Legends of the Fall
A love letter to my favorite season...
There’s something mystical and nostalgic about the first true fall day. A poem by David Jones best summarizes it: “And after all, the wind smelled of starting again.” I’ve always been drawn to the change of seasons. I find it poetic. A reset in some ways, and a slow down as we prepare for the colder months ahead. Autumn and its brevity is a reminder to be present and to find beauty in the simplicities of life. It always allows me to rethink and reshape my own perspective on everything from personal style, to how I view and live in my home.
Growing up in eastern Pennsylvania, fall is a religion. I can easily tie my love of the season to growing up there. From the beautiful foliage, abundant orchards, backyard bonfires, it’s all so nostalgic to me. I remember many years ago walking through Society Hill in Philadelphia and seeing the stoop of a historic townhouse layered with a variety of pumpkins and gourds. Clearly an early point of inspiration for my own front stoop which has become a fixture in our Washington, D.C. neighborhood.
For me, fall is all about a shift in mood as it pertains to my home. By focusing on a few relatively easy details, I can prepare for, and celebrate, the seasonal shift. Creating a warm, and inviting ambiance is key. To know me is to know my love of mood lighting. From dimly lit table lamps strategically placed throughout a room, to the dreamy glow of candlelit glass hurricanes, the lighting I choose at night can completely create a vibe that envelopes you and makes you want to nestle in.
Fragrance is another element I never overlook. For the autumn months, I love candles with fragrances that feel atmospheric, elegant, and moody. Think notes of oud, clove, musk, amber, etc.; typically more masculine leaning scents that have an earthy, smoky quality, but aren’t overpowering. A candle I created called Sycamore House encapsulates these characteristics. The goal was to develop a scent that evoked the ambiance of a library room in a country home with a roaring fire. If you walk into my home during the months of September - December, you’re bound to ask me, “what is it you’re burning!?” Towards the end of this article, I’ve included another fall-like fragrance I always turn to, and both seem to be hits with guests.
As I write this article, I have an autumn inspired playlist I created a few years ago playing in the background. Whether I’m painting in the studio, writing on my sofa, or cooking in the kitchen, I find having soothing music playing to be such a game changer in allowing me to relax and be more present. My favorite track, “The Gravel Road” by James Newton Howard, opens the playlist. It’s the feature song from M. Night Shyamalan’s, The Village. One of my favorite films set in Eastern Pennsylvania during the fall ;) Like many of his films, you’ll never predict the ending…
Films have always been a passion of mine. I love good production design, I even did my thesis at university on the subject. When done well, it’s transportive, and for visual, aesthetic people like us, it allows us to feel an overwhelming sense of time and place. A true escape. Below are my go-to fall movies I turn to year after year. A good marriage of beautiful production design and storytelling set during the autumn months.
As much as the exterior of my home features an abundance of seasonal gourds, pumpkins, and fall wreaths, I typically take a less literal approach to decorating the interior of my home during the season. Instead, I turn to layering rich textiles throughout like cashmere throws and quilts. I love placing large woven baskets filled with firewood near a mantel, or filling them with the throws and quilts near a sofa or armchair. Simply placing a hurricane on a coffee table or dresser and burning a taper candle every night is so easy, yet I find the ritual itself idyllic; small little details that just seem to add a sense of warmth around a room.
Below are some links to my favorite things I turn to year after year for my home and in my daily life. I hope you love them too!
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