vintage books and candlesticks

Doesn’t the idea of Fall make you want to break out all the cozy, comfortable things that were put away for the warmer months? Warm throws, fuzzy slippers, and even brass candlesticks lead to thoughts of sipping a warm cup of coffee next to the fire on a chilly morning.

I love getting out my vintage and antique books and setting up a fun Halloween vignette or two. They’re the perfect complement for pumpkins, candles and cute little owls.

So when you’re out at a book store or thrift shop, be on the lookout for pretty shabby chic vintage books. 

I love ones with titles that remind me of the spooky nights leading up to Halloween… Anything by Edgar Allen Poe is perfect and I love the Gothic novels like Wuthering Heights, Frankenstein, Dracula, The Picture of Dorian Gray and even books of poetry by Lord Byron. Did you ever read the Tell Tale Heart or The Raven in grade school? I distinctly remember reading those Poe stories, and the classic Washington Irving story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, one of my favorites! 

Having grown up near the Catskills and the Hudson River, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow brings back amazing childhood memories of eerie Halloween nights, autumn leaves dancing around me, the wind howling and trick or treating through my quaint neighborhood, with the thought that the headless horseman could appear at any moment... and to add to that, my friends and I were really good at conjuring up spooky tales while we walked from house to house on Halloween night.

That’s why these old books give me such a comfortable, cozy vibe during these amazing Fall months. Thank you to all my English teachers who made reading so fun!! 

By the way, this pretty copy of Wuthering Heights is from Barnes and Noble. I just reread it a few years ago, but I’m ready to dive into it again. It’s filled with romance, as well as gothic elements that I love. The Newport Beach Public Library has a great used book store and that's where I picked up a few more of these lovely little volumes for just a dollar or two. 

I have so much fun looking for quirky, Halloween related titles!  

Literature and decor, 

always an interesting combination.

ciao! fabiana