See how this creative homeowner showcases pink in her fall décor.
Do you ever scroll through social media accounts, websites or blogs and come across someone who always grabs your attention with their creativity and style? That’s how we feel about Jacqueline Turner and her avant-garde use of shades of pink in her autumn décor and tablescapes. Week after week, her breathtaking ideas impress us!
We asked Jacqueline what inspires her and gathered a few tips for you to try at home.
CB: When did your love of home décor begin?
JT: My love for home décor began as a little girl. I used to watch my mom decorate our childhood home so beautifully in her French Country style. She also loved decorating for the holidays. Our Christmas tree and mantel were always dressed to the nines. She took her time and paid close attention to every detail. She was a cake decorator at our family bakery, where she would create the most gorgeous flowers out of cream. I tried hard to learn but could never get it. However, now I love to create flower arrangements out of fresh and faux flowers. She has always been my inspiration.
CB: Please tell us a bit about your home and community.
JT: We live in Lake Orion, Michigan, where living is like a vacation! It has that up-north feel but is still close to shopping and local markets. Country dirt roads and in-land lakes give it that small town feel even though there are lots of people. Everyone is kind and you will always find a connection between people you meet. We built our home in 2006 and live off a dirt road that has a quiet and beautiful protected nature preserve behind us. I love the feeling of having our own space without feeling isolated from the rest.
Our home has the charm of a Craftsman, with gray siding, white trim, black shutters and a black front door. Stone pillars and cedar shake trim add a sweet touch to our front porch. We created a backyard outdoor oasis for our family to enjoy our favorite time of year here: summer. That is where you will find all my limelight hydrangeas. They surround our pool landscape area and make my heart happy all summer long!
CB: We love your bold use of pink—is your family on board with it?
JT: Pink has always been my favorite color. I gravitate to the soft and comforting feeling it brings, which sparks pure joy in my heart. We had pink and white on our wedding day too. I use it throughout our home, on the inside and out: soft-pink accents in our family room, such as blankets and pillows; pink candlesticks; pink toile lamp shades; and, of course, pink flowers! My tablescape designs will also show off my love of pink either with the linens, florals or accents used. Our outdoor oasis is also in pink and greens! It gives that happy feeling of summer mixed in with the greens that make you feel swept away and on vacation. My family of three boys and my hubby do not mind my pink and feminine touches—as long as it doesn’t make its way into the man cave basement! However, they actually now love wearing pink themselves and gravitate toward it. It makes our home feel peaceful, happy and calm, and I know the boys love that.
CB: Please tell us about your amazing hydrangea table and mantel garland.
JT: Setting my farewell to summer, hello to autumn hydrangea table truly filled my heart with pure love and joy. The peace I feel when I’m around my limelight hydrangeas is like no other, and being able to create with them is incredibly special to me.
My beloved limelights were the perfect way for me to welcome in the new season. They fill our yard with such tranquility during the summer. When I watch their ever-changing hues from lime to pink to deep cranberry, it brings me happiness. It comforts my summer-loving heart and allows me to see the beauty in the shift of seasons.
The Table Runner: My vision for this table was to embody nature’s pure beauty to highlight the sweet limelights. I snipped leaves from our pear tree and ornamental grasses that we have surrounding our backyard. I also experimented with doing a waterfall effect with my hydrangeas.
To start the table runner, I repurposed dry and wet floral foam that I had used before but was still in good condition. I didn’t need to soak the wet foam as I brought all my hydrangeas in to dry the next day.
I set each stem through the foam to create a nice runner that was full of blooms. This creates such a lush, elegant feeling. Next, to design the waterfall, I opted to use floral foam tubes that were all connected. I tied floral wire around the ends to strengthen them and to tie the wire around a strong hydrangea stem from underneath. I attached this on the end of my table runner.
After that, I filled up the floral foam tubes I added in my greenery that I also collected from our yard: leaf branches from our pear tree and ornamental grass clippings. I placed those at the top of the waterfall and through the sides coming all the way down. It took about 80 to 100 limelights to make the runner. Then I added my dinnerware, glassware, napkins and finally a set of pink candles.
Even though it’s incredibly hard for me to say goodbye to summer, harvesting my sweet limelight hydrangeas makes the start of the fall season easier for me to handle. I love how they add a beautiful rustic charm filled with elegance that will continue to keep my heart happy through the fall and winter months.
The Mantel: This is the perfect time to bring those gorgeous flowers in and start drying them. That’s exactly what I did and started to create my mantel garland with them.
To keep them in place, I stacked three dry floral foams with wooden skewer sticks to keep them together and prevent them from tipping over. Once secure on the mantel, I started layering in each hydrangea. I used 30 to 40 hydrangeas. I allow my heart to lead me in each design I create and sometimes my design ideas change as I create, but that’s the joy I feel in immersing myself with my creativity.
Next, I added bits of ornamental grasses and pear-tree leaves throughout to give it that whimsical yet rustic feel for autumn.
I add more dried hydrangeas in vases and baskets to complete my fall décor on the inside. My limelights have been the gift that keeps on giving long after they have bloomed.
I have dried hydrangeas from four to five years ago that are nestled in baskets above my kitchen cabinets. If preserved in the right way, they can last for years!
CB: How did your stunning front entry come together?
For my porch decorations, I always use hydrangeas—and corn stalks are a must on my pillars! I love to add in the softer color pumpkins in greens, whites and the soft-peach color. Mums are always a staple too and I gravitate toward the pink, burgundies and white ones. In my planters, I like to find plants in similar hues to add texture and contrast. Each planter was filled with ornamental grasses from our yard that I dried, my dried limelight hydrangeas, purple and white cabbages and beautiful purple Celosia. I added more hydrangeas in my corn stalks and tied a sweet pink ribbon around them.
I attach the corn stalks to our front porch pillars by using rope—and that’s it! I love to add in a bow in either a pattern or solid color that will complement the rest of the décor.
To help keep my pumpkins from turning into mush, I wait until temperatures get slightly cooler so they are not sitting in the hot sun. Giving them a good soak in cold water, baking soda and white vinegar helps too—a little trick my mom taught me.
CB: Please tell us about your lovely tablescape.
JT: The inspiration for my Velvety Fall Tablescape came from my beloved Old Country Roses set that my mom bought for me. I wanted to play off the soft colors in the set and I knew that it would be the soft rosy pinks, creamy whites and gold colors that needed to shine.
Having a soft-ivory tablecloth as the base made the sweet pink and gold colors feel dreamy. I also layered in my creamy-white and gold Lenox Hannah Debut dinnerware set to give that same dreamy soft effect. Velvet pumpkins from HomeGoods and velvet pink eucalyptus stems from Michael’s were the perfect way for me to create the centerpiece. Having them all gathered in the center of the table with sweet white and pink roses tucked in really helped me bring in my romantic signature touch. The colors played so beautifully together!
CB: And finally, what is your best decorating tip for our readers?
Following what speaks to you is my best advice. I like to be true to my taste and style when I decorate. I think that’s how you set yourself apart from others, by being genuine in all you do.
As always, please follow us on Instagram for weekly updates, inspiration and announcements!
