Happy Fall, all.

While my daydream of a blog may have lay dormant, it’s not dead. If I had a magic wand, it would record all my inspirational thoughts, images and ideas, exactly when I have them. If you find an app for that, do send a shout out. In the meantime, I’ll make do writing when I can. I’m not a ‘professional’ blogger, nor do I make gobs of money from it or want to out source my writings to another. That would by nature, contradict my point of creating one. My spare time writings are one of my many passions. And so it must be. In order to keep my rising rolodex of design clients happy as clams, my now rampant toddler freshly clothed, eating real human food and thriving, my hubs content and in good spirits, our house (barely) keeping up appearances, and us working through the dredges of new homeownership with a gut renovation gaining momentum, some things must take a back seat. I’m no superwoman because damn, she must be a wreck. More than me.

So as I’m able to steal a few moments to myself, I’m thinking about the season that’s upon us. The past few days I’ve been enjoying the small changes that mark fall for me this year. While Los Angeles may not have all the typical autumnal colors (palm trees don’t turn yellow gold unless they’re dead, let’s be real), fall’s woodsy, rustic scents or drastic temperature changes, it’s the little things that make me pause. The sunlight is a little less bright, as if lightly veiled by an opaque linen drapery panel. The air is indeed getting crisper. I wore my first sweater yesterday since last December if you can believe. Now that the summer tourists have vacated the area, the beaches lay empty while the ocean grows dark and stormy. I can even find a parking spot around town, win. The evenings are softer, and quieter. Alfresco torches and outdoor lanterns are dimming while candles and cozy fires are being lit. While I’m not the pumpkin spice latte type, I do love a good coffee, and often. Forgoing the iced everything, I’m happily opting for warmer refreshments at last. I like my coffee like my men, tall and strong. Enough said.

From a design perspective, every season brings its own set of tried and true colors, patterns and textures. We’re no stranger to the favorites, flannel, cashmere and roaring fires. From the fall fashion editorials to your local farmers market, inspiration is everywhere. I’m finding myself drawn to the nuances of the changing light, both indoors and out. I most enjoy working with natural materials in my projects such as linen, wool, leather and wood. No better time to break them all out at once. Rooms take on a more grounded feel when the cooler months roll around. Whether your color palette is light or dark, both can be a strong design element all on its own. Check out this months mood board to scope what’s gettin’ my JUJU going in October.

And by far, my favorite part about autumn is, everyone seems to want an extra snuggle these days. From my husband P and babe Olly, to our two little furry felines Mickey and Jagger, everyone wants a blanket and a hug. That I can deliver, any time and as much as they want. Maybe I can be superwoman after all, even if only to them, just for a moment.

xxL

(Images via Pinterest)