You Said It: ‘Take Pleasure in the Small, Simple Things’ and More

This week the air turned crisp and the leaves started to change color — we’ve got fall on the brain. In spite of the incessant cacophony of leaf blowers and a stinkbug infestation, fall is still my favorite season. We learned this week on Houzz how to add fragrance to fall gardens, how to press leaves and how to use those pesky fallen leaves to help enrich the garden. For more outdoor enjoyment, we toured a wonderful rooftop garden and learned how one homeowner transformed her lawn into a vibrant low-maintenance garden that requires minimal watering (if you’ve been tracking California’s drought, you know how important this is). There were plenty of great suggestions for fall projects inside the house as well. Happy fall, everyone!

“This season take pleasure in the small, simple things, like collecting acorns, pressing oak leaves and wrapping up in warm blankets to count the stars overhead.” — Melisa Bleasdale

It’s time to celebrate the season — make the most of it with a fall project. Bleasdale inspires us with projects like pressing leaves, collecting seedpods, cozying up our nests for winter, creating fall tablescapes and more.

Full story: 8 Ways to Embrace the Wonder of Fall


“By borrowing furniture, lighting, rugs, architectural elements and even plants from the rest of the house, you can add incredible interest to your bathroom.” — Lisa Higgins

Stunning bathroom designs often are missing one thing — unique character. We can get trapped in the bathroom decor box, thinking it’s all about vanities, fixtures and tiles. In this story Higgins expands our minds, leading us to think about bathrooms in different ways. She shows us the ways other furnishings — like dressers, Oriental rugs, unique lighting fixtures and lamps*, easy chairs, window seats, side tables, benches and room screens — can make our bathrooms more interesting and comfortable. Adding character to the bath is another good fall project to include on the list.

Full story: 10 Living Room Touches to Bring to the Bath

*Always check local codes and with a professional electrician before adding things like chandeliers, pendants or table lamps in a bathroom to ensure safety.


“What about those cleaning jobs that are a step beyond the regular routine? You don’t have to wait for spring to get them done. Fall, when we spend more time indoors and prepare for the holidays, is ideal too.” — Belle Crestani

As it gets dark out earlier and earlier, I love to tackle projects around the house. Crestani not only gives us project suggestions (deep cleaning appliances, tackling tiles and drains, replacing pillows and cleaning germ magnets, like doorknobs and phones), but also tells how to complete them with nontoxic natural cleansers like baking soda and eucalyptus oil.

Full story: 14 Cleaning Projects That Go a Little Deeper — Naturally


“I recently let what appeared to be a weed (I wasn’t sure) continue to grow in our mostly shade bed, which is the toughest to buy for. The plant’s now blooming, and I have learned it is a turtlehead, or Chelone.” — Houzz user ChickieD

There’s something going on that I love in the Comments section of Benjamin Vogt’s story about perennials that provide great fall color. Houzz users have extended the story, contributing suggestions and sharing photos of some of their favorite plants. This is a community at its best. Oh, and I also love the analogy of giving a potential weed a chance and seeing it blossom into something beautiful.

Full story: 8 Perennials for Great Fall Color


“‘The client loves to barbecue, so I planted oregano, lemon thyme and other herbs that he could use in his grilling,’ Haiman says. He also included lots of alpine strawberries for the owner to add to his morning oatmeal.” — Bonnie Monte

Rooftop gardens can be tricky — there are often weight limitations for planting (soil and planters are heavy), awkward spaces and tricky growing conditions. This one is a wonderful success, and its ideas are easy to translate to any regular deck or outdoor space down on the ground. I particularly love this idea of planting the herbs close to the grill.

Full story: Once a Barren Rooftop, Now a Serene City Getaway


“She wanted to enhance her outdoor living experience but be more respectful of the natural landscape and wildlife. She wanted a chemical-free, low-water and low-maintenance landscape that would also be environmentally beneficial and beautiful.” — Annie Thornton

The American lawn is iconic, but it’s also a huge source of nonpoint source pollution and a terrible water waster. I love to come across more environmentally friendly solutions when I’m cruising my neighborhood or Houzz. Especially one as beautiful as homeowner Windi Heaton’s. The project has become a paragon of water conservation for the local water board.

Full story: Inside Houzz: A Waterfront Property Ditches the Grass for a Garden


“This selection of trees, vines, shrubs, perennials and even hardy annuals will entice you out into the garden, as the intoxicating scents of flowers and leaves waft remarkable distances across the autumn air.” — Karen Chapman

Sometimes we forget that the garden can engage our sense of smell; it just takes a little bit of planning. What’s great about this list is that the bulk of the suggestions can be planted during the fall, so you can enjoy them right away.

Full story: 8 Plants for a Deliciously Fragrant Fall Garden


“It takes little effort on your part to get them working for you, so instead of sweeping them to the curb, here are five ways to use leaves in your garden.” — Therese Ciesinski

When Ciesinski sees trucks vacuuming up the leaves from the curb, she sees dollar bills getting sucked away. Learn how to put your rakings to good use, increasing your soil’s microbial life, water-holding capacity, nutrients and structure.

Full story: 5 Ways to Put Leaves to Work in Your Garden

What are you working on this fall, inside or out? Please share with us in the Comments section.

URL: You Said It: ‘Take Pleasure in the Small, Simple Things’ and More http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-24748.html