Fall.
It’s my favorite season. It always has been. Growing up here in the mountains of western North Carolina, fall was always this magical time where vivid Carolina blue skies met walls of saturated colors so vibrant, the mountains seemed to be on fire. Crisp mornings, roadside fruit stands, mountain hikes, barbeque and bluegrass all came together to make for the most memorable times a child could have.
Fall also brings out everything Appalachian in me. Warm, cozy, inviting homes with the aroma of fresh-baked apple pie and my mother’s homemade flaky crust take me back to a simpler time when the self-sufficient, hard-working people in these mountains grew their own food, made their own clothes and used what they had letting nothing go to waste. And many still do, including my parents.
That sums up what fall is all about for me, and it’s what I try to reflect in my home.
I’m excited to share some of my fall home as part of Marty’s 2019 Fall Home Tours along with 29 other talented and creative ladies. You will find many different styles, color palettes, and design ideas throughout the week — all beautiful and equally inspiring. So let’s get started!
First, I want to welcome those of you coming over from Tammy’s beautiful home at Pink Peppermint Design!
For anyone new, a little background on our home. If you’re not new, scroll on by😀
We live in a small cottage-style house on property that has been in my family for five generations in the mountains of western North Carolina.
This was my great grandfather’s summer home away from the heat of Hypoluxo, Florida. Most of the original structures are still here and house lots of treasures from the past. When the original Victorian farmhouse was torn down, my grandfather painstakingly bundled and stored all the doors, windows, trim, stair treads, tongue and groove boards, and more, which we have been slowly restoring and adding to our house. Now when I refer to the “old house” you’ll know what I’m talking about😉 Most of my furniture, art and accessories have also been passed down, and I have added to that with items from antique and thrift stores as well as our travels around the world. Every single thing means something, and that’s what makes it *home* for me.
For me, fall is just an opportunity to make my home warm, cozy and inviting for the season ahead. That means adding texture and color with fabrics — throws, pillows and curtains, as well as ambience with candles, comfort foods and an assortment of fall foliage picked from outside.
Our living room is small and multi-purpose, so I want comfort as well as style. For fall, I added velvet pillows I already had along with kilims to warm things up and add a more rustic touch to the channel-back sofa.
The colors in the 1969 Pieri chalkware lamp from my childhood, topped with a vintage fiberglass double shade, are perfect for fall along with a hand-painted plate I picked up on a trip to Bolivia — all arranged on my great grandmother’s table.
On the wagon wheel coffee table my dad made for me, I added mums I literally dug out of my mother’s yard because mine had not bloomed, along with a couple of candles poured into vintage depression glass containers. A family photo album dating to the 1800s is always fun to look through and adds another layer of texture.
The vintage persian rug is the foundation for this room, and I bought it after selling a couple other rugs to pay for it. It is definitely an heirloom and one that will pass on to my children some day.
My mother bought the paisley fabric for my curtains, and I got the velvet portiere from an old building friends owned before it sold. Vintage inherited prints hang beside a craigslist armoire I bought and painted.
On the other side, the barley twist chairs also came from the historic building, and they sit beside my great grandfather’s drop leaf table.
I added maple branches to an old vinegar jar for a natural element.
The Chinese ancestor prints were also inherited and they hang on windows from the old house.
The oil lamp is from the 1800s and actually belongs to my mother. I begged her to let me borrow it, and the amazing color is just perfect for fall.
The book is a book of poetry my maternal grandmother gave me in 1974, and one I always have out in the fall. The book is opened to a favorite poem from my childhood:
Out in the Fields with God
The little cares that fretted me
I lost them yesterday
Among the fields, above the sea,
Among the winds at play,
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the trees,
Among the singing of the birds,
The humming of the bees.
The foolish fears of what might happen,
I cast them all away,
Among the clover-scented grass,
Among the new-mown hay,
Among the husking of the corn,
Where drowsy poppies nod,
Where ill thoughts die and good are born-
Out in the fields with God
(Anonymous)
Also a family treasure my dad cleaned up and got working, is the antique printing press. I thought it was a book press, but after some research, I found it is for printing. It’s also great for pressing pretty leaves😉
I bought the iron candle holders on two different trips to Turkey, and they are very special to me.
