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White Slipcover Chair Details // Blanket on Couch Details
Whenever I look online or in magazines for how to decorate a mantel for fall, I run across lots of ideas that feature tons of seasonal specific decor! Mantels can be so beautiful with bundles of wheat and piles of pumpkins lining the surface and seasonal garlands and wreaths hanging! But you’ve probably noticed (if you’re a long time follower here!) that I tend to mostly decorate with just a touch of any season and then use a mix of non-seasonal specific items I already have.
That’s just how I’ve always done it (check out this fall mantel blog post from 2010). The decorating advice I share here has stood the test of time and been used effectively through many homes, so I’m sticking with it :). I hope you find it helpful.
I love to set a mood with pieces I already have, while incorporating mostly gentle nods to the season. Now and then I might go a little more crazy with decor if I’m feeling inspired, but a bit more restrained is my preferred vibe. I get easily overwhelmed by too much.

For this mantel, I brought over artwork that had a palette that felt “fallish” to me. It is of a coastal town we happen to love nearby, so it feels appropriate to the season, to our home and tells a bit of our story. The frame played nicely with the rustic framed mirror, so I loved the two together. By leaning it in front of the mirror, it created a pleasing “stair step” layered arrangement that keeps it feeling connected and more interesting.
I had some “not necessarily fall” branches in a deep green that helped set the right mood for how I want my home to feel in this changing season. By putting them in a blue glass vase, it still retained a bit of summer as it felt lighter and airer. The height of the branches filled up some of the space, too, so it balanced the mirror out and didn’t feel dwarfed by the size or shape of mirror. Then I just tucked in a hydrangea from our yard as a gentle nod to the season.
Here are a few thoughts on how to decorate a fall mantel using what you have (and some touches of the season!):
1. Gather items you already have. To decorate an early fall mantel, I don’t necessarily start with a traditional theme (like fall pumpkins, for example!). I just start pulling together items I already have around the house. I think of this process as fall nesting! It’s about honoring the current season in your home while preparing yourself and your home for the next season.
Even if the weather where you are isn’t the same as ours, the seasons will be changing in one way or another. What inspires you right now? What combination of elements or a color palette would feel inviting for this season in your home? You don’t even have to use “fall colors.” Maybe you will keep your existing palette but just incorporate an item or two in a deeper hue than you did in June. What textures feel cozier and more inviting, but not too heavy for this transitional season?

2. Consider the mood you want at home in this season. As you are preparing for fall, I encourage you to read my book A Lovely Life. It will help you feel inspired and motivated by a purposeful and meaningful perspective on each of the seasons. The items you use to decorate your home or mantel right now will help you set intentions as well as create the atmosphere of your home. Have fun with decorating and by all means don’t take it all too seriously! But it is true that how you decorate your home can nurture your family in unique ways in each season. It’s not a waste of your time to decorate for the seasons. In fact, change can be therapeutic and so beneficial.

3. Pace yourself to savor the present season.
I have always felt my best when my home flows with a gentle rhythm for the seasons. That’s why I embrace subtle changes in how I decorate. I want my home to reflect the current season and always be inspiring to me, so I will likely update my mantel as the season evolves, too. For example, I might switch out the branches to ones with a golden hue. Or add pumpkins in October!
With that said, I don’t mind decorating for fall or Christmas a little earlier in the season than some might, because it can inspire me to feel prepared! When my home is ready, I am able to give my full attention to other more important things (like hosting gatherings or spending time with family!).
But if I were to decorate with Christmas trees on October 1st just to get it done, rather that feeling extra prepared I’d for sure feel burned out on it all too soon. I’d want to take it all down by the time the season actually arrived. I like to decorate for Christmas to create a festive mood for our family. So I will decorate for Christmas early enough that we can relax and focus on the meaning of the season, but not so early that we are bored of the decor when Christmas arrives.
That’s why I like to pace myself with in any season, such as the addition of pumpkins, or any other really specific seasonal decor. I want to fully enjoy and be present in the season we’re in rather than tire myself (or our family) of a future one before it even happens. That’s just how I approach seasonal decor! You do you — let your home be a reflection of you and your family!

