Colonial Motif Has Holiday Spirit

Late November is the time when most people focus on traditional, family events. Thanksgiving ushers in the holiday season that puts young and old in a homey mood. This is the time when so many of my clients, thinking about turkey, pumpkin pie and nippy weather, want to see the soft, nostalgic tone of the holidays reflected in their homes. And no decorating style better captures this spirit than colonial. If you’re in a colonial mood, here’s a scheme to try.

For a living room that has warmth, paint the walls a rich pumpkin and the trim a soft fawn beige. At the windows, hang a quilted print design of rich green, soft blue, goldenrod and cranberry red on a pumpkin background. Carpeting of rich cranberry or fawn beige will lend warmth to the room.

Accessorize your living room with either brass lamps outfitted with creamy linen shades or porcelain lamps with shades decorated with handsome pheasants.

The key to furnishing your fall room with a colonial spirit is practicality. Look for sturdy, no-nonsense pine pieces. An antique trunk can be used for a coffee table and also as a storage spot for old magazines and books.