Favorite Hostess Gifts

How about a sleek candle, BBQ and fire lighter from the Museum of Modern Art?

A warm and cozy throw is a gift most everyone can use and enjoy.

Decorative servers are a pleasure to use whether you entertain

or just use to serve yourself a casual meal.

Greenery that lasts for weeks is always a fabulous hostess gift.

A basket filled with food, gourmet oils and spices, pet items, or whatever suits

their fancy, is a joy to create and receive.

It's always fun to get decorative storage containers. How about glass jars with chalk
labels that you can customize with special contents like a recipe for cookies?

5 Outdoor living ideas for the fall..

To extend your living spaces through an Indian Summer - warm enough to use through October - be sure to incorporate some of these ideas!  At Touch of Tradition - Home we stock throws, lanterns and outdoor fabrics for every style.

1) Lighting  As the days shorten, you'll need to add light to work or entertain by. With a simple outdoor extension cord, hanging string lights over trees, under the eaves of the house, wound onto a trellis or fence, and draped under an umbrella, will add enough light and are easy to do. Many big box store sell lighting for outdoors so don't hesitate to use a table or floor lamp. It will make the room feel more like indoors!


2) Lanterns There is nothing like candle-light to create a relaxing mood for a balmy outdoor evening.  An enclosed lantern with regular or flame less candles, adds an element of safety to a great architectural detail. Stand them on tables, next to chairs, hang 

them from shepherd hooks in your garden. Instant ambiance! 


3) Pillows  When the hot weather abates, you can get a cozy feel by adding pillows to your outdoor spaces.  From accent pillows on chairs to floor pillows for seating, they create a softness and invite you to spend time.

4) Area rug  Using an outdoor area rug can make an outdoor space more welcoming.  End of season sales are abundant, so take advantage and get a great rug that suits your style.

5) Throws  To ward off the chill of a late fall, drape throws over your benches and chairs so guests (and you) can keep warm while you enjoy another outdoor evening.  

Ideas for small spaces.

Whether your small space is a bedroom, apartment, or home, here are five ideas to help you maximize the space you have:

One wall of shelves adds storage and opens the floor space.

1) Raise the heights of storage. Keep things off the floor and use taller pieces to make a small room appear larger. For example, a bookcase that spans the entire floor-to-ceiling distance makes a ceiling seem higher. Dedicating one wall to bookshelves that takes advantage of every inch, or using a large armoire or storage piece on only one wall, will make a room look bigger and eliminates the feeling of a cluttered space. Close off a few shelves with doors for neatness.  Stack file cabinets or chests (safety first) on top of one another rather than lining them up along the wall. Left a bed off the floor to add storage drawers, and if the ceiling is high enough, perhaps making a space underneath for a desk, lounge area or reading nook.

 

Loveseats make a narrow apartment comfy but not crowded

2) Use furniture wisely & make every piece count.  For a small living room use a backless chaise or daybed to divide adjoining space or functional areas; for example, separate the kitchen area from the family room or the living room from the dining room. Downscale your seating and even tables so you have the function you need while retaining an open feel. Try using a storage bench instead of dining or desk chairs to serve a dual purpose. Open backed shelves make great room dividers but look nice from either side. 

White works in this tiny bedroom with stacked storage.

3) Keep it light. While you don't have to use white paint, a lighter color background (floors, walls and even shelving) will help make a small room feel more open. Monochromatic color schemes are great for small spaces since they blur the boundaries between walls and furniture to make a space feel expansive. Don't hide windows, rather make them appear larger by placing window coverings above or to the sides. Position a mirror to capture light and reflect it back into the space.








4) Take it off.  If you can remove doors to rooms that don't need privacy...do.  Opening a small bedroom to a hallway makes the room seem more connected to the other spaces, may add light, and there are many uses for the doors so they don't need to be stored ( a desk top, a panel for an appliance, a new back to a bookshelf).  Hanging a curtain or beads instead provides a more open divider but eliminates door swings and maintains a more open feel.

5) Glass (or other transparent material :)) is your friend. Need a privacy divider but it blocks light? Tempered glass walls and door inserts allow light to pass through rooms but create privacy. New resin and plastic products with embedded designs are also available. Can't do a whole wall? Create a small interior 'window' or even an over-door transom to allow light in.  Glass tabletops help a room feel more open than wooden tops.

Inspiration for warm fall decor.

Using several of the ideas from the blog, this room
went from summery and light to winter warm.

As we move into cooler weather, it's nice to visually warm your interior spaces.  Here are some ideas to add to your decor for fall.

1) Hang wreaths made of fall 'findings' on your doors, from shelves, and use as centerpieces on tables and kitchen islands.




2) Swap your bright table linens for rich hues of cranberry, brick, taupe or hunter green.

3) Add wall decals to a focal wall in the entry, bedroom, or bath.


4) Drape greens, leaves, and branches from your dining room light fixture for a festive fall look. 

5) Place a knitted throw on your sofa, lounge chair or bed. These from A Touch of Tradition are beautiful and cost-effective. 


6) Hang a mirror over a table or dresser to reflect light from a window or table lamp.


















7) Use area rugs in your family or living room to join seating and visually warm the space.


8) Flameless candles are safe and the new versions are waxy with realistic wicks. Add them to table-scapes, mantles, inside hurricanes filled with fall colored items, and in wall and floor-mounted candelabras.

9) Fill hurricanes or large scale apothecary urns with seasonal items including greens, gourds, acorns, leaves, and other free 'findings'. For and elegant look add moss covered balls, glass ornaments in fall colors, clear and even mercury glass.  

10) Add fabric to your windows. Even if you already have blinds, using side panels or a top treatment can add warmth and texture, and even help stop cold drafts from windows.  Simple no-sew panels from inexpensive upholstery fabric can make your rooms look elegant and dramatic.  With functional Roman Shades for spring and summer, these windows are rich and warm even with white fabric by adding a fixed panel to the sides for fall and winter. The reverse holds true as well.  If you have panels and something is missing, add a great woven blind or wood blinds in the color of your trim to add texture and dimension.