Here in the midwest the days are getting cooler and there is no denying that fall is in the air. I’m feeling very inspired by Halloween right now, probably because it’s my youngest daughter’s favorite holiday. She’s anxious to get the decorating underway but I find that 7 year olds and 37 year olds have very different design perspectives. She’s drawn to big and plastic and if it moves or howls, well then, all the better.
I prefer a look that blends with the design already in place and that uses things that I have sitting around the house. I also prefer for my decor not to moan. That’s just me.

When I’m decorating for a new season or holiday, I go through my house and scavenge for things that are the right color or feel for that time of year. Doing this gives me a good base for the look I want & allows me to just add in a few holiday items to round it out. You can see in the picture above that most of the things on my mantle (click to enlarge) are not holiday related. I like to keep an open mind when I’m shopping & try to find pieces that can be used in different ways or rooms of my house. More bang for my buck. This process makes justifying splurges so much easier.