Guest post from the editors of Victoria
From breathtaking vistas of changing leaves to the radiance of afternoon sunlight that will soon give way to striking ocher sunsets, nature brims with beauty during the fall. The kaleidoscope of hues and textures evident in our surroundings offers inspiration for bringing the splendor of this glorious season indoors. Our latest Victoria Classics issue, Autumn Bliss, includes a bevy of decorating ideas.
Now is the perfect opportunity for nesting—enriching your interiors and adding layers in anticipation of the cooler weather to come—and we have a few favorite tips for decorating for fall.
Let wood tones create a sense of natural warmth
Graced with an eye for color, a sixth sense for proportion, and a self-professed aversion to the word formal, Anita Rankin invites us to explore her lavish—yet livable—waterside home in Point Clear, Alabama. Every room here is arranged with rare finds, and cozy shades accentuate the antiques and timeworn fabrics she appreciates. “The woods look gorgeous against warm color—chocolate brown, deep red, my favorite creamy gold,” the decorator notes. Careful placement of each hue allows her artistic vision to flow seamlessly throughout the residence.
Use well-loved antiques to set a tone of seasonal hospitality
In another abode featured in Autumn Bliss, treasured keepsakes capture the sentiment of hospitality so often attributed to this season. From polished Old-World antiquities to rustic Americana, objets d’art provide form and function, along with memories of trips to markets such as Texas’s famed Round Top Antiques Fair. At the ready for entertaining, these accessories need not be tucked away until company arrives. Above, a pewter bowl filled with engraved silver napkin rings makes an intriguing display, while a distressed pine hutch showcases a medley of English blue-and-white transferware and a pitcher overflowing with blooms.
Allow your personality to come through in your accent pieces
The classic Tudor home of Lee Stough, in Louisville, Kentucky, demonstrates the value of cultivating a sanctuary. The verdant hills that lie beyond her property prompted the interior designer to position an 18th-century French desk to take advantage of the view, which is framed by curtains fashioned from vintage monogrammed bed linens. “Whether it is an upholstered wall, a painted finish, or a piece of porcelain, there are always visual souvenirs that serve to energize me,” Lee explains. “I love my home—I love being at home—and my goal is for my clients to experience that same sort of bliss.” Incorporating wisdom garnered during world travels, she uses time-tested palettes and textures to infuse an intangible richness into each space she transforms.