7 Styling Tips To Transition From Summer to Fall

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The global pandemic put the kibosh on our usual summer activities, so I am ready to move on to fall. But, no need to wait until September 22 (first day of fall) to start your autumn decorating. I’m partnering with Oriental Trading and sharing 7 styling tips to transition your living room from summer to fall with items from their fall collection.

Fall 2020 home trends are all about earthy tones, cozy texture, and metallic pops, making in-between-season transitioning a breeze. Oriental Trading is the perfect place to start, especially with free shipping on orders over $39 using code SPOOKSQUAD20.

I’m styling my new built-ins and living room, using simple design rules, plus a few easy DIYs to tie the look together. I am no expert, after all, my bookshelves are a new fixture in my home. But, the design rules I’ve used for event decorating translate well.

PRO-TIP – Keep A Consistent Color Palette

Keeping your color palette to 2-3 colors is always a good rule to follow. It helps you stay focused, especially when collecting and styling items.

My color palette was inspired by our wreath. Orange and brown are traditional fall colors, but the pop of blue is fun and unexpected.

PRO-TIP – Every Room Could Use A Wreath

Since we are on the subject, let’s talk about the wreath! I love wreaths; I don’t just relegate them to my front door. From smaller versions on the back of chairs to larger pieces that dominate, every room could use one…or a few. It is easy to dress them up for summer to fall styling.

The Vickerman 30″ Green Magnolia Leaf Wreath is a simple but beautiful magnolia; I added more embellishments with dried orange slices and faux greenery. If you can’t find dried orange slices to use, make your own!

What You’ll Need:

• a mix of oranges and clementines (5 – 6 total)
• faux or dried floral items of your choice
• floral wire
• wire cutter or scissors
• parchment paper

1. Slice the oranges into ¼” slices. The variety of sizes will add visual interest to your wreath.

2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lay out your orange slices into rows.

3. Bake in an oven at 200° for five to six hours, flipping the slices over about halfway through. The juiciness of your fruit will affect the time. Smaller slices do dry faster, so keep an eye on them, and remove from the sheet, if needed.

4. When your oranges are dried and wrinkly, they are done. Remove from the baking sheet and let cool on baking trays.

5. Using floral wire, create dried orange bundles, about three slices each, by threading the wire through the slices, leaving enough wire on your bundles to attach them to the wreath.

6. Create bundles with your faux/dried elements like berries and stem florals, and attach with floral wire to your wreath.

PRO-TIP – Balance Is Key

When it comes to design, balance is always key. Our wreath is obviously the center of our built-ins with the tall shelves flanking on each side. Notice, our books are also balanced, the same shelving height on each side. Your decor should do the same; if you have a large piece on one side, balance with another large piece, or a grouping of objects that ‘add’ up to the same amount of space.

For example, the red USMC sign is balanced out with the letterboard and the tall gold three-armed candelabra.

Balance is not just size, but color. The white ginger jar and ceramic pumpkin on the left, mirror the spotted glassware on the right. Notice, my blue items, like the blue textured glass vase and pumpkin, are strategically placed for optimal eye movement. They ‘jump’ out at you first. Balance keeps the eyes moving and makes for more dynamic styling.

We can’t forget the most important balancing rule, The Rule of Odds…more simply, The Rule of Threes. When it comes to grouping, always use odd numbers, even just one eye-catching piece. Smaller items grouped together, like the small amber glass bud vases, take up the same amount of space as the larger gilded harvest white ceramic turkey.

PRO-TIP – Add Large, Vertical Layers

Trying to avoid a look that isn’t cluttered or busy is always a challenge. As Coco Chanel famously said, ” ‘Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.’ “

Larger items tend to look better than a lot of smaller items. Incorporate larger, taller, vertical items like vases and trays. The wood slice tray breaks up the white of items, and the change of direction is a fun visual break.

PRO-TIP – Use Organic Shapes

It’s not autumn without lots of pumpkins! They make it easy to break up all the natural lines of our shelves, especially with their variety of textures and sizes. Organic shapes give your bookshelf the feeling that you’ve accumulated pieces over time, even when you didn’t.

PRO-TIP – Embrace Texture

From pillows and fluffy blankets to gold glitter pumpkin votive candle holders and textured baskets, a contrast in texture is important when it comes to design. From the rough textures of our natural elements with smooth glass elements, this is a great way to bring visual interest into your space.

PRO-TIP – Create A DIY Centerpiece

Our second DIY is another fun way to bring in color and texture. I added two strips of wood to each side of an unfinished flower box centerpiece, then stained it a rich, maple color to coordinate with my table. Filled with fall greenery, it finished our fall look.

This was the first time (!!!) I have stained wood…it was oddly satisfying!

Did you find these tips helpful and now you want to run out and build shelves so you can style them? I know, it’s fun to create mini vignettes every season. Stay tuned for how Oriental Trading is going to help me get ready for Halloween…

Do you have a great summer to fall styling tip? Leave us a comment and share!