EMBRACING OPEN CONCEPT LIVING

Welcome to Tuesday friends!

I love the changes of seasons with Fall and all of it's glory being one of my favorites. In the north the first bite of cool air is a welcome relief after the warm summers and in Texas it is much the same. The difference is right now it's high 80's to low 90's during the days, and low 70's at night. How divine!

It's with that cool drop in temp that inspired me to add some Fall touches to the house. I'm still working with some of the challenges of having an "open concept" home. I fell in love with the idea that this type of floor plan fosters family living, now I need to integrate my furnishings into the new setting, all while keeping a warm and inviting atmosphere.

I started in the foyer by adding a few simple touches. Our foyer is more compact in size than our last home, but I wanted to make it feel more roomy. I repurposed my sofa table decorating it with only a few objects, like this copper pumpkin that I found in Homegoods. I added a couple of my favorite decorating books, Modern Mix by Eddie Ross, and The Big Book of Chic by Miles Redd. Filling the vase with pieces of moss, and gold nuggets from Z Gallerie not only give it a bit of texture and glitz, it ties the vignette together. The print above is a favorite we have had for years that I never tire of.

This copper pumpkin jumped into my cart at Homegoods.......so I brought her home, and dolled her up with some Fall sprigs and added her to our foyer table.

As you pass through our foyer, the wall curves and this is where the staircase begins. This area is open to the 2nd floor with a balcony above. 

While we were in the planning stages for the house I knew I wanted my dining room buffet in this area. After measuring the piece, it happened to fit perfectly on the flat part of the wall, just before it begins to curve. I just love it when a plan comes together! 

I've kept the buffet simple, adding a small star burst mirror behind the fall vase, and our daughters' photos for a touch of the "warmth of family." Low wattage bulbs in the buffet lamps giving a soft glow to the area.

There is a large chandelier that hangs above this area that I have on a dimmer, but for normal use, the buffet lights are perfect.

Directly across from the staircase is the dining room, which has only 2 solid walls and a pillar. It is open to the foyer hallway, staircase and living room. I've added a few touches of Fall, but am struggling with my table.....I will show you that when I'm finally happy with the final result.
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The china cabinet is inset into the wall so there is a perfect spot to decorate above it.

There is a great tiny wall that fit our server and mirror perfectly. On the opposite side of this wall is our corner fireplace in the living room.

As you can see my decorating is still a work in progress. Each day is a new adventure as I "warm up" to this new open concept living space we now call home. 

I hope you enjoyed today's blog. I'd love to hear how you make your "open concept" home warm and cozy! Please drop me a comment!

Thanks so much for joining me today!

                           Kathleen