See more of our Fall Nesting 2022 Series:
Start here > > A Slower Rhythm Through the Seasons
Fall Decorating: 7 Simple Tips to Slowly Transition Your Home
Reversible Blankets for Sofas, Chairs, Beds and More! (our mud cloth layering blankets)
Affordable White Washable Slipcovers: Ikea Ektorp Chairs
How to Be Intentional in Planning for Fall and Holidays
Savoring the Last Sunsets of Summer from Our Porch!
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Cozy Fall Shop
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Sources: Similar Ottoman // Blue Glass Lamp // Rattan Daybed // Rug // Plaid Pillow // Similar Turquoise Animal Otomi Pillow
Today let’s talk about 5 Stylish and Practical Reasons To Have Ottomans in Your Home!
Ottomans are Versatile
I love using my ottomans in my home because they are so versatile. An ottoman is used as place to put your feet up, an extra seat, and they are handy in place of a coffee table, too!
We have had a leather ottoman in our home for over twenty years (and have moved it with us to five of our homes now!). I’ve used my teal ottoman in so many types of rooms and several homes as well, it always seems to work somewhere! Right now it’s in our upstairs room we use for guests and my office. Everyone loves it. We can pull it up to the daybed or sofa for the ultimate comfort while relaxing or watching TV, or use a tray on it for serving snacks!
Sources: Similar Leather Ottoman // Wall Candle Sconces // Battery Taper Candles
Ottomans are Classic Furniture Pieces
You may wonder if certain styles of ottomans are in style. If you choose an unusual shape or certain trendy fabrics they can feel dated, so I’d stick to classic shapes and fabrics. Leather (or faux leather) and tufted ottomans are both classic home furnishing staples. They don’t really go out of style!
I think the addition of tufting on an ottoman adds a little more sophistication and flair to a room, but they don’t have to feel fussy or too formal. I certainly use them in casual rooms. That’s what I love about classic pieces, they are a good investment if you want a style that can endure for decades and beyond.

Ottomans Add Softness to the Room
Ottomans come in lots of pretty fabrics and textures. Those fabrics and the padding will add softness that will enhance the coziness of a room. One wonderful thing about ottomans is that they comfy for your legs and feet (and won’t hurt if you or your littles run into them!). The softness of an ottoman means they can easily double as seating, much like a bench but without the discomfort of a hard surface. I also love to tuck small ottomans around a room, too, for these reasons!

Ottomans are Simple to Use as a Coffee Table
Tufting tends to give them a slightly more firm surface than some ottoman styles, but with any ottoman you will still want to have a tray or solid surface you can use on top. That way they are also functional as a coffee table for decor, or serving food or drinks. Of course, there is a risk of spilling on the ottoman if you use them as a coffee table, so take that into consideration.
Some fabrics will easily wipe off or repel spills, but a large tray (perhaps try a tray with sides!) will also help minimize that risk. Like I said, I’ve had my ottomans for a very long time with kids of all ages (my youngest was a year old when we got our leather ottoman!). We’ve also had many dogs (and one who especially loves the ottoman!) and these ottomans have held up well to daily use.

Ottomans can be fun to style, too!
If you’re hesitant to try an ottoman in place of a coffee table because you feel it would limited your decor options, I don’t think that has to be a deterrent. You can use blankets, trays, baskets, books and other decor elements to style them for every season. I’ll show some simple ways to style ottomans for fall in an upcoming post (so stay tuned for that along with my simple decorating formula!).
Related Post:10 Tufted Ottomans You Could Use in Place of a Coffee Table!
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Decorating and organizing a home takes time, but today I’m here to help simplify the process and save you money with tips for using The Inspired Room Amazon Storefront!
We find many lovely and practical finds for the home on Amazon in each season. Scroll below to see many of our most recent finds, with beautiful fall mood boards and decorating ideas for your home.
But first, let me share three handy but simple tips for finding what you need using The Inspired Room Amazon storefront!

1. HOW TO FIND THE INSPIRED ROOM AMAZON STOREFRONT:
You can check out ALL of my Amazon finds here in my storefront with categorized folders that are updated often. By checking out my personally curated Amazon storefront, you will not only know where to begin shopping but I can help you simplify the process of decorating and organizing your home.
You can also type in this URL amazon.com/shop/theinspiredroomshop OR just come to the blog theinspiredroom.net and scroll down a bit until you see my Amazon Storefront banner. Click the banner and you’ll be there!

