FESTIVE FALL DECOR
This is the perfect time to convert your home into your sanctuary
Thanksgiving might look a little different this year, with social distancing measures, and people's comfort levels, being what they are. But it's still a great excuse to set a beautiful table, decorate a room or two and enjoy a meal with loved ones while taking a moment to consider the things you're grateful for.
Lifestyle expert, chef and founder of Crumb (thisiscrumb.com), Devin Connell says she'll be celebrating with immediate family and perhaps a few extras. More than ever, she says, people are looking for reasons to celebrate and show gratitude.
“I'm very excited to recreate all the traditional menu items we have always made, but in smaller portions!” she says.
In decorating for Thanksgiving, Connell says she loves to place big fall branches down the middle of her dining table and along her kitchen island. She uses a tall vase to display the bright orange leaves from the maple tree in her backyard.
“I love using natural textured linens in cream jute and pale grey but making them feel a little more luxurious with gold cutlery and some pretty glassware,” she says.
Because of the pandemic, Connell assumes many more people will be hosting intimate Thanksgiving dinners instead of attending large ones, so there will likely be a lot more people hosting this year and not all will have the dishes, glassware or fall decor on hand.
Connell recommends checking out ebay for fall-themed items, either new or preloved. She recently partnered with ebay as one of their #ebayedits tastemakers, selecting her favourite accessories and must-have kitchen tools from their marketplace.
Another low key approach to Thanksgiving decor is using fruits and vegetables, says Connell.
“They look gorgeous, and there's no waste. I'll scatter some small white pumpkins along the table, interwoven with some pears and dark purple plums, and more branches in fall colours,” she says.
Connell says she is really into mismatched dishes and glassware, and loves mixing vintage and heirloom pieces with newer, modern ones. “This is a great way for hostesses to dust off any pieces handed down from grandma and make them feel modern by pairing them with modern ceramics and bronze flatware,” she says.
Though they'll only be celebrating Thanksgiving with immediate family in her home, that won't stop her from “pulling out all the stops” when it comes to decorating, she says. “I think — especially for young children — it's important to keep traditions a part of your life.”
Fall is a great time to reset, says Connell, and it's the perfect time to convert your home into your very own sanctuary.
“I'll be purchasing items that will add some extra layers of comfort to my home, like some new cosy pillow and throws, maybe some new teacups and coffee mugs. We luckily have a wood-burning fireplace, so I anticipate we will be spending some time around that this winter. I'm really embracing the idea of staying in and cocooning,” she says.
Connell says it's important how people feel in her home. Embracing traditional and modern elements in her decor, she uses a lot of colours and is playful in her approach.
“I'm certainly not composed or meticulous. I like a little mess. I like spaces to feel lived in, and I like my food to be approachable and fun to eat,” she says.
I think — especially for young children — it's important to keep traditions a part of your life.