Lifestyle With Melonie Graves

 

It’s no secret…I LOVE FALL!

It’s been my favorite time of year for as long as I can remember.  In Florida, it means (maybe) just a little cooler weather and opened windows for fresh, Florida air.  It means football, warm colors, crockpot creations and comfort food, sweaters and leggings, all things pumpkin-spice, and family.  It means fun new fall inspired cocktails and libations for my friends.  It means traditions, old and new.  It’s a time of year when I think that we are all more mindful and purposeful about what we are thankful for.  It means that the holidays are coming, and children are going to be excited about it every single moment for the rest of the year.  I just love it!

This is technically our 2nd fall in the new house…but really it’s the first (because I was unpacking last year).  But this year I’ve had so much fun decorating!  Gold and brass is everywhere this season, so I decided to change it up a bit and incorporate it into my décor.  I think everything turned out really lovely, and I hope you do too!  Below you’ll see a breakdown of what I did in each room.  So take a look, and maybe you’ll see something that will inspire your creative side…enjoy!

The kitchen is always easy.  I like to display pictures of the family, and word art for the kids to read while they are hanging out and watching me cook.

One of my favorite fall pieces are these Pottery Barn mugs and plates that I picked up last year.  So fun and festive!IMG_0975

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Found this “thankful” printout on Pinterest…I’ve got a bunch more like this on my Pinterest account if you don’t want to go digging.  Check under my “holiday décor” pin board.

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Moscow Mule mugs are from TJMaxx!

Tray is from Ashley Home Stores.

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These pumpkin muffins are super easy to make, for those mornings when you realize you are out of all things frozen breakfast!

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Recipe below:

Pumpkin Muffins

1 15 oz. can of pumpkin

1 box of yellow cake mix.

That’s IT, y’all…nothing else!  Just mix it well, and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  I added a dash of vanilla flavor to liven it up a bit.  But it smelled GREAT in the oven, and the kids gobbled ‘em up.  #winning

On to the family room.  My cozy corner has been SO much fun to style each season.  It’s my little slice of awesomeness in the family room.  And although everyone is welcomed to enjoy it, they all know that when Momma comes home, I get VIP seating rights.

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Chair  –Kirklands

All Pumpkins –Kirklands

Blanket -Homegoods

Lamp  -Homegoods

Rug -Amazon

Table -Hobby Lobby

I was truly excited about the mantle this year…all those golds and brasses I mentioned earlier, worked so nicely with the stone on the fireplace.

Thought I’d include the shot you saw me trying to get in Instagram…you can see the tripod reflected in the tv.

 

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Ghourd-geous, right?!  Now all we need is some cooler weather so we can fire that puppy up!  I feel like the pics just don’t do it justice!

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Everything lights up at night.IMG_8470IMG_8549

Garland          -Pier1Imports

Centerpiece   -Pier1Imports

Pumpkins      -Pier1Imports

Wreath           –Pier1Imports

Left Ghourd   -PotteryBarn

Throw            -PotteryBarn

Throw Pillows-Pottery Barn

The front door entry was a challenge because it’s a small space, so I couldn’t go overboard.  I opted not to do garland over the door…but I still have time to change my mind on that one.

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The pumpkins are actually jack-o-lanterns that light up.  Since I don’t care for jack-o-lanterns, I sprayed them with a gold glitter spray, and turned them around…and now no one knows that they are jacks but us (we can see it through the glass from inside the house).

Here’s a before and after:

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Wreaths         -HomesGoods

Pumpkins      -TJMaxx

Hay                 -Hobby Lobby

Lantern          -PotteryBarn

Barrel             HomeGoods

And finally, the dining room.  I’ll let you guys in a on a little secret.  This was the toughest room to style for fall, and here’s why.  One of the reasons fall is my favorite, is because my mom and I would make these AMAZING Thanksgiving dinners together each year.  But when I lost her two years ago to lung cancer, my favorite season, quickly turned into the most difficult time of year for me.  Last year, we were still unpacking, so there was no time to style the table.  So this room was a challenge this year because I really just miss her feedback.  She always loved coming over on Thanksgiving morning to swoon over how I’d styled the table before we started to cook.

But I know she’d want me to keep the tradition going…so I powered through this year, and I know she’d just love it.

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I love tablescapes because there is so much you can do!  I think it’s so much fun to share my vision with friends and family.  And you really can’t go wrong.  For me, it’s all about layers.  And you want to know something funny?  As I was styling the table, I realized that I had some incomplete place settings…so I just mixed it up!  And it worked out just fine!  See if you can spot the mixes.

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Pumpkins                  -Target $1!!

Pumpkin plates        -PotteryBarn

Wine Glasses            -CrateandBarrel

Napkins                     -HomeGoods

Hurricanes                -PotteryBarn

Candle Holders         -PotteryBarn

Chandelier                 -PotteryBarn

Paint                           -Sherwin Williams Tempe Star 6229

-Stencil Color Ralph Lauren Metallic Oyster

-Stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils

Well, I think that’s just about it!  I’ll continue to feature more shots for you throughout the season on IG…somehow I just feel like they look so much better on that platform.

Thank you so much for stopping by!  I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed my fall tour.  Enjoy the season!