Oh my goodness, Friends!  We have finally had a few nights where the temperatures have dipped below 60 degrees so you know what that means, right?!?  Fall is really here!!  After a long, sticky summer I am more than ready to spend some time outdoors in the cooler air.

I enjoy each season but Autumn is my favorite time of year.  I love pretty much everything about it.  The colors of the leaves…fuzzy sweaters…even the smell of smoke from the fireplace…it all just makes me almost giddy.  So you can imagine that I’ve been very eager to get the house all cozied up in preparation.

It was too hot earlier in the season to decorate my front porch (no one wants to be greeted by the smell of rotting produce in mid-October) so I held off as long as I possibly could.  FINALLY it was cool enough this last weekend so we  went and did some pumpkin pickin’!

Our local Nursery, Westwood Gardens, does an amazing job of staging and displaying everything they sell.  They had a HUGE selection and I truly never knew so many varieties of pumpkins existed!   From blush pink, to grey, there were so many shapes and colors that it was hard to choose but I finally managed to pick a few of my favorites.

For the front porch this year, I chose a color theme of rust, orange, brown and yellow.  It feels welcoming but not too fussy.  Since our porch is long but not very deep, I like to keep things fairly symmetrical, mirroring the same basic layout on each side of the front door.

I like to create a bit of a formula for my outdoor decor.  The four chairs and end tables don’t change with the seasons, but the pillows, rugs and throws do.   I often reuse items from season to season, but always try to add a few new items so it feels fresh.

The swag wreath on the front door is one that I made last year but I liked it so much I wanted to use it again.  The plaid throws are from last year as well but back then I paired them with Navy and Slate Blue.  This year I wanted a more traditional feel so I stuck with earthier tones.  The welcome mat that I found at Grandin Road sort of helped solidify the theme, along with the sweet little plaid rugs.  I love how the orange pops against the brown and yellows.

The final result is a cheery and inviting setting and now I’m all ready to snuggle all up in those blankets and watch the leaves fall!  Pumpkin Spice latte optional…

Found just the perfect one!