How to decorate with dried flowers for fall—easy, natural touches for mantels and tables. Plus vintage finds and farm stand cooking.
Finally Embracing (Early) Fall
Okay, I’ll finally admit it—it’s time to start embracing fall.
Leaves are turning, nights are chilly, and the field is full of wild asters. And with the autumnal equinox on Monday, it’s official.
But let’s call it early fall. No pumpkins until October! (Yes, I have very strict rules about seasonal décor in my home. Me?? Type A? Nah!)
This week I began making a few small changes.
Today I’m sharing how I’m decorating with dried flowers for fall. They’re a natural way to bring the season indoors—adding cozy texture and soft color. A whisper of fall instead of a shout.
I’ll also show you my find from last week’s vintage market, which turned out to be mostly clothes (so fun!).
And of course, as the offerings at the local farm stands shift, so does what I’m cooking in the kitchen. I’m ready to embrace the season’s bounty—it is harvest time, after all.
Join me as I fall into fall!
Bringing Fall Indoors with Dried Flowers
I’m a big fan of dried flowers.
Now, I know what you might be thinking—those drab, dusty arrangements that were so popular in the 1980s? Not at all!
Today’s dried flowers are a whole different story. Let me show you why I love them for fall decorating and how I’m using them in my home. I think I might just change your mind!
Why dried flowers work in Fall
I love decorating my home to reflect what’s happening outside. Right now my garden is full of fading blooms and drying foliage. So flowers, purposefully dried to maintain some of their color and shape, are a natural way to bring that fall garden inside.
Their muted tones and rich textures add cozy warmth—a whisper of fall, not a shout—perfect for this transitional time of year.
Dried flowers also combine the best of both real and faux. They have the authenticity of a natural bloom but will last for many seasons.
Sourcing and arranging your blooms
Don’t worry—I’m not talking about those dusty, drab dried flower arrangements from decades past.
Instead, look for small-batch dried florals, ideally from local growers and makers. That way you’re decorating with flowers that truly grow in your area. Plus, because they haven’t been sitting in a warehouse for months, their colors stay brighter and their blooms more intact.
And don’t overlook your own garden as a source. Many flowers are already dried on the stem or can be clipped and brought indoors.
Hydrangeas are a favorite of mine. The trick is to harvest when the blooms are just starting to dry. For my Limelights, that’s when they’ve faded to a soft dusty rose. Simply snip the stems and pop them in a container. No need to add water—they’ll finish drying in just a few days. One year I even sprayed a few with matte gold paint for the holidays, and they were beautiful!
If you don’t have a garden or a local source, Etsy has some lovely artisanal bouquets and wreaths.
When it comes to arranging, keep things easy and natural. Don’t strive for perfection! Just tuck a few stems into a jug or pitcher. Mix colors and textures, but let things stay light and airy.
Now let’s see how I styled them around my home.
Styling Ideas Around the Home
You can substitute dried flowers anywhere you’d use real or faux blooms. I used them in abundance on my dining area mantel and as just a nod to fall on the living room side. I also tucked a few stems into a pitcher on my bedside table—and even in the bathroom.
Let’s take a closer look!
On the dining area fireplace, my lazy decorating formula is to simply layer seasonal touches into what’s already there. So I removed the sea fan coral from the antique blue-and-white jugs on the mantel and replaced them with dried flowers. I also swapped out the mussel shell wreath for one made of dried grasses, seed pods, and blooms. Couldn’t be easier!
On the living room side of the stone fireplace, I was puzzling over how to transition my ship diorama from summer to fall. Taking inspiration from the dining area mantel—but decorating with more restraint—I tucked small bouquets of dried flowers into lusterware pitchers on either end. I grounded the display with a mix of old books, some lying flat and others grouped vertically. Then I layered in additional objects for warmth, texture, and balance—a vintage wooden barbell and a large monkey fist knot. The final touch was a small brass shell identical to the one tucked into the dining room arrangement, weaving similar notes between the two adjacent spaces.
In my bedroom, a majolica pitcher on the bedside table now holds a bouquet of dried blooms—an easy seasonal addition. And in the bathroom, rosy-hued Limelight hydrangeas clipped straight from the garden are drying beautifully in another pitcher.
And that’s the beauty of dried flowers—simple, natural, and long-lasting, they bring just the right touch of fall into my home.
