Some folks may call this time of year late summer, or even early Fall. But last year I officially named it Faded Summer – a Fifth Season… with a proclamation and everything, so you know it’s legit! 😉
I’ve noticed especially in the home decor community on Instagram that people start putting out their Fall decor in mid-August. But I simply cannot with the pumpkins and sweaters – not yet! That’s why I created Faded Summer in the first place: to put a name to that time period in between the Summer “brights” and the Fall “bolds” of orange, yellow, and brown. Now make no mistake, I love traditional Fall colors. But I am just not ready for them and probably won’t be until the middle of October – so, Faded Summer it is!
Last year my Faded Summer consisted of setting a couple of pretty tables that explored the color palette, then sneaking off to Orlando for a visit to Disney World. This year, I’m kicking off the season with a few silk floral arrangements around the house and another pretty table. Thought I would share those with you, in hopes of making Faded Summer an actual thing… even if I don’t get to go to Disney again, although in all fairness it should probably become an annual tradition. But I digress – where were we? Oh yes – Faded Summer floral arrangements!
The whole thing for me is about the faded versions of summer colors. This bowl is simply filled with silks in appropriate shades from Dollar Tree. The vignette includes my little gold-painted ceramic squirrel and milk glass lamp. I think this sort of burnished gold, and squirrels, and even milk glass should all become traditional elements of Faded Summer. Kind of like candy canes and Christmas!
Now this grouping technically has some traditional Fall yellow in the little painting, but that painting is like 2 x 3 inches so… it’s not much. And besides, the flowers are in a very pretty crazed crock and the little painting goes so well with it, I couldn’t leave it out.
I am always moving things around here in the dollhouse, but I have had the same Spring/Summer floral arrangement in this handmade wooden box since March because I loved it so much. It took a lot to convince myself it might be time for a change… fortunately I can still be bribed with chocolate so I bought a couple Peanut Butter Cups and I was good to go.
I always feel very fortunate to find silk flowers in this color palette – this is actually one pre-made bunch, in all the right colors, that I have had for a couple of years. It has lived in a variety of containers around my home!
And, I recently found this little pip-berry wreath at Goodwill for $3.99 – that heather/purple is Faded Summer perfection!
When it starts getting really cool outside, I will throw the chenille bedspreads over the living room furniture which has the added bonus of keeping things “light and bright” as the days get really short. For now, the only other change I’ve made in the house is that I put a Faded Summer quilt on the bed and put my Shabby Chic quilt away for now. The denim pillow shams are a little dark, but they are currently all I have that looks good with this quilt.
That’s it for me and seasonal decor right now… I am milking every last moment out of this beautiful time of year and won’t even BEGIN to call it Fall until at least late September. For now, how about joining me on the patio for the bright warm days and cool-ish nights of Faded Summer?
I’ll have a fifth season tablescape to show you in my next post! For now, here is an image to Pin if you would like to!
