice scented candles on the fireplace mantle in Sept and they stay there until December.
ReplyDeleteI scrapped doing a Christmas tree years ago. And once I started doing seasonal designs for stationery, it burned me out from doing any Christmas decorating.
I'm like you, I'd rather be doing so many other things that feel more permanent. I admire those that do the seasonal decorating but it just isn't my thing.
Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage
Ahhh....looks like I'm in the minority....but then, again, perhaps not completely without some relation. I am one that changes everything out (ok, not drapes - cuz I don't have any)....but every picture, pillow and whatnothaveyou gets changed out for the season - at least when it comes to fall/Halloween and Christmas - I'm a little over the top there. I have a very small home and a HUGE love for things, and changing things seasonally allows me to collect more stuff. Yes, it is a disease, but not easily treatable...However, I have found that, in recent years, I'm not enjoying the process as much - I think it's just getting harder to think about putting all that crap back (never goes back in the boxes the same way they came out)...I started by eliminating certain holidays - I used to do Thanksgiving, for example, but found that with the volume of Halloween and Christmas I do, I just didn't have time for it....So, I do those two, a wee bit for Valentines, a healthy dose of Easter, and then Americana for the summer months....But, you know, it may be time to re-evaluate things.... ;o) Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin
ReplyDeleteBeing Jewish, none of our holidays come with a lot of decor. I had a few things to put out when my kids were small but it always felt a bit forced. I have a nice little collection of dreidles that are fun to put out at Hannukah but that's about as far as it goes.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the seasons, I prefer to display little natural treasures I find all year long. Stones, sticks, shells etc. that I've found have been placed lovingly here and there. I also display things that belonged to my grandparents and great grandparents. A friend recently told me she likes my house because there's something interesting to see almost everywhere you look. So, no seasonal decorating is not for me...just the things I love most in sight all year round.
Jen, the only time I change my decor is for Christmas. I am totally content with my decor for all season in pink. I even have a pink & white pumpkin, go figure.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jen, for your sweet note of support. You ar truly appreciated.
Have a beautiful week ~
TTFN ~
Hugs,
Marydon
Jen, we all have that fiend who has the knack for decorating. I used to sell decorating accessories, but my friend had the real talent. I say, if it something that you love--hosta leaf in a container--if it is beautiful to you and you enjoy, then yes, it counts.
ReplyDeleteJen put down the glue and the glitter. I used to be that girl, but changed years ago because I had no time and the new house took a while to even get the right paint colors. I coordinated everything and now I leave it alone. I put a pumpkin or 2 out on the porch but that is it. It has lost its appeal to decorate and I am happy with the simple things I have.
ReplyDeleteSome people live to decorate..not me..besides that there are some things I love..and they are commforting in my surroundings all year round! I have never been matchy matchy..but I do have a few Fallish things on the table that replace the summer things. Some day I will post a photo:)
ReplyDeleteJust a busy girl (old lady) happy to connect, dear Jen. But this is filled with lots of good stuff!
ReplyDeletewell... i'm glad you are using your talents on photography instead of home decorating.... because your pictures are INSPIRATIONAL and wonderful!
ReplyDeleteyou are a truly talented gal!
Enjoyed reading this post! I have a handy tip (because I, too, and one of "us" people) ... pick colors for your decor that can change with the season by only changing your light bulbs. I have a nice paprika-colored sofa, some fatigue-green curtains, accent pillows with those colors in them ... and all I have to do for fall is change the light bulbs in my lamps to a more yellowish tone than the "natural" bulbs. Costs me about 3 bucks and takes less than 5 minutes. :)
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, seasonal decorating, is about affluence and consumerism, not living green as I choose to.
ReplyDeleteWe use the permanent pecan branch in the living room as an African Christmas tree. And the only other change is 2 rugs we share with the cats in winter. For the rest, seasonal decoration is all there - in our garden ;~)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI think it's very much something that's done across the 'pond', here in the UK I don't know anyone who redecorates their houses except for Christmas.
I couldn't imagine where you have the space for redecorating 4 times a year??! Where is one supposed to keep enough cushions, paintings and such?
Wow, I'm impressed. It sounds like fun! heehee (if expensive).