This is the room where we relax, watch vintage TV shows, or just hang out, and we all love the comfy feel it has. My husband, who favors more modern, clean line designs, works long hours as a recording engineer, and he always tells me how much he looks forward to getting to relax right here and how much he loves this room, and that’s really all that matters to me😊
Next is my little music corner. This was originally a dining room, but everyone started to use the french doors as the main entry, so I moved the dining table to a few different spots before it landed in the kitchen.
The piano is an antique I bought when I lived in D.C., and although it’s a little beat up and worse for the wear, it means a lot to me and is the piano I use to practice.
The iron candle holder was a local antique mall find last year.
These three pieces really encompass the colors of fall here – blue sky, orange and red leaves. The Fenton carnival glass marigold hat pin holder belonged to my great grandmother.
I filled the box I made out of a newell post from the the old house with mums. I love the narrow size of this box.
My husband designed and made the corner cabinet from a walnut tree my dad cut years ago and reclaimed wormy chestnut from the old house. I lined the glass with sheet music because I thought it looked cluttered with all the things I have to store in there.
The 1880 Smith American pump organ was inherited along with the channel-back chair.
My mother bought the brass candelabra in Lebanon.
The hymn book belonged toMartha Walker — one of the Walker sisters who continued to live in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after it was created.
They were true pioneers and homesteaders, and the only one to marry, married my grandmother’s great uncle Jim Shelton who took many of the early photos of the park. Their story is really fascinating mountain history, and their cabin is a wonderful place to visit while in the Smokies.
I made the curtains last spring out of discounted fabric I bought online, and the colors were just perfect for fall.
Next up is the kitchen and dining area. We took out our island and replaced it with the dining table last winter, and I could not be happier about that. It serves as such a family gathering place every night, and I’m happy to actually be using the table.
I have found that I need to keep the centerpiece simple, so I decided to bring back a long box. Most of you will remember me having a long box for years😉
I went into detail about how I decorated this one with apples and pears last week.
Of course my absolute favorite project was restoring and installing the antique wormy chestnut bead board from my great grandfather’s house on this wall. I seriously walk into the kitchen every morning and just look at it all lit so dimly with just a lamp and it reminds me of how cozy our kitchen was growing up.
It also makes me think of my maternal grandmother’s kitchen, which was the epitome of authentic and true farmhouse. I remember spending the night and hearing her get up to fix breakfast for my grandfather while it was still dark. She only had the light on the stove and always listened to sermons or gospel music on the a.m. radio. The smell of coffee, hot biscuits, sausage and sawmill gravy is not something you ever forget. The warmth and inviting feeling her very humble kitchen had is something I can only hope to achieve.
My little family has certainly enjoyed the country feel of having a table in the kitchen, and my husband often remarks how much he loves it as well.
I got out my favorite vintage Brown Drip dinnerware, some Hull and some McCoy. It just screams “mountain cabin in the fall” to me, so I love using it this time of year. I also am using the vintage gold flatware, Golden Scroll — Americana Heritage by International Silver.
I also added in some peach/orange depression glass pieces as well to add color, as well as both my grandmothers’ blue mason jars.
I knew this Kaufmann “Queensland” crimson fabric would work so well for fall, and I couldn’t be happier with it.
I added the vintage trim to the old screen door back in the winter as well, and couldn’t be happier to have it where it belongs, and also painted it the same gray as some of the wood in one of the houses on the property.
On the buffet side, you can see I tried two different curtains in the french door! I finally decided on the red velvet to match the portiere, but still not sure I won’t just hang it actually in the doorway instead of behind.
On the inherited buffet, I lined up books that belonged to my grandfather, his sister and mother underneath an original 1953 painting by my late Montana uncle, Rex Thrower.
I had a friend find the bittersweet for me, so I was ecstatic to finally have some to decorate with. The old wagon wheel hub is the perfect piece for the bitterwseet and has a vase inside.
My mother gifted me the amber Indiana Glass Tiara sandwich glass decanter and the amber color is just perfect for fall with the vintage iridescent compotes.
I’m also just a little proud that I grew the three larger pumpkins in my pumpkin patch😊 I’ll use the rest of them on my porch later.