A Vintage Sweatshirt with a Story
Last Saturday I went to a large vintage market at the fairground in Union. It turned out to be primarily vintage and upcycled clothing, which was fine with me! Think vintage flannel and broken-in jeans. Lots of LL Bean, cozy sweaters, fun graphic tees and sweatshirts.
I came home with a classic Gap rugby-stripe cotton turtleneck sweater—perfect for fall sweater weather, when it’s still a bit warm for wool and cashmere.
But my favorite find was a 1991 oversized sweatshirt from the Maine Common Ground Country Fair.
The Common Ground Fair Connection
Last year I shared a full post about the Common Ground Fair, including highlights from a fun day I spent there with my sisters. The Common Ground Fair, an annual event put on by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, is a classic country fair, but with a focus on organic living and sustainability. There is really something for everyone—food, crafts, art, agricultural and livestock exhibits, demos, and presentations. As luck would have it, the Fair is happening again this weekend (Friday–Sunday in Unity, Maine). In fact, some of the dried flowers on my dining room mantel came from there!
If you’d like to learn more about the Fair, you can read my post about last year’s Fair adventure here or visit MOFGA website.
A Design with Meaning
Each year there is a contest to select a unique design to be featured on the Fair poster, website, promotional materials, and on Fair merchandise such as t-shirts and tote bags. I love the design on the vintage sweatshirt I got on Saturday—a classic Maine view, with an apple tree in the foreground, and behind it a saltwater farm stretching to the ocean and lighthouse in the distance.
The sweatshirt is perfectly oversized and broken in, with a neckline that was trimmed for a relaxed look. I like to style a sweatshirt with a button-up shirt underneath for a more tailored look.
This sweatshirt has additional personal meaning for me, since 1991 was the year my eldest daughter was born. That was certainly a good year!
Why I Love Vintage Clothing
I love to add a few vintage pieces to my wardrobe. Just as with the home, they add a story and history to an outfit. And their broken-in character contrasts nicely with more current styles. Plus, buying vintage is sustainable, keeping clothing out of the landfills.
Just like my sweatshirt, every vintage piece has a story. What’s your favorite vintage find with a story behind it?
Cooking with the Season’s Harvest
As the season shifts, so too do the offerings at the local farm stands, and of course, I am all in for it.
The other day I went with no recipe and an open mind to what was available. There is a reason they call this the harvest season. The farm stands were full of both lingering summer produce—zucchini, corn, and tomatoes—as well as hardier fall crops. I grabbed a few bunches of delicate broccolini, a petite head of cauliflower, rainbow carrots, and the season’s first Brussels sprouts.
Back in my kitchen I prepared each veggie for roasting with a different seasoning:
- Cauliflower with garlic, turmeric, fennel seed, and a pinch of crushed red pepper
- Broccolini with a spicy sriracha/soy sauce
- Brussels sprouts doused in balsamic vinegar after roasting
- Carrots with fragrant curry powder
I also quickly pickled sliced red onion in apple cider vinegar, so it turned a rosy pink—tart-sweet, with a toothy crunch.
I served this medley of tastes and textures over farro that I mixed with leftover kale pesto, then topped with some chickpeas straight from the can. Delicious!
You might be tired of me writing every week about my love of seasonal produce. But eating food that is grown locally is good for the environment and supports the local economy. It is good for your body too.
Plus, cooking with ingredients fresh from the field is a way for me to welcome each season. Hello, fall!
This Week Into Next
So the last week of summer has come and gone. It was a beauty—a fitting end to a gorgeous season here on the Maine coast.
I took advantage of the sunny weather to replant the pots on my front steps for fall. It feels good to freshen things up after such a dry summer. Next up—seasonal buoy decor (a must here in lobster country) and pumpkins. My pumpkin guy is always happy when I show up to stock up for the Great Pumpkin Wall. It’s coming soon, Charlie Brown!
Also enjoying our temperate weather, I met friends at McLoon’s Lobster Shack for what is likely the last lobster roll of the season. Bonus—we were treated to a spectacular sunset over the water. The beauty of this area I call home never ceases to delight!
New sheets arrived today for a little bedding refresh in the guest cottage. I’ll be mixing them with pieces I already have, including a vintage quilt I resurrected from a box in the basement. It’s always a win when I can shop my own basement! I’ll share the update next week.
And tomorrow, another Saturday, another antiques show. This one’s a fun little outdoor market just up the peninsula. With lovely fall weather in the forecast, I’ll be sure to bring you along!
Wishing you a wonderful first week of fall. Take good care,
