Are Y’all Ready for Fall? Cozy Hilltop Retreat Before and Afters

I must tell you – I always go kicking and screaming into fall.  I prefer sunny skies and warm weather, which is one of the reasons I live in the South!  But here we are, smack dab in the middle of the fall season.  I might as well make the best of it, so today I wanted to share some befores and afters that illustrate how cozying up your home can give you the perfect place to curl up on a crisp fall morning with a hot cup of coffee. 

lodge log cabin decorating

 

 

At the beginning of the project, my client knew she wanted new furnishings more in keeping with the larger home she and her family had purchased the year before.  However, she had already painted the main area in several colors and still was not satisfied with her choice.  

DSC_1893

before

 

The yellow-gold was one of her favorites from a previous home, but it didn’t really relate well enough to the very prominent, stacked stone fireplace.  The color palette looked very primary – yellow, red, blue.

DSC_1895

before

 

Not only is this client very sensitive to color, but she’s also sensitive to lighting conditions.  Much like myself, she needs lots of natural light or she can begin to feel a bit gloomy.  The challenge was to find the right color that felt warm and cozy (which she wanted) but didn’t hamper the natural light in the space (which she needed).  We finally agreed on a medium green-gold that related better to the stone fireplace and gave the space a more current color palette.

rustic traditional stone fireplace living room

after 

 

More than just the paint color changed here.  A vibrant new rug, a pair of leather sofas, and a gorgeous oval coffee table grace the great room, all centered on the commanding stone fireplace.  If you have dark leather upholstery in a space, it’s important to choose a bright rug to anchor it and light-colored pillows so that you don’t end up with a big brown hole in the middle of your room.

rustic stone fireplace

 

 

Who wouldn’t want to curl up on this sofa in front of a roaring fire and read a decorating magazine or latest novel?  And notice that child-size chair to the left of the fireplace – we chose a fabric that tied in but didn’t compete with the rug.

providence olive stone fireplace

  

 

A large bowl of pinecones adds to the autumn ambiance.  The bookcases are backed with dark barn wood, and we layered in all the clients’ family treasures to create a story that reflects the history of people who live here.

warm rustic designer living room

 

 

Clocks, books, blue pottery, and family photos are among the many collections that we were able to group and display in the bookcases.

bookcases with barn wood and antiques

 

 

My client ordered the petite embroidered pillows online, and we chose fabrics and trim to create these custom pillows that help cozy up the leather sofas.

designer pillows

 

 

I got to accessorize to my heart’s content with the antique books and collectables she had in abundance. 

sofa table

 

 

Here’s what we did in the adjoining breakfast room.  I absolutely loved creating the plate grouping of my client’s gorgeous blue transferware collection.

providence olive blue transferware

 

 

It’s all about the details in this home.  This is the baker’s rack I staged in a corner of the breakfast room. 

transferware cookbooks bakers rack

 

 

If this isn’t comfy and cozy, I don’t know what is.  I think the pup certainly agrees!

leather sofa

 

Do you change your decor to cozy up for the fall season?  What do you add to your decor to warm up your space?  Stay tuned for the before-and-after of this home’s master bedroom in an upcoming post.

24 Comments

  1. Pam Lee

    Can you tell me what that medium green-gold color is. That’s perfect for my great room.

    Reply
    • Nikki

      I would also love to know the name of this color so I can test it in my new living room … cozy fall colors/ambience is what I’m striving for with our new home. Thank you for this article!!

      Reply
  2. Linda

    It looks so beautiful! Is the breakfast room painted the same color as the family room?

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Yes, it is. It’s a great complex color that reads a bit differently on different walls and under different lighting conditions.

      Reply
  3. Rebecca

    THANK YOU ! Such a timely post. I’m a transplanted Southerner (born & raised in the South, now living in the upper Midwest) and I am always dread winters here. My family just purchased an older but much bigger home, with a similar set up (big family room with windows, brick center fireplace, adjoining breakfast room). With all of the gray that is popular now, I’m determined to avoid the gray on gray on gray color palette and keep the rooms warm and cozy year round. THANK YOU for the inspiration!!! I’m thinking English Cottage if I can pull it off.

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Rebecca,
      Glad to be of help! I love English Cottage!

      Reply
  4. Sarah

    Excellent! Bravo! I ADORE fall, and as a big-time homebody, this expresses what I love so much about it: natural color, coziness, and coming together. Kristie, you really need to like fall more. C’mon — low humidity!!! I just love those clear blue skies. You have my permission to dislike winter, though. 😉 In the South (no snow) it can strike me as drab.

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Sarah,
      I guess my dislike of fall is really about the impending winter – which I hate. I think I’ve been blaming the wrong season. Sorry, Fall!

      Reply
  5. applehillcottage

    This is lovely. I have a cinnamon colored leather couch (which I like) but I can never get the pillows to stay upright. I notice the puppy lying on two — that’s what mine always look like, pet on the couch or not…Any tips?

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Yes! Always use down-filled pillows on leather sofas. Light-weight poly-filled slip right off. Also avoid silk or other slick materials – go for texture to help keep them from slipping off. This is one of my pet peeves about leather sofas!

      Reply
      • applehillcottage

        Yes, mine too. Which is why I only like it instead of loving it…
        Thanks for ideas!

        Reply
      • Susanne

        Great tip Kristie to go with a great article! Thank You!

        Reply
  6. Kelly

    Wonderful job Kristie! Love the little corner on the bakers rack. I love vignettes that tell a story. Great job!

    Reply
  7. Elayne

    The before and after are amazing, as usual! I’ll be busy spending my fall yearning for brown leather sofas now. 😉 Where did you all get those, if you don’t mind me asking? Thanks for sharing your talents!

    Reply
  8. Elayne

    Doh! Just saw you had linked the sofas to Amazon. Sorry! 🙂 Now I know!

    Reply
  9. Elaina Hall

    My favorite part of the “after” is the use of standard color/look leather sofas. It seems like the use of the brightly colored rug, Delft china, and lots of texture make the look much richer-looking. I’m curious about how to do this with a white leather sofa?

    Reply
  10. Susanne

    This is a challenging area to set up(in my opion anyway). You done a fantastic job. Working with leather sofa’s can be a challenge as well (in my opinion) but you nailed this room. The new wall color, furniture/accessory placement and area rugs are fantastic.
    I got the idea from your blog to have 2 sofas in my living room and it turned out fantastic. I ended up going to gray town. Painted my living room/dining room an hall way Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter and it is a very neutral gray that goes with anything. Not dark or dreary at all. I kept my blue porcelain pieces (like your client has) and worked them into my new design. Blue and white accessories just always seem to work. To cozey up, I like to change out my comforter/duvet cover on the master bed. I also pull out some of my fall cermaic pumpkins until the Chrimstmas tree goes up. I love to change out throw pillows as well.

    Reply
      • Susanne

        It is beautiful and your blog helped me so much! Thanks for sharing your designs.

        Reply
        • Kristie Barnett

          Thank you so much! It’s my pleasure, Susanne 🙂

          Reply

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