2. WHERE TO FIND THE ITEMS I HAVE IN MY HOME:
This folder of my storefront features things I personally own (or are very similar) from Amazon. I know it can be helpful to see things in real life, so I also try to add photos and videos of these pieces in our home here.

3. HOW TO USE MY HANDY AMAZON SHOP SEARCH BAR FEATURE:
Searching through thousands of products feels overwhelming. In addition to using my shop folders to find my favorites, you can use the search bar within my storefront to search for anything specific you’re looking for. The search bar within my shop will automatically pull up my related recommendations (for example: type “basket” and it will give you folders of my ideas, my mood boards, and photos from my home that feature baskets available).
Searching within my storefront is like having me right there to guide you! See the screenshot of my shop page above, simply type in your search term in the box where it says Search all posts. Using my storefront search bar will save you so much time wandering around, or wondering which item to choose, or trying to find what you need! I hope this tip helps! 🙂
FOLLOW MY STOREFRONT!Click the blue follow button on my storefront to stay in the loop of what I share in the future!
Scroll down to enjoy these mood boards featuring some of my latest finds below, I hope these give you inspiration today for your own home!
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See ALL my latest Amazon finds here in my storefront!
…or head to my Shop page here to find sources from my home and more decor from a variety of online sites!

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Do you ever feel overwhelmed with where to start when designing a room? If you want to give a room a refresh, here are the first four steps I usually take to get started, to organize my thoughts, needs and style preferences so I can move forward with a plan!
1. Assess the Space
First I look at the space I have. What do I like about it? What do I not like? Do I like the colors, the arrangement, the furniture? Most importantly, how does it feel to be in here? Consider the current mood and what you’d like to change about it. Are there any cluttered spots that need to be addressed? Are there certain corners or particular angles that don’t inspire you? Do any initial ideas come to mind? I don’t have to solve it all…I just use this time to observe what’s working and what isn’t. You can write down your observations in a notebook if you’d like!
2. Gather Inspiration
Next I begin to gather inspiration! I start by looking for anything and everything that inspires me. I don’t worry too much yet about the practicality of the idea or the why behind my inspiration…I’ll get to that next! If an image, idea or art or piece of furniture speaks to me in any way, I save it. If I use books I flag them with little sticky notes (I shared my favorite home design books HERE). If it’s online inspiration, I will pin them to a Pinterest board, or if it’s on Instagram I use the little flag button on the bottom right to save them to a specific folder.
3. Observe and Find Takeaway Tips
Now that I have some inspiration saved, I try to analyze my photos and take note of what elements I like (I’ve done several posts about this called Takeaway Tips, see all here!). Sometimes I find I will save an inspiration photo but don’t know why it was that I gravitated toward it. Look closely and observe what specifically you like. Maybe you saved a photo of a kitchen that looks nothing like the style of your home. Upon observation, you note that it is a bright white kitchen with colorful cookbooks on built-in shelves. The takeaway from that might be that you feel inspired by bright white spaces with pops of color on open shelves.
4. Look for the Patterns
Next I look for patterns in the inspiration photos I chose. It could be literal patterns (like stripes or plaid!) but I’m mostly looking for color schemes, furniture elements or room styles that I seemed to choose repetitively. Did I save lots of photos with moody dark walls? Do I seem to love the look of a room full of antiques? Do I like the streamlined look of built-ins? I also refer back to the takeaway tips, because that can help refine the specific elements I want to incorporate. I might have saved several photos of white rooms, but once I look for patterns I realize what I really was inspired by was the architecture of white paneling, or maybe I really like the way vintage wood furniture looks against the white walls, for example.
Also I find it helpful to ask myself honestly if any of the patterns are mostly driven by current trends, rather than what I actually like for my own home. I might save a lot of moody earthy toned rooms, but it’s helpful to remind myself that while I might love them in photos that doesn’t mean they will be the right choice for my home. It’s OK to discover that you love a certain look in photos and yet not choose it for your home.
After completing those four steps….I start to feel much more equipped to begin making the specific plans and design decisions for my own space!
In my next post I’ll share some of the inspiration photos I’ve started to gather as I brainstorm ideas for my new kitchen remodel!
I’ll also give you an update on my bedroom and plans for that for “A Lovely January”. If you missed the details about that challenge, you can catch up and join us here.
More inspiration on The Inspired Room:
How to Find Your Style (+ My Favorite Home Design Books) – VIDEO
How to Get Inspired and Find Your Decor Style
How to Decorate with Inspiration Room (Takeaway Tips)
More Takeaway Tips Posts

