The colors of fall are popping up everywhere in our small town. The pumpkin patch is open and hues of orange, yellow, rust and cream prevail in the flower section of our location grocery store. October is a month of excitement for me. Our last occasion to decorate our Ojai home for an upcoming holiday was way back in July, and as I dig out the black lanterns for the front stoop, I’m filled with excitement, like a kid at Christmas time.
Lanterns, Flowers & a Little Bit of Whimsy…
Halloween is really a holiday to have fun with in decorating terms. It’s a youthful holiday and although centered around the spooky, there are ample opportunities for amusement. It’s our last year of having a teen at home, so we really went with the fantastical – witches legs falling into the fern planter by our front entry, black cat decals peeking out the front hall window, the yellow warm lighting of lanterns on the doorstep.
Lean into the Magic!
Our teenage son can still be “wowed” with Halloween magic. On the eve of his 18th birthday, we surprised him with floating candles, reminiscent of one of his favorite childhood films. These are a perfect example of whimsical decor that enchants the whole family – the candles remind our son of Harry Potter, but, for us they add incredible ambient light over our kitchen island, and shed a soft glow into our nearby dining area. With day light savings time right around the corner, these may be the key to a cozy fall.
Be Bold with Color Choices!
I love using black for our Halloween decor, but adding another layer of bold Fall colors – oranges, bright greens and yellows works really to create a dynamic palette in our home. Using colorful vessels as well as bright natural objects – gourds, flowers, squashes, and pumpkins is perfect.
Black is back!
I have black kitchen counters and black interior doors in my home. I also have two rooms with black patterned wall paper. My kitchen island had black and white tile on its facing. I’ve always loved the depth and grounding of black in interior spaces. For fall, layering in more black adds to the richness and depth of a decorated room. All Halloween decor isn’t necessarily from a party store. I ordered black candles this year to sit on top my modern black candle holders. A white piece of pottery with dried flowers in it (love these for fall) from a local maker, set next to the candles, really allows them to visually pop on our mantle. Antique black shrimp platters my father brought home from Japan in the 1950’s are hung on our white kitchen wall. On a corner shelf in the loving room I place more local ceramics, black pieces atop a favorite orange book and next to a black based string art piece made by my daughter, once upon a time.
Pillow Party
The number one interchangeable decor piece in your home are your throw pillows. We went black and white with accents of bold color once again in this arena! These will work all fall until it’s time for Christmas decor. Have fun with pillows! Use a wide variety of sizes, textures and patterns. Mix in an occasional throw blanket to the textile palette, draped across on your seating.
Big Books
Our coffee tables are often the focal point of our living rooms. And our choices that adorn the top of them, are also great reflectors of the season. Place decorative bowls (we used a Keith Haring decorative bowl we were gifted from a museum show of his in Minneapolis), small ceramics (P.lyn), periodicals (The Paris Review), candles and vessels that add to your scheme for the room. We love displaying big books on our home surfaces. Black Mischief (Blackman Cruise/Sulkin), Punk Ikebana (Louis Roebuck), Mona Kuhn – Works, and Lee Fan & Claude Viallat (Pace) are perfect covers for our Fall table. You don’t have to display every cookbook you own in your kitchen or dining area. Instead, switch them out and showcase a few throughout the year that speak to the tone of your home. We have so many all black bound cookbooks -all perfect shelving choices for October.
There’s inspiration everywhere! Find home, find you.
Happy Fall from our Ojai Home to yours.
OHI HOME STYLE 