Cozy Fall Home Tours, Crafts and Vegetarian Recipes

Virginia Nocharli Design’s Easy Living Retreat is our first stop. I always enjoy seeing how a whole home comes together, and this project offers plenty to linger over. Take a slow look through the rooms and see which details you would bring into your own home… sometimes one beautiful idea is all it takes to get us dreaming.

You know I couldn’t pass up a visit with KariAnne! Her home is dressed for fall with pumpkins, branches and leaves tucked among the blue and white pieces she loves. There’s so much to see from room to room, and her story about humming while she decorates makes the tour feel like a visit with a friend.

If you’re in the mood for something a little different, come see how this Victorian villa in London was transformed into a family home. The color and pattern give us so much to look at! I love including a home like this in the Collection because it may inspire you to try a combination you would never have considered before.

This kitchen by designer Sean Anderson has a completely different mood, and what a beauty it is. If you love rooms with depth, character and details that make you stop for a second look, you’ll enjoy this tour. It’s a wonderful reminder that a kitchen can have just as much personality as any other room in the house.

Are your hydrangeas beginning to change color? Do Dodson shares how to dry them so you can keep enjoying those beautiful blooms indoors. I can picture a few stems in an old pitcher on the kitchen table… such a simple way to bring a bit of the garden into the house.

Michelle at Thistle Key Lane shows us how to gather a few seasonal pieces into a fall tray vignette. I love decorating on a tray because you can move the whole arrangement when you need the counter space. It’s a manageable little project for anyone who wants to add a touch of autumn without redecorating an entire room.

Yvonne at StoneGable has such a gift for making seasonal decorating feel welcoming. Here she walks us through styling a natural fall vignette, with ideas you can use on a table, mantel or wherever you have a little spot waiting for attention. Look around at what you already own before you begin… you may have the makings of something lovely.

I have a soft spot for projects that begin with a walk outside. Michelle’s foraged leaf wreath celebrates the colors and shapes of autumn without asking nature to be too perfect. Take a look at how she puts it together, and perhaps keep your eyes open for pretty leaves on your next walk.

Jennifer at Cottage on Bunker Hill spotted a beautiful faux fig branch with a price tag of $42 per stem… so she made her own. She uses faux willow branches, figs and autumn leaves to create stems with that loose, slightly wild look. Just a few in a vase would make quite a statement.

The Merrythought turns a leaf into the inspiration for a sweet clay bowl. This is the kind of little handmade piece I would happily leave out all season. Wouldn’t it be pretty on an entry table or bedside table?

And here is another take on the idea from Jennifer at Cottage on Bunker Hill. Her clay trinket dishes capture the colors of fall leaves in a way that makes each one feel like a tiny piece of art. I thought you might enjoy seeing both projects together… which one would you make first?

Leslie’s cream colored fabric pumpkins have the prettiest orange leaves embroidered across them. She makes them with an embroidery machine, then stuffs and shapes them and adds little wooden stems. If you have a machine and have been looking for a fall project, this one is especially lovely.

Leslie also shares a completely different pumpkin craft. She glues overlapping faux eucalyptus leaves onto a pumpkin, creating layers of soft fall color. I can see this one on a dining table or tucked into a fall display where everyone can get a closer look at the details.

These rustic wood slice pumpkins from DIY Beautify look like a fun project to make with friends. I love the idea of setting out different papers and letting everyone choose their own pattern. You would end up with a little gathering and something handmade to take home for fall.

These little jack o’ lantern sandwich cookies look good enough to eat, but they’re made from salt dough for decorating. What a playful idea for a Halloween tray or kitchen display! Just make sure no one reaches for one with their afternoon coffee.

Wendy at WM Design House shows how to set a Halloween table that feels festive and elegant at the same time. Whether you’re planning a dinner or just love looking at a beautifully dressed table, there are ideas here to borrow. I always think a special table makes the evening feel like an occasion before anyone even sits down.

Tieghan brings together radicchio, greens, crisp apples, Gouda and candied pumpkin seeds and walnuts in this colorful salad. The maple mustard vinaigrette sounds so good with all those autumn flavors. I especially appreciate that you can prepare the crunchy topping and dressing ahead, then put everything together when it’s time to eat.

Jeanine’s cottage cheese pancakes look thick and fluffy, with a sweet vanilla flavor. She blends the cottage cheese into the batter, and says you don’t taste it in the finished pancakes. I think these would be delightful for a slow weekend breakfast with fruit and maple syrup.

This collection from Inspired by Charm has plenty to browse if you’re planning a get together. The baked delicata rings with creamy herb dip are the ones that caught my eye! The full roundup also includes meat recipes, so my vegetarian friends will want to choose from the meatless ideas.

Kate fills these vegetarian burritos with roasted sweet potatoes, red peppers and black beans, then covers them with avocado salsa verde. Oh my… that sounds like a satisfying dinner for a cool evening! This is one I’d save for a night when I want something comforting and full of flavor.

If you’re in a baking mood, Janine at Happy Happy Nester has gathered fall cake ideas to tempt you. I always enjoy looking through a collection like this before deciding what to make for a family visit or a quiet Sunday treat. Pour yourself another cup of coffee and see which cake calls your name.

I love this story about Araba Maze and her work to bring free books to children through Storybook Maze. Her book trolley makes finding a new story feel like an adventure. Every child deserves the chance to choose a book that sparks their imagination, and people who help make that happen have a very special place in my heart.

In case you hadn’t heard, Reading Rainbow is back! I remember the joy of watching LeVar Burton invite children into a world of books. Now my little Roman has someone to welcome his generation into that world too… the wonderful Mychal Threets. Just thinking about children discovering stories through a new Reading Rainbow makes me smile.