Find decor advice in my books The Inspired Room, Simple Decorating, and But Where Do I Put the Couch + Answers to 100 Other Home Decorating Questions.
Check out my “How to Decorate” page to find decor inspiration room by room.
You can also follow my new Instagram @theinspiredroomstyle for style advice and our thoughtfully curated selection of timeless furniture and charming accessories! More

There are plenty of opportunities to make mistakes in life. And yes, many that *could* be made while decorating your home.Maybe you’ve made a few blunders yourself! I know I have.So what is the most regrettable decorating mistake you’ve ever made?Painting a room the wrong color?Ordering a sofa that is too big or too small for your intended room?Buying a free standing cabinet that won’t fit up the stairs?So many possibilities.
I happen to think one of the most regrettable mistakes we can make in our own home is simply not following our heart.
Maybe we aren’t inspired in our home because we:
worry too much about what others will think of our choices.
followed the style or advice of someone else and chose things that didn’t really speak to us.
make choices for our room based on what we think is the safest option
fear making a mistake
don’t know how to pull together what speaks to us.
stay paralyzed or stuck in a rut and don’t make changes at all.

When we make decisions based on peer-pressure, fear or worry, our home probably doesn’t speak to our heart.
Sure, even when we follow our heart it’s possible to make mistakes. And maybe lots of them! Hahah! BUT THAT IS OK! Most design mistakes aren’t fatal. PRAISE HANDS! Having fun with our home and trying things is how we can discover what works for us, what we love and what speaks to us. Mistakes could cost money, so definitely on major purchases, it’s wise to give it some good thought before you place an order. But most mistakes are not impossible to correct, so don’t fear!
Oftentimes misstep turns into a happy accident. Mistakes can give us the opportunity to get creative or try something unexpected that we end up loving even more than our original idea.
Taking a risk or trying something different can lead us to have a home that speaks deeply to us.
When we put our heart and soul into being creative and not worrying so much, it brings us more JOY.
A home you love takes time, but let it be an enjoyable process.
A home that sparks more joy and connection is worth taking a risk on, don’t you think?
A couple of things for you today:Speaking of sparking joy, the beautiful wood and glass diffuser you’ve seen in my home (the ARIA) IS BACK in STOCK for new members. It’s only while supplies last (and won’t return for at least a month due to Covid limitations) so you’ll want to grab it quick if/while it’s still available! I’ve got fall oil samples to send to new members, too!! Get the Aria Diffuser premium starter kit here.

If you’re already my YL member and you didn’t get my fall recipe cards recently, let me know in the comments and I’ll send you some happy mail!
What are some decorating mistakes you’ve made? Did any of them turn into a happy accident? I want to know!
PS. I’ll share a happy decorating story with you in a week or so, it was an unexpected situation but but I LOVE IT!
Photos: House & Home
Related blog posts:
Make Your Home Your Own
How to Decorate: The Slow Process to a Style You’ll Love
Catch up on my 2020 Fall Nesting Series:
Tips to Decorate Your Fall Living Room
Cozy Fall Throw Blankets
My Favorite Fall Decor in My Cozy Fall Shop
14 Ideas for a Cozy Fall Kitchen
Make Your Home the Coziest It Can Be (3 Take Away Tips)
Fall Puttering Playlist
Cozy Self-Care Corner Must-Haves
Four Essential Home Making Practices for Every Season
Fall Nesting and Doormats
How to Dwell Well This Fall
How to Decorate with Faux Fall FoliageTimeless Pieces for Your HomeHospitality and Joy are Not Cancelled (Decorate your Porch)How to Make Your Home Smell Cozy and Inviting
How to Create a Memorable Fall Home + Cozy Diffuser Blends More