Sharing Shadymont, My Mountain Cottage

The mantel is one of my favorite places to decorate.  I change it up for each season and most holidays, but at a minimum, every couple months. I have recently been loving the color pink, and have added it to my decor.  This is how I decorated the mantel using pink. I decided to make some changes to the mantel, and this is how I did it. First, I removed the pink flowers from the white burlap wreath. Then I removed all the items, leaving only the shutters, which I unfolded to have them stand flat against the mirror/wall.   Then I started adding and removing items. I like to layer the items on the mantel, and using the shutters makes that really easy. You can use old empty frames to help layer also.  In fact, at one point when I was doing the mantel, I had the shutters turned on the blue side, a white empty frame, and other items.  But I took all that off too. Then I thought of this green pail with the hydrangeas and roses, that I...

I am one who is glad that blues are coming back in décor. Especially since it allows me to use my blue shutters and tool box.  I decided to use the shutters on the mantel again.  For a while they have been on the entry table. Though I've enjoyed them in the entry, I thought they would look good with the picture, vases, and the tool box on the hearth. I bought this set of shutters in a consignment shop for only  $10/pr. They were dark brown stained, but a little ASCP in Louis blue fixed that on one side, and white fixed the other.  They are very versatile since I can use them on the blue or white side, depending on my mood.  Everything on the mantel is a consignment find or free.  My daughter had the picture and wasn't using it so she gave it to me.  Notice how using the shutters enhance the vases on each end of the mantel.    You might remember that this picture frame is a window sash from my grandmother's house that we...

I've tried not to over do the decor this year.  In the living room, I just added a few items to announce the coming of Fall. I simply paired the pheasant picture with its lovely colors with this pottery from my daughter.   The small terra cotta pot below is a regular little flower pot to which I added rub-on decals many years ago. I simply added a twig pumpkin which fit perfectly. A simple orange berry ring was added to the lantern on the mantel.  At each end of the mantel, I added these candles and pumpkins. I simply wrapped a strip of burlap around the white candlesticks, and as you can see, I added these silky DT leaves on with a thumb tack, albeit white, to give a little color. The coffee table simply holds this little bouquet of flowers in a crock jar wrapped with burlap sitting on a charger inside this basket that just got a makeover. The bombe table has a simple little touch of fall as well. You...