These are a few of the things I have done in my home to welcome my favorite season, and all things you can do in your home as well. It really is just about cozying things up a bit and making home an inviting and warm place to be, however that looks for you, and with whatever you already have. For me, home is a safe haven and the place I want to be more than anywhere else. And there’s just something in the fall air that makes that feeling even stronger😌
I would love to have you join me at Whispering Pines Homestead on instagram, so you will not miss any behind the scenes or the day to day projects.
Next up on the tour is Cristina at Remodelacasa, so be sure to head over there to see her beautiful fall home! All the links for all 30 bloggers, five each day, are below. Be sure to visit them all!
Thanks to the beautiful Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for all her hard work putting these tours together.
2019 Fall Home Tour Monday Lineup
A Stroll Thru Life, Grace In My Space, Cuckoo4Design, Pink Peppermint Design,
Far Above Rubies, Remodelando La Casa
2019 Fall Home Tour Tuesday Lineup
Duke Manor Farm, House By Hoff, Inspiration For Moms, ZDesign At Home,
Decor To Adore, Southern Hospitality
2019 Fall Home Tour Wednesday Lineup
Follow The Yellow Brick Home, Monica Wants It, Cassie Bustamante,
Hymns & Verses, Life On Virginia Street, Thrifty & Chic
2019 Fall Home Tour Thursday Lineup
11 Magnolia Lane, Seeking Lavender Lane, Clean & Scentsible,
Our Southern Home, Southern State Of Mind, Sincerely Marie Designs
2019 Fall Home Tour Friday Lineup
Life On Cedar Lane, Designing Vibes, TheWoodgrain Cottage, ThistlewoodFarm, Modern Glam, White Arrows Home
I love your home, it is so interesting and so full of wonderful treasures that you display so beautifully. It just makes you want to come in sit down and enjoy every single heirloom. I love hearing the stories of where they all came from. You have truly created a warm and inviting home. Thanks so much for joining the tours this season.
Thanks so much Marty! And thanks for all the hard work putting everything together! So happy to be part of the tour!
You are so very good at displaying your beautiful decor and photographing your beautiful home! Always enjoy your tour very much Anita
Thank you so much Julia!!
anita, your home is gorgeous and i love the changes you've made to make it earthier and cozier… those kitchen walls! and the dark gray with that buffet is my favorite! so excited to be joining you on this tour for the first time ever!
Cassie thank you so very much!! Earthy, that's it, and I hadn't even thought of that word. Thanks for helping me figure out what I'm going for:-) Cannot wait to see your home!!
You have created such a cozy home! Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you so much Sarah!!
Anita your fall home is such a joy to behold. The mustard yellow paired with burgundy is pure perfection! So happy to be on tour with you.
Thanks so much Laura!! Maybe it's a monitor color thing, but I don't have anything mustard yellow. Maybe the rust/orange?
I love your old home and all the interesting pieces you have collected from your grandparents and used in your home. I love the cozy environment you have created. My old house (1861), was named Whispering Pines due to a story a lady told us that lived in town all her life. She and her playmates use to play under the big pines trees and when the wind would blew through the trees it seem to whisper to them. I immediately found my name Whispering Pines! Love all your stuff and your stories. Thanks for sharing them.
Oh how interesting Connie!! I have the Whispering Pines sign on my porch now that was originally hanging on the porch of my great grandfather's house, so that is what inspired my choice. There were very tall hemlock trees here then, but the large ones die out due to a pest sadly. Thanks so much for your encouragement!!
I love touring your home, so beautiful and cozy! Replacing the kitchen island for a table opened up the entire space, I love it!!
Thanks so much Cristina!!
anita- every visit I fall more in love with the history and the sentiment of your items in your beautiful home.I never noticed your music corner before and love how you lined the doors with music.
Thanks so much Laura!!
It is just stunning, as always. I am so inspired by your use of color, texture and vintage elements! Thank you for sharing the details and the lovely photos.
Thank you so much Jane!!
I so much enjoyed your fall decor and especially loved reading the stories behind your beautiful antique and vintage items.
Thanks Paula!! I'm sentimental that way:-)
I could spend an hour commenting on each amazing detail that you have shared. so beautiful, Anita. Your color scheme is the highlight of your decor. love every bit of it! xo
Thanks s much Debra!!
