my kind of fall, just a bit uncommon and eclectic



Years ago I would never have described by decorating style as eclectic... and it wasn't.  I would never have used items from thrift stores and estate sales nor would I have mixed things up like brass, galvanized, mercury glass and silver!

You would not have seen a garden gate hanging on my living room wall, with random bits and pieces added to is for the season or a holiday... recently when a friend was visiting she commented on one of my unique, uncommon decorating choices and it made me step back and take inventory of my room and what it has become.

For example, earlier in the fall I added this fabulous vintage, silk umbrella I found (at where else) my favorite thrift store!  Hesitant to open the umbrella up all the way and use it ( I think it shrank a bit over time) I decided to add it to the garden gate back in September as our fall is usually rainy and blustery!  I know my friend thought this was an unusual choice (and we aren't even going to the beat up vintage gate here!).

Of course, since that day in September, I've already changed up my gate to a garland... it's supposed to be for Christmas but the brass and galvanized flower shapes attached to a tinsel like garland, well they spell year round to me... it's new but looks old and vintage-y and yes, I've decided that is a word.

Not wanting to put the umbrella (and the fabulous orange handle) back in storage, I added it to my side chair in the living room.  A fuzzy, mohair like plaid blanket (also thrift store score at just $3.99) draped over the back make a cozy little spot.

You can see this chair rests next to our desk in the living room and I usually have small pillow on it as well... handmade by me a number of years ago.

I've been thinking of changing this pillow out and recently a wonderful company, Uncommon Goods, contacted me about the opportunity to showcase their catalog a bit on my little old blog... of course I said YES!  If you've never checked them out before you're in for a treat and believe me, their style is MY style... I mean they had me at the word uncommon, right??!!!  I've received their catalog for years and it is always full of unique and unusual items, both qualities that fit into my decorating style to a T!  Uncommon Goods has been around for number years and knows like me with my vintage finds, that there's a story behind everything and in decorating with these kinds of items you say something about yourself in your selections!  You can find information about the designer or artist behind most, if not all of their offerings.  They support sustainability, creativity and the artistic community.... and I won't even get started on their fabulous jewelry options that I adore (hint to the mister?)!!

And getting back to my pillow on the chair and the idea of changing it out... This cute "book style" pillow from Uncommon Goods would be a fun option...  I mean my middle name should be "book", or "reader", or "I just gotta get to the end"!
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Or one of these fabulous camera pillows would look fabulous on my little wooden chair!  Or my couch for that matter.  I just may be gifting these to someone this season, like myself!
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And pulling myself away and moving around the room, I haven't changed my coffee table up too much for the fall season, really just added a couple of velvet pumpkins in the most yummy shades of orange and rust... and I love those russet colors with all of my aqua, in fact I've fully turned into an aqua/robin's egg blue is a neutral believer!  How about you?


Of course my wooden grate (.49 cents at the thrift store!), a vintage wood file drawer, aqua mason jars and some vintage wooden spindles all fill out the center my coffee table.  Unique and just what I love...

I'm thinking of adding one of these candles from Uncommon Goods to the mix when I decorate for the next season or holiday, I mean they even crackle!  Nothing says cozy on a cold day like a crackling fire or candle when you don't have a real wood fireplace!
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And my biggest and most varied vignette in the room is tucked in the corner of my living room, the top of my cabinet is decked out with an oil canvas of a pumpkin, a fun little book and the cutest little old brass trophy... from once again the thrift store.  It was a bowling trophy and I found out that a trophy like this screws together so I just removed the little bowling guy (saved of course in case I need him again) and voila, my own mini trophy in fantastic old brass.

A broader view of the area shows you one of my many globes, my vintage Sears Farm books (some day I'll find volume 3) all stacked on top of a vintage 4 drawer card catalog.  Sometimes I pull one of the drawers out and let something spill out of it...

Another pull out a bit farther on the corner and you can see another globe (my husband says I have too many... at just 5 or 6 I don't agree), a "B" that would have been on a Letterman's jacket (my last name starts with a B), my grandfather's humidor/pipe table and in the corner the coolest vintage baby gate I've ever seen.  This gate is wood and had just the right patina.  I sometimes open it up a bit more along the wall but for this vignette it's tucked away in the corner and just opened enough to show it for what it is.

Of course Uncommon Goods doesn't let me (or you!) down in the globe department... maybe I could sneak this cork one into my collection... I'm sure my husband wouldn't notice!  And I've already got the map pins to use on it so it would be a cost savings, right?
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Or perhaps this fantastic accordion magazine rack?  Just think of all the cool things I could display on this, perhaps even some of my vintage Nancy Drew books currently tucked away in my little corner cabinet (you can see them peeking through the glass)?
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But honestly... one of my current favorite recent additions to my living room was to add this small canvas from the craft store, covered in linen like fabric with my husband's great-grandfather's pocket watch hanging on it.  I simply used a large pin to hang it from... with a cute vintage slate chalkboard, some scrabble tiles and the cutest little wood ruler it's one of my favorite views in the room.

Especially when a fall bit of sunshine spills over it just so.

So how about you?  Any fall decorating that you need to share before breaking out the holiday items in a couple of short days?  Are you uncommon and eclectic like me?




Sponsored post, all opinions, views and writing are my own.

Comments

  1. Chris - Love your gate - so many ways to decorate seasonally. Also adore the umbrella - that handle is awesome.

    Judy

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  2. I just *love* your decorating style.. it's so unique and special and vintage and pretty. I'm uncommon and eclectic too.. but I don't think that I have the style that you have. But I do have 2 little grandson's that live here full-time.. :-) I look forward to seeing your house all dressed for Christmas. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  3. I would describe myself as eclectic...I could easily live in your rooms! Never, ever would I have thought that I could be so vintage-y and like it, always matchy matchy for years and I'm finally breaking my mold and doing what I like. Need to go check out Uncommon Goods, sounds like me!

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