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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Clocks, books, blue pottery, and family photos are among the many collections that we were able to group and display in the bookcases.
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.
I got to accessorize to my heart’s content with the antique books and collectables she had in abundance.
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.
It’s all about the details in this home. This is the baker’s rack I staged in a corner of the breakfast room.
If this isn’t comfy and cozy, I don’t know what is. I think the pup certainly agrees!
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.
Can you tell me what that medium green-gold color is. That’s perfect for my great room.
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!!
So, what color is it? Brandon beige?
Nope. For more information about specific paint colors, contact my assistant at [email protected]
For more information about specific paint colors, contact my assistant at [email protected]
For more information about specific paint colors, contact my assistant at [email protected]
It looks so beautiful! Is the breakfast room painted the same color as the family room?
Yes, it is. It’s a great complex color that reads a bit differently on different walls and under different lighting conditions.
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.
Rebecca,
Glad to be of help! I love English Cottage!
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.
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!
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?
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!
Yes, mine too. Which is why I only like it instead of loving it…
Thanks for ideas!
Great tip Kristie to go with a great article! Thank You!
Wonderful job Kristie! Love the little corner on the bakers rack. I love vignettes that tell a story. Great job!
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!
Doh! Just saw you had linked the sofas to Amazon. Sorry! 🙂 Now I know!
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?
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.
Sounds beautiful!
It is beautiful and your blog helped me so much! Thanks for sharing your designs.
Thank you so much! It’s my pleasure, Susanne 🙂