falling for fall

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but Fall really is my favorite time of year! I don’t know what it is. Maybe it has to do with the start of all the holidays coming up, like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It really gets me in a festive mood just thinking about it!

We had some pretty warm weather this past weekend, but that’s expected of October here in Southern California. Maybe the heat only helps the intensity of the colors of the fall leaves… I hope so! 

Pottery Barn tablescape

Last week I stopped in at Pottery Barn, and there were no signs of the Monique Lhuillier tableware yet, but they do have several pretty Thanksgiving tables set. It’s always fun to see what their inspiration is from year to year. 

Williams-Sonoma tablescape

Williams-Sonoma drew me in with the smell of their mulled apple cider that I could smell from across the way at Pottery Barn. They were serving that and some fresh pumpkin bread, mmmmm how can you not be in the mood for Fall with those aromas?    

table by Carolyn Zakryk Elegant Details

Look what I found on pinterest... a tablescape inspired by the “Be Thankful” Thanksgiving table I did last year for Oriental Trading. 

table by Carolyn Zakryk Elegant Details

Notice the same crossed pheasant feathers and the “Be Thankful” silver charm? It’s so nice when we can inspire each other. 

table by Carolyn Zakryk Elegant Details

I love these festive turkey plates!

table by Carolyn Zakryk Elegant Details

And the use of color in the centerpiece is beautiful.

table by La Dolfina

I think I was originally inspired for my “Be Thankful” tablescape by this one by La Dolfina. I love how she uses deep, rich shades of brown and then surprises us with the lovely pop of blue in the glassware.  

My husband’s cousin Lee created this lovely centerpiece in her Nashville home. It reminds me of my white pumpkin and Dusty Miller arrangement in a wooden flower box. Lee has such all-around great taste. She also has a line of yummy pickles and my favorite red pepper jelly created from special family recipes, called Oakley’s Southern Delights!

Making a trip to the pumpkin patch has been a family tradition for us for a long time, and Tanaka Farms in Irvine is the best one I’ve ever been to. They actually grow tons and tons of pumpkins here, in addition to lots of other fruits and veggies. Look at all these beautiful pumpkins! 

It’s so cute that they feature all the Hello Kitty characters here and there are lots of beautiful spots for photo ops. 

“Oh, hi there, cutie!” 

I can’t help being inspired by this season with all these wonderful things around me. Thanks for letting me share them with all of you!

ciao! fabiana

💕

While I’m here today, I wanted to share some of my "Tablescaping Essentials" with you. I have a whole page on the Amazon website with my favorite picks for setting a beautiful table.

Quite often time is of the essence, and I have last minute projects or events to work on, so I turn to Amazon for one or two day delivery. You’d be surprised at how many amazing items they have to offer! And I'm constantly updating this page with my new favorites. 

You can check it out here, at “Tablescaping Essentials”.

first photo credit: Traditional Home

first house on home tour day

Yesterday was the day of

the Newport Harbor Home & Garden Tour,

and I wanted to share a little

bit of the day with you.

This year there were six homes featured on the tour.

and this home on Windward Lane was our first stop…

Lisa, my best friend since 8^th grade,

comes down every year for the tour

and we go together.

And this year, Leslie,

 another friend from high school,

joined us and we had such a blast!

This is a darling traditional style home

with really fun curb appeal
and an authentic Cape Cod vibe.

That row of red rocking chairs

reminds me of the ones we

see in Harbour Town every year

when we visit Hilton Head.  

Inside, the home has been updated

and brightened up quite a bit with 
white cabinets, sleek finishes and mercury glass accessories.

The tongue and groove ceiling

 in the kitchen helps to define the

beachy, Cape Cod style of the home.

The kitchen island features

two of these long benches for seating

but the focal point of the kitchen is

really this spectacular chandelier.  

The neon cheers sign is a fun accent!

The dining room table was set

with a little help from

Williams-Sonoma and their line of Aerin

blue and white accessories.

You get a great view of the backyard

from the dining room table.

The comfy seating out by the pool is really cute.

This house has a great back yard for entertaining.

The living room was mostly white and muted,

soft colors with just a little brightness

brought in with the plants and succulents.

I love the coastal accessories in these alcoves.

My favorite parts of the master bedroom were the

capiz shelled chandelier and the

neutral grasscloth wallcovering.

I love the sound this light fixture makes

when a slight breeze hits it.

Here’s a cozy little corner in the bedroom.

Who doesn’t love the double “C” monogram of Chanel?

The craft room in this home was amazing.

Every corner was filled

with all kinds of crafty doodads,

and sooo very organized.

The homeowner used lots of 

oversized Anchor jars

and vintage style 

apothecary jars for storage.

Lisa and Leslie both loved this painting in the family room. 

Here's a sneak peek at the next home 

I'm going to share...

Additional info on this home:

Interior Designer: David Riley

Architect: Michael Martin AIA

Backyard Plants and Staging: Molly Wood Garden

Home Staging: Williams-Sonoma Home

ciao! fabiana

For more Newport Harbor Home Tour inspiration,
check out this brand new book:

aerin lauder for williams sonoma

I’m really loving the gorgeous new

Aerin Collection by Williams-Sonoma Home.

Have you seen it?

I just got the catalog this week

and am so tempted to order a few of

the beautiful blue outdoor pillows.

The only problem is, 

the ones I love are a little pricey,

at about $80 dollars each!

I would totally splurge

on these

ikat ones on the left,

but I would need several

of these to make a bold statement.

So that order is on hold for the moment…

Aerin Lauder is the granddaughter of

Estee Lauder,

and she and her family have 
an amazing estate in Palm Beach 

where these photos were taken,

more on that later… 

This entire line is truly beautiful!

Well, since my

Aerin ikat pillows are on hold for now,

I have to show you what I found at

Target this morning… 

Not quite ikat,

but they are in the same 

genre of color and geometric pattern,

Target had these on sale.

Here’s the price difference:

Target Brushed Diamond Blue by Threshold, $13.50 &

Aerin for W-S Outdoor Printed Medallion Ikat, $79.

So I did end up getting a few at Target 
this morning…

and they look fabulous!

ciao! fabiana