Who doesn’t love Fall? I can honestly say that I have not met a person who does not look forward to the days when the heat of summer finally breaks, there is a crispness in the air, the trees show off in vibrant colors and pumpkin spice everything abounds. Fall also provides a perfect opportunity to make some simple changes in your home decor to reflect the warmth of the season.
I recently sat down with Kansas City business owner, Chrysalyn Huff, President of RE Brands, to discuss how she recommends incorporating Fall into home decor in a simple and attainable way. For those who may not yet be familiar with RE, Chrysalyn and her husband Jeff opened their first retail store (and home decor destination spot) in Kansas City’s historic West Bottoms in 2012. Providing stylish furnishings and decor at affordable price points their business boomed. “It was like taking a drink of water out of a fire hydrant,” Chrysalyn said in explaining the early days of the business. Coming down to the West Bottoms almost felt like a treasure hunt to customers, she said. “People began to see that you don’t have to spend a fortune to make your house look good.” And considering that the business began during a downturn in the economy, this idea along with providing quality, stylish merchandise led to the business succeeding and expanding despite the odds.
A second retail store was opened on the Country Club Plaza, and in 2018 The West Bottoms location closed and relocated to the Crossroads.
If you have not yet paid a visit to the new Crossroads location then you are in for a treat when you go! Their new location not only offers a sleek, light-filled space perfect for displaying their collection of home wares, but it also provides space for an exciting new endeavor for RE Brands, the addition of furniture maker, KC Furnishing Co. “We had wanted to do this for several years and the relocation allowed us to go all in,” Chrysalyn said. In creating the concept for KC Furnishing Co., Chrysalyn referenced a story from her children’s younger days. Recollecting trips to the car wash with her sons, she remebered how they enjoyed watching the family’s car, through car wash windows, as it moved through the various stages of the wash cycle. “It’s the same concept with the open workshop,” she said, “except this time it is adults coming in to shop and stopping to watch either theirs, or someone else’s, table or mantle being made.”
The lovely Crossroads location is where I had a chance to sit down and get her well-honed advice for incorporating Fall decor into the home. “I have a huge respect and admiration for each season,” Chrysalyn said, “and Fall, to me, is the beginning of the season of traditions. Like going to the pumpkin patch, or getting apple cider. By making subtle transitions in the home you can embrace the season in a positive way.”
Changing out textiles in your home, such as pillows and throws, is an easy and affordable way that Chrysalyn recommends in creating a seasonal change in your home. “I keep a plastic tub at home for these seasonal items,” she said, “and if they ever feel out of date then it is an easy upgrade.”
For Fall she recommends using velvets in home textiles due to their luxurious, warm feel. “Velvet is also very accessible, you can find it in pillows and such almost anywhere,” she said.
Chrysalyn also recommends using colors that aren’t necessarily your typical “Fall colors” of oranges, reds, and yellows. “Colors such as a vintage navy, gold, a teal and sage combination are all great options,” she said. She also stated that green, in different shades, is going to be big for Fall.
In supporting the idea of using “non-typical” Fall colors, Chrysalyn spoke of her daughter-in-law, fellow Kansas City home decor blogger, Anna Huff’s use of white pumpkins in her home. “She uses all white and it still feels like Fall,” she said.
Candles are another tip she has for creating a seasonal feel in your own home. A simple change of scent, such as pumpkin or apple, can create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Use of seasonal greenery, branches, berries, etc. throughout the home is another easy way to bring the color of Fall indoors. Chrysalyn spoke of her love of the quality and authentic appearance of the faux greenery they keep in their RE locations.
“One of my favorite decor items for Fall here in the shop are these little greenery orbs in warm Fall tones,” she said. “You can put them anywhere, on a shelf, on the mantle, and it brings an instant bit of Fall to your decor.”
Incorporating seasonal decor can be overwhelming at times but Chrysalyn advises to just keep it simple. “It doesn’t have to be a lot,” she said, “adding some new texture, such as a mustard colored throw, some crushed velvet pillows, a simple wreath and a change in candle scent and you are ready for the season.”
I want to thank Chrysalyn for sharing her excellent tips for creating a warm and cozy Fall home in an unfussy and affordable way! (Unfussy and affordable are my favorites!) I also want to thank her for sharing the RE story and beautiful stores with us!
