Tip 1 | Start Fresh with a Deep Clean

Start the season off right and welcome in the splendors of fall with a good old-fashioned deep clean. The key to a successful deep clean lies in addressing those often-overlooked areas of your home. While many of us diligently vacuum and sweep on a regular basis, very few of us venture into those hard-to-reach places, such as under the bed or beneath the couch. To facilitate your journey toward a revitalized home, we've thoughtfully curated a list of essential cleaning tips from our own fall checklist. These tips will ensure you greet the season with a home that's not only clean but also wonderfully rejuvenated.

Tip 2 | Switch Out Your Pillows, Linens, and Throws

Fall is the perfect time to swap out your home’s collection of soft fashions. As the days grow shorter and the nights turn colder, you’ll want to surround yourself with fabrics that not only look warmer, but feel warmer. Now is the ideal time to replace your summer linens with heavier cloths and textiles so that you can snuggle up to your heart’s content. Break out the quilts, pillows, and throws, and surround yourself with fabrics that invite comfort and warmth. What’s more, fall is the perfect time to incorporate pops of color into your space. Achieve the optimum fall aesthetic by Infusing your home with traces of ivory, saffron, ginger, and umber through your soft fashions

Photo: Courtesy of puhimec

Tip 3 | Ready Your Mantel

With the weather shifting, now is the best time to ready your fireplace for the coming season. As we transition from warm, sunny days to cold, drafty nights, many of us will be itching to curl up by the fire. However, before you start gathering your logs, there are a few fireplace safety protocols to knock off your fall checklist. If you use a wood-burning fireplace, you should bring in a professional to inspect and clean your chimney. Vents and chimneys can quickly become clogged with soot and debris – increasing the risk of fire. If you have a gas fireplace, you should test your pilot light, clean your burners and logs, and check for proper ventilation. Doing so can go a long way in ensuring you have a safe, warm autumn.

Once your fireplace is safe and secure, you can focus on the fun things, like decorating your mantel for the season. Autumn is an exciting time, filled with ample opportunity for play. Between Halloween and Thanksgiving, there’s a world of design possibilities at hand. Go stylish and spooky with a mixture of floating candles and spine-chilling bats, or keep it organic with an assortment of gourds, pumpkins, and leaves. Or, if you want to easily transition from one season to the next, choose a few pieces that will act as an anchor for your mantel, and slowly adjust the rest of your décor as needed. No matter your preferences, there is plenty of opportunity to add pops of color and interest to your home for the autumnal season

Tip 4 | Lay on the Layers

Another way to freshen up your space this season is to lay on the layers. Just as an overcoat adds warmth and texture to your attire, a thick rug or window covering can help to insulate and dress up your home. With dropping temperatures, now is the time to prepare your windows and floors. Floor-length traversing draperies, cellular shades, and Roman shades are excellent solutions for windows that experience drafts or air leakage. If you’re a fan of summer sheers, consider swapping them out or double-layering them to craft a space that is both warm in the physical and figurative sense. For homes with wood or tile floors, you can never go wrong with a thick, luxurious rug, like a wool or cotton rug. Layering with rugs can help to transform your home and breathe new life into a space, all while keeping you warm and snug.

Photo: Courtesy of Lafayette Interior Fashions | Design: Courtesy of Cornerstone Interiors

Tip 5 | Set The Mood

Embrace the beauty of fall by investing in some ambient lighting. Lighting is one of the easiest ways to transform a home, especially near autumn. Fall brings with it a beautiful blend of colors, ranging from eggplant to copper. One could even liken the splendid palette of fall to that of twilight: the period at which the world turns a soft shade of amber. Bathe your home in saffron and set the mood for a cozy night in with the help of mood lighting. Say farewell to the harsh glare of overhead lights and welcome in the season's warmth through sconces, lamps, pendants, and candles. These understated sources of light can help to guide your gaze to areas of your home that matter most, transforming your space into a haven of comfort and charm.

Tip 6 | Make Room for Mums

Turning our attention to the great outdoors, let’s explore the exciting design possibilities waiting just outside your own front door. One of the easiest ways to transform your home this autumnal season is by introducing mums, or Chrysanthemums, to your outdoor garden. These eye-catching florals come in a variety of colors, ranging from blonde to vermillion, making them the perfect display for fall. Now, when it comes to mums, there are a few hard and fast rules you’ll have to follow to ensure their longevity.

The first rule is this: Mums love sunlight. Be sure to place them where they can receive at least six hours of sunshine each day. The second thing you should keep in mind is their watering needs. Every relationship needs a bit of attention, and your connection to your mums should be no different. Visit your mums daily to gauge their hydration. Mums appreciate moist soil, so if it feels too dry, that might be a sign that they’re thirsty. On the other hand, if your soil is too wet, you might be showering them with too much attention. Striking a healthy balance will ensure your mums thrive and add a splash of color to your garden throughout the entire season.

Photo: Courtesy of Farrinni

Final Thoughts

Fall is a time of change and reflection. As the leaves begin to fall and nature prepares for its season-long slumber, now is the perfect opportunity to embrace the beauty of the outside world by bringing it into our homes. Remember, this is your time to make the changes that resonate with you and your well-being: Changes that will help to carry you through not only this season, but beyond. So, indulge in the processes that feel right to you and bask in the colors, textures, and lighting that will make your home feel like home.

Lafayette Interior Fashions is a family-owned, to-the-trade manufacturer of blinds, shades, shutters, draperies, and other custom-crafted interior fashion products. To learn more about our products, Find a local dealer near you.