With the first hint of cool, crisp air we are delighted to say good bye to our hot, muggy summer here in the South and welcome fall. Your entry is the perfect place to add a punch of fall colors and offer your guests a warm welcome. These ideas can be done in a snap.
Pop a seasonal wreath on your door. This wreath of ripening pumpkins, plump berries and natural grapevine works well from late August until Thanksgiving. The use of soft greenery contrasts nicely with the door’s dark stain. If your door is painted a light color, then consider using darker tones such as russet reds, golds and toasty browns for your wreath. The addition of a fall icon, such as a feathered pheasant or a sassy squirrel peeking out of a frame of colorful leaves can add a touch of whimsy.
Fill a basket with fall blooms and foliage. Wicker baskets with a handle can be filled with fall sprays and hung on your door or gate. Change out the flowers to match each season, and use the container all year.
Plunk a cheerful mum or a bunch of fall sprays in a basket by your door to greet guests. This reproduction English market basket can be used on small stoops as well as large porches.
Throw out seasonal pillows. On Blythe’s covered front porch, we toss pillows in harvest tones on our benches and then add fun hooked pillows to express our joy in the coming season. For benches sitting in open weather, there are some great outdoor pillows available resistant to fading and mildew. A great way to add some pizazz with little effort year after year.
Garden figures can also be dressed for the season. Our old lead colored whippet greets guests with a ribbon collar with a few small fall sprays worked into the knot. Perhaps you have a figure in your garden that can be dressed up to announce the coming season.
Use props you already have such as a bench or garden statue and then let your imagination come up with fun ways introduce fall accents to your home’s exterior. It is so much fun for you and your guests.
We hope you have been inspired to bring a note of fall to your entrance.
Nan Bridgeman is the owner of Blythe Gallery,
A home interiors shop in downtown Belmont, NC
