Fall Decorating Vibes

Sunflower Scarecrow at Equinox Valley Nursery

Hi, Friends! While our local businesses and organizations are decorating for Fall, now is also the perfect time to refresh our homes with a touch of the Southern Vermont magic we see outside. Decorating for the season doesn’t need to be about making big changes. You can create beauty and warmth with just a few essential Fall materials. In Vermont, we’re lucky that inspiration is everywhere we look! A walk through the woods provides a handful of pinecones for a centerpiece. A Saturday stop at the farmer’s market yields pumpkins, gourds, or dried flowers to scatter across a mantel or table. Even your favorite plaid blanket can take on new life draped over a chair or haystack, instantly making a space feel inviting. 

I always get inspired by the natural beauty of the season while driving up and down 7A. My favorite place to drive by– and stop into– this time of year is Equinox Valley Nursery in Manchester. Their pumpkin patch is NOT to be missed! Honestly, the entire place is an autumnal paradise. They’re selling all the natural materials and accessories you need for Fall decor, and of course, their displays automatically give you ideas and tricks you can incorporate at home!

Bounty at the Equinox Valley Nursery

This past week, I had the pleasure of getting the inside decorating scoop from Church Street Hospitality (CSH) as they prepare to beautify their already lovely spaces with autumnal gorgeousness. The team at CSH are experts at decorating their inns and restaurants with the best of the season, both indoors and out!

Places like the Barrows House in Dorset and Pearl’s Place & Pantry in Manchester are just waiting to be adorned, and the Pantry at Pearl’s is already filled with products reflecting the flavors and scents of Fall. The first part of their decoration spree begins with a visit to a farm in the region to get more Fall materials than you’d ever think possible on one trip. After their little teaser, I can’t wait to see the end result! Stay tuned for more on that exciting reveal…

Fall’s natural palette is both lovely and dramatic: deep burgundy, crimson, rustic orange, salmon pink, earthy brown, golden yellow, and touches of evergreen. How can we add a little outdoor splendor inside our homes? 

Maybe it’s as simple as a ceramic bowl of apples on the counter, a wreath of dried sunflowers on the door, or a tablescape made with small pumpkins and gourds. No matter your approach, it’s not about perfection, it’s about creating a warm and welcoming vibe. Outside decoration is a whole other story! You’ll want all your materials to be weatherproof, that’s why nature’s bounty always works best. 

Be sure to keep an eye out for photos of Church Street Hospitality’s decorated spaces…or just pop on by and see for yourself!

A few places in the Shires where you can get your natural Fall decor:

Armstrong Farm in Pownal, VT

Clear Brook Farm in Shaftsbury, VT

Equinox Valley Nursery in Manchester, VT

Mettowee Mint in Dorset, VT

Fall Decorating Tips

Here are some great pumpkin tips from Kim Jones, our Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Old Mill Road Media. These will keep your pumpkins fresh and looking good for the whole season!

• Choose a pumpkin with a longer stem

• No cuts or bruises

• Mix one cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of water, wipe down pumpkins and dry

• Shade is better than sunlight 

• Display them on a dry surface, not the lawn

• Sometimes, Kim wipes the pumpkins down with Vaseline- this locks in moisture and slows down dehydration

Do you have any Fall decorating tips to share? Post them and tag Manchester Life Magazine on social media!