If you have been around here for two minutes, you know that I love antiques. I also love fall. Since we are sharing all things fall, why not combine the two. I thought it would be fun if I shared the antique pieces that I incorporate into my fall decor.
I started collecting antiques when I was fresh out of high school. Since I bought my first house at age 20, it’s what filled my entire home. Back then, you could pick up pieces for under $10 a lot of times. I remember being pregnant with my first daughter and needing a dresser for her room. I happened to be driving down the road and saw a yard sale going on. There was a small dresser by the side of the road. The guy said he would take 3. I was thinking he meant $300. Ha! It was actually $3.00. I snatched that thing up immediately. It needed some work and the paint stripped but I was always up for a good project even back then.
This is probably one of my very favorite things that I use within my fall decor. I have a collection of amber bottles that I have picked up here and there throughout the years. A few years back, I created a fall look on our fireplace mantel using my collection and I loved how it turned out. Put them together in a group for a bigger impact. If you don’t have a huge collection, sprinkle them here and there within your other collections, like ironstone, etc. You can also add a candle to them for something different.
I have a HUGE collection of books of all different colors. I store the red ones in my home decor room and usually pull them out for Christmas. Orange, yellow, and green antique books are fun to add into your cabinets to give you a fall feel. They are great for using as risers to display something else in your home. I like to stack them on a table for added interest as well. You can usually pick them up for next to nothing at yard sales, etc.
Old crocks and bowls are items that I display throughout the entire year. But, I find myself loving the darker ones for fall. A lot of times I pull them out of my collection and add them different places in our home. Add a bunch of fall colored flowers to a crock and you have a quick centerpiece.
A lot of times, I reach for my white ironstone pitchers in my decor. But for fall, I find myself grabbing my darker colored ones for my displays. I have a large collection of dark brown pitchers that are perfect for this type of thing. They look great lined up on a fireplace mantel, too.
I think you have to have three of something to call it a collection. Is that correct? I don’t have a collection of pewter candlesticks but I have one. And, I think it has fall written all over it. I picked this up at a garage sale for a few dollars and will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for more when I’m out shopping flea markets, etc.
Add some pretty fall prints to antique frames and you have a new seasonal look for a few dollars. I do that every season. A few years back, I had a bunch of Halloween prints made and I cannot wait to pull them out again. See that post here.
Tip: Spray paint an old picture frame black to give them a moodier look for fall. You can pick them up at thrift stores for a few dollars. And, then add a seasonal print.
Baskets are something that I collect throughout the year and have in my decor all year long. I wanted to include this because they are so nice to add pumpkins and florals to. It’s a quick and easy fall trick. If you have a basket that you aren’t particular fond of the color, paint it. That is what I did with this large white one on the porch.
I have no clue why, but I think this little squirrel looks very fall-ish. I grabbed this on the 127 yard sales last year and love him. He got pulled out into my decor last year and this year both.
I have a collection of antique urns that get a little fall makeover every year. Normally they are filled with mums and pumpkins. This happens to be a vintage birdbath that I picked up for a few dollars at a garage sale years ago. I love it with this little jack-o-lantern. I bet you would never guess what this jack-o-lantern looked like in a past life.
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I thought I recognized that formerly orange pumpkin! I do love fall, I just don’t want it sneaking up on me until September. Summer in Seattle is pretty comfortable so we like it to stick around awhile.
But I am a fan of pumpkin ice cream… yum! And I make a tasty pumpkin smoothie with frozen puree (canned), sweetner and almond milk.
Those both sound wonderful! I love everything about Fall, but I don’t like what comes after!
I did not know that it takes 3 of something to officially make a collection.. I chuckled at that because forever. I have said “1 of anything is a collection to me.”
I love your collections and how you put them all together!!
Cathy
Haha, one item just means I have a new collection coming!!
Love your beautiful home!