Mums and pumpkins are classic fall accessories for both the exterior and interior of one’s home. Photo by Marilyn Campbell.
Alexandria — The colors of autumn are all around as pumpkins and squash fill produce stands and leaves change from green to orange, red and yellow before falling from their branches.
“Throws and pillows are a given, but you can also tie in traditional and modern accessories with rugs and stained glass lamps with modern or intricate designs.”
— Marcus Browning of European Country Living in Old Town Alexandria
Local designers and tastemakers are unveiling home accents that bring the warm hues of the season into the home. Whether using pillows, throws or flowers, adding the colors and textures of fall requires less effort than one might expect.
“Emerald green, orange and turquoise are three of the biggest color trends we’re seeing,” said Marcus Browning of European Country Living in Old Town Alexandria. “Throws and pillows are a given, but you can also tie in traditional and modern accessories with rugs, stained glass lamps with modern or intricate designs.”
Small trays provide a canvas for highlighting color and adding functionality to a room, says Marika Meyer of Marika Meyer Interiors in Bethesda, Md. “Color and pattern are in right now,” she said. “I just purchased the C. Wonder (http://www.cwonder.com) navy and white chevron tray for my home. It adds a punch of color and freshness to a room. Preppy is back in a big way, too, offering lots of patterns.”
Potomac, Md., based interior designer Sharon Kleinman of Transitions by Sharon Kleinman uses flowers to add warmth to a room. “I love mums,” she said. “I put them on my kitchen island and on the hearth in my family room. I fill my yard and home with them. They offer such great fall color. I plant them in my flowerbeds and put them in pots on my front porch.”
For those who don’t want the maintenance of fresh flowers, Browning suggests their fabric counterpart. “Great silk flowers are nice to put in corners of side boards,” he said. “If you have a brown table, colored candle stick holders add a lot of great color.”
Pumpkins, which are ubiquitous this time of year, are also one of Kleinman’s fall accessories of choice. “I add them to the display of mums on my porch,” she said. “I have a large ceramic pumpkin … that I put on my kitchen table surrounded by real, tiny pumpkins, gourds and squash. I use that centerpiece from early October right through November.”
David Mitchell of David Mitchell Interior Design in Washington used a similar style concept at a McLean home recently. “Wooden bowls are a great way to bring in seasonal accessories,” said Mitchell. “Pottery Barn has large, vintage, carved wood bowls that are great for a sideboard or coffee table, and you can fill them with mini pumpkins to add a dash of orange to a neutral space.”
Ann O’Shields, of The Nest Egg in Fairfax, said, “Hand-blown glass pumpkins are extremely popular and a great way to add a classic touch of fall in your home.”
Make use of fall foliage both inside and outside of your home, advises O’Shields. “Wreaths for fall are abundant, featuring leaves and small pumpkins, and are a great way to set the stage for fall décor,” she said. “Mantel decorating … is an easy way to create a focal point for fall in a room. Add leaves, fall candles, pumpkins and more to liven up a room.”
Incorporating the hues of fall into a home’s existing décor can help welcome the season in style. “Bringing in the colors of fall will add warmth to your home as the air gets crisper,” said O’Shields. “Orange, gold, reds and brown are all earth tones that create a feeling of fall. Adding warm throws for cooler nights and updating throw pillows are easy ways to incorporate colors for the new season.”