What an absolute treat to tour your mountain home. We are neighbors….I'm in the western upstate of SC. Your home makes me yearn for a weekend in the mountains!
Thanks Christy!! I certainly love the mountains!
Absolutely lovely dear Anita… your home is so welcoming and filled with things that touch my heart so… first of all, that poem… so beautiful!… and I love that each of your treasures hold precious memories of loved ones and days gone by… always whispering those tales from the past to you, and I know you carry them in your heart as I do mine. The Adirondacks look like such a beautiful,serene place to live… thank you for sharing Autumn's beauty there … Julie Marie (sweetwildviolets in instagram)
Thanks so much Julie!! We are in the Blue Ridge Mountains, part of the Appalachian mountains:-)
I’m sorry I typed Adirondacks! I know you are in Appalachia! Xo ��
I am always blown away by your stunning tours Anita! Your home is gorgeous year round but it is particularly stunning in the fall. I will be back again to linger through each room taking in all of the amazing treasures and details.
Amazing!
So happy to join your for the tours this week. Happy fall!
Thanks s much Amber! I guess I'm just a fall person at heart:-)
That brown drip just warms my heart; my grandmother had that same set. I always love your home tour because it's so fun to read the history of every beautiful piece in your home. Thanks for sharing with us, and happy fall, Anita!
Oh how sweet!! I am so drawn to that for some reason and always get it out this time of year especially:-) Thank you so much Christy!!
Your home makes me think of words like comfy, cozy, warm, inviting, huggable, soothing, family, tradition, etc. The saturation of color is so beautiful. I'm so glad you are keeping the history of your family alive. It makes me want to come over for a cup of coffee and a piece of warm apple pie and we would chat and laugh a lot! P.S. I am in Texas!
Well come on over!! Thank you so much for those kind words as well:-)
I'm believe I'm obsessing over your home. LOL! I love the kitchen curtains the brown drip pottery so much that I've just ordered the same fabric to make a sink skirt and table cloth and also just bought several pieces of the drip pottery on Ebay and Etsy. I try to go the modern "neutral" route and have already painted my kitchen charcoal, but I always come back to color. The burgundy red colors just pop with the darker vibes, and I'm excited to add in the color for the Christmas season. You are amazingly talented and creative and I love the stories you weave about the abundant heirloom items you possess. As a pianist myself, I also love the musical instruments and touches in your home. This was just an utterly fabulous home tour!
Oh wow how awesome!! I'm so in love with that fabric and looked at it forever. If it were not $16 per yard I'd have gotten much more:-) Love that you're using Brown Drip too!!
I surely love the warmth of your kitchen area, and all of the delightful family treasures. Thanks for sharing these–warms the heart!
Thank you so much:-) It's good to see you too!
Anita, your home is absolutely gorgeous!. I love the colors and textures you have incorporated. Everything is just perfect! I love the special touches that you give to every little detail. It is so WOW! Thank you for sharing. I could just look at your photos all day long.
Thank you so much Kathryn!!
I love all the rich hues in your home and the special antique pieces. Love your beautiful home tour!
Thank you very much Tammy!!
Beautiful house, every nook is wonderful. I love watching and reading your posts. Regards.
I appreciate that so much, thank you!!
Wow, Anita! What a fabulous tour. I love all the rich, deep colors you used throughout your mountain home! So pretty!
Thank you so much Laura!!
The vivid colors for fall are so beauitul!!!
Thank you April!! It kind of goes with how the outside will look in a few weeks:-)
Such beautiful rich colors! I love how you have so many meaningful items and you style them so wonderfully! Happy fall!
Thanks Jennifer! Happy Fall to you as well!!
Your home is so incredibly cozy and inviting. So fun doing this tour with you. Happy fall! xoxo
Thanks you so much Bree!!
Enjoy your style! What is the pattern of The Red dishes used on your table for Christmas?
alderson@udel.edu
Thank you! Those are J & G Meakin Romantic England:-)
This should be a magazine article in Home Beautiful or something. I adore how you have decorated your home!
Hello! Are you able to tell me the paint color you used in your living room? It’s the perfect dark greenish grey