free fall decor easy

Tomorrow is the first day of Autumn!

I’m joining in with Lindsay from White Buffalo Styling Co. for her fall tour. Lindsay’s home ALWAYS inspires me, and I had the joy of meeting her last year. Be sure to check out her fall photos!

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Today, instead of sharing our home, I want to share our hot off the press, nearly finished barn that’s decorated simply for fall, and I want to invite you to come see it in November!

easy fast fall decorating

We bought a house on 12 acres just over year ago and the best part was that it had a crazy metal tractor barn! For years we’ve had a dream to create a gathering space for friends and this Nesting Place community. My sister and her husband and my parents and I like to do lots of things together and this barn was the perfect venue for us to host small groups of people.

Here’s what we started with…

barn before

And  y’all…

barn after

Here it is yesterday, I had to move ladders and wipe the sweat from my finally unfurrowed brow to take these pictures. It was evening, the light was harsh, but I couldn’t wait another day to show you this space!

the barn

pumpkin

Stay as long as you like, scroll as long as you can put up with, because I took entirely too many photos of this space we’ve been working on for the past year.

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If you are a long time Nesting Place reader, or if you read my book, you’ll recognize most of this furniture from our last house. Oh I’ve missed it SO much! This barn feels like home!

We bought next to nothing to furnish this space. Last year, we downsized about 1500 feet and most of this furniture was stored away in this barn. Some was still wrapped in plastic from August of 2013. Every sofa in this barn is at least 10 years old. This white one’s getting ready to get a fresh custom slipcover from LS Slipcovers.

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This wood stove was in my office. We moved the old ugly stove out and still need to connect the pipe to this one. In the summer we can pull the chairs nice and close.

Chairs: Joss & Main*

denim pouf

Denim poufs: Garden Ridge (their name just changed to something else that I can’t remember)

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I love the imperfection of it all, I believe that’s what makes a space welcoming–when it’s not too perfect. Can I get an amen?

idhtbptbb

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Blue & White Paisley Chairs: Birch Lane (one of the few new pieces)

Rugs: RugsUSA, wait for a 70-80% off sale (pretty much always) I got these 10 x 13 rugs for $200 each

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Salt pillow : The Depot at Gibson Mill in Concord, NC

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a barn redeemed

I can’t bring myself to purchase a bunch fall decor that gets stored away when nature provides so much. So most of what we use ranges from warty, imperfect pumpkins and gourds to weeds. The one fall item I do store away every year? My velvet & linen pumpkins that we use in the house.

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I gathered up some branches for the back table. Free fall decorating!

This table was in the barn when we got the place, did you notice it in the before photo up there?

Arrow: Metrolina Expo

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Green chair: Thrifted $25

White dresser: Thrifted $60

You & Me Pillow: Joss & Main*

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Chandelier: A Jamie Young piece we’ve had for years

White Pendants: Ikea

Galvanized Sconces: Lowe’s outdoor lights (we used the small version over the wood stove area, and the larger ones over the windows)

String Lights: Amazon*

*affiliate links included above

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Fur chair: DIY

Blue Table: World Market, discontinued, it started out black

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makeover a barn

There are 28 seats right now, not including ottomans. I like to keep track of how many people I can seat in a room. And this space can hold over 40 even with the sofas if we move everything just so.

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We didn’t create this space just so it could sit around and look pretty.

That would be so sad.

We want to use it.

We want you to come enjoy it.

This past Saturday Chad kicked off the beginning of our hosting season by inviting a bunch of his friends here along with food provided by Wicker BBQ (hugely recommend) and, Phillip, the owner also provided music–he plays the banjo and brought along a white bearded guitar player and a fiddler. It was SO fantastic, I wish you all could have been here.

To be honest, this place finally felt like home for the first time this weekend. White sofas and banjos have that effect on me.

man time

phillip wicker

bon fire

 

This coming weekend we are hosting a Writer’s Circle with my sister, author Emily P Freeman and singer songwriter Christa Wells. It sold out in one weekend.

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November 15, we are hosting another event: Hope*ologie live and we’d love for you to come join us here at The Barn outside Charlotte, NC from 2-7 (optional bonfire 7-8 weather permitting)

You do not have to be a member of Hope*ologie to attend. What’s Hope*ologie? Find out here.

 

hopeologie live

I hope you can join us! For now, excuse me, I have to look at that before and after just one more time…

barn renovation

For more fall inspiration click on over to Kelly’s place at Eclectically Vintage

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