The Curated Life No. 53

Discover simple home decor ideas, style tips, and seasonal inspiration through The Curated Life…your guide to living beautifully every day.

There is a shift that happens in September, quiet at first, then impossible to miss. The air turns crisp, the leaves begin to turn, and the weekends settle into the easy rhythm of football season and soup for dinner. Before the month is through, the first day of fall arrives and summer is behind us for good. Take these weeks slowly, and enjoy the comfort of a season made for coming home.

1.) The View From Here

Last week we spent a morning adding fall touches to the front porch, and Millie was right there with me. She still cannot be trusted to stay put, so she was harnessed to the railing while we worked, and she was so good about it. She stretched out on her mat, kept one eye on the yard, and waited while I worked. I looked over at her more than once and felt grateful for the company.

The cadence of my mornings is shifting a little now, and I am noticing it in small ways. Our walks are longer because the heat has finally let up. I open the bedroom window and let the fresh air in while I have my coffee, and I do not feel as cooped up as I did a few weeks ago. My outlook is changing too. I find myself looking forward to a pot of soup on the stove, and I can hardly wait to pull on a sweatshirt. They are small things on their own. Added together, they make welcoming a new season quietly simple. I hope you are feeling the same.

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure statement.

“This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

fall mantel decor wood dough bowl under tv

3.) One Small Corner

The mantel is the one spot I have refreshed for fall so far, and it is always a bit of a challenge. We have a big black television above it, which does not leave much room to work with. Anything too fussy just competes with that dark rectangle. This year I stopped trying to balance both ends with a matching pair. Instead I set one long, narrow dough bowl in the center and filled it with faux berries and a few pomegranates.

I like it more than I thought I would. The single piece feels calm under the screen, and the deep reds are just enough to say fall without any effort. This is only a small preview, since I am sharing the whole room in a couple of weeks. For now, if you have a tricky spot of your own, one simple thing in the middle may be all it needs.

4.) Gather & Savor

Instead of sharing one or two recipes, today I’m sharing a whole collection. Pumpkin recipes you can come back to all season long. They are all waiting here for you, ready whenever you are. Breads, muffins, and desserts. If you are not quite ready to think about pumpkins yet, that is perfectly fine. The next time you are at the store, though, tuck one can of pumpkin into your cart. That way, when the urge to welcome fall finally hits, you will have what you need to bake something wonderful.

pillow in fall colors on rocker for fall porch decorating ideas

5.) THINGS WORTH MENTIONING

What you might have missed: Last weekend brought September in gently. On Saturday my subscribers received the new September digital calendars, along with a short look back at everything I shared in August. Then on Sunday I opened the door to our front porch, refreshed and simply styled for fall.
Coming this weekend: On Saturday I am sending my updated post on how to preserve pumpkins. It is not quite the season for them yet, but when the time comes, you will have the how-to close at hand. Then on Sunday I am sharing a brand new recipe for apple crisp, a tried and true original from Grandma Nan. She was not really my grandmother, but close enough that it hardly matters.