Fall Decor Harvest

Our 2023 brand ambassador fills her home’s interiors with welcoming warmth and seasonal wonder.

Lisa Rocco, Cottages & Bungalows’ 2023 brand ambassador, warms up her home as the temperatures cool in anticipation of fall. The former teacher turned empty nester and home stylist loves sharing vignettes of lake living on her Instagram account, @asimplystylednest.

Step by Step. Lisa loves decorating her home’s front steps and entrance for the season. “There are so many colorful mums to choose from as well as plants we can enjoy here during the cooler weather, like coleus, lamb’s ear and ornamental cabbage,” she says. Lisa places interesting planters on the steps filled with harvest colors and displays pumpkins among the florals.

“Our home is on Lake Wylie in Charlotte, North Carolina, and my husband and I are beginning our fifth year of living here on the lake,” Lisa says. “My interior-design style is Modern Cottage. I mix old and new when styling my home and I am always playing with color.”

Baskets of Warmth. Lisa stocks a basket filled with throws during the cooler months so they can be used for cuddling by the fireplace or sitting on the patio off the sunroom. “They also are a great décor accessory and add color and texture to a chair or ottoman,” she says.

Lisa’s vantage point in life has its perks: a keen awareness of what she likes and why. “At this point in my life, it’s less about design trends and more about what feels cozy and comfortable to us and welcoming to guests,” she says. The self-taught interior designer is always getting creative with her home’s updates and has done most of them herself, with the assistance of her husband. Over time, she’s updated its ’90s Traditional style into a Modern Cottage ambience with interesting and fun artwork, lighting, millwork, wallpapers, unexpected paint color on cabinets and furniture, and beadboard. As fall approaches, Lisa transitions her interiors into a cozy haven filled with sumptuously inviting details.

Hello Fall!

As summer winds down, Lisa gets excited to usher in fall, both on the lake and in her home. First, she creates a simple mood board with her ideas for pillows, artwork and table settings. “That’s how I hone my initial vision and, as I decorate, I find things that need to be added or changed,” she explains. “Part of the fun of styling is appreciating the journey and seeing how it all flows and feels as I go.”

Beautiful Country. The view from the Roccos’ upper patio looks into their backyard, where fall is an explosion of color there and all around the lake. When the trees are at their peak from September to October, the colors reflect off the water and create a fiery, mesmerizing scene. “We do many boat rides around the lake enjoying the colors,” Lisa says. “It is a beautiful sight!”

Since Lisa likes to decorate with a wide range of colors, she enjoys experimenting with color and pattern combinations. Blue is always part of her décor, and she has found that many colors pair beautifully with it for fall. This year, traditional oranges and yellows burst against bright shades of blue, the fall colors hearkening the season while the blues reference the beautiful water and sky found right outside the door.

A Warm Welcome. Upon entering the Rocco home, you are greeted by this area. It’s a walk through to the rest of the main living area, so Lisa wanted unobtrusive styling here. “It can be hard to find an entryway table that is long but not too deep, but I stumbled upon one with the right dimensions,” she says. “I have lamps for ambient lighting and always add seasonal style with a vase filled with faux or fresh florals, woven baskets that double as storage, some books and a cozy throw.”

Gather Round

Centerpieces, table settings and vignettes are sprinkled throughout Lisa’s fall décor. “I spend time creating fresh and faux floral arrangements for my dining-room table and other surfaces,” Lisa says. She has a wide array of vessels and brings out certain ones at the start of September, along with faux stems. “It’s amazing how creative you can be this way by changing the composition of your arrangements from season to season,” Lisa says. Extra layers are added with seasonal pillows and patterned throw blankets. The soft textures create the inviting coziness that Lisa always seeks with her interiors.

Cold Nose, Warm Heart. Labrador retriever Brie is 11 years old and is a special member of the family as well as a frequent and immensely popular figure on Lisa’s Instagram stories and feed.

Thanksgiving is a big event for her family. Her grown children and their spouses come for the holiday, and she goes all out with the décor. During that time, everyone spends time relaxing in the boathouse, watching colorful sunsets and getting toasty around the fire table outside before gathering around the table and joining hands and hearts.

Set the Table. Setting tables is one of Lisa’s signature talents. In the fall, she dresses up her table with soft, fringed scarves. “They are so inexpensive and you can find the prettiest plaids in a wide assortment of colors,” she says. “Add a pretty charger, fall dishes, taper candles for a warm glow and a table centerpiece created with fall greenery and mini pumpkins, artichokes, pears or apples. Natural elements make a stunning table for family and guests.”

For Lisa, it’s a special time—one shared with her immediate family and, as a brand ambassador, her cottage family as well. As she says, “Creating memories with my loved ones and also being able to share my passion for decorating with others through Cottages & Bungalows truly makes fall special.”

Minimalist Moments. Since the kitchen is snug and gets heavy use during autumn, the only area Lisa really decorates is this little blue table and open shelves that she and her husband made when they moved in. A little hook rack on the island always gets a few seasonal touches. The rest of the counter space is needed for prep and baking.

On the Straight and Narrow. This room is tricky to style due to it being a narrow space with just enough room for a sofa, chair and ottoman. However, despite its shape, Lisa loves its character and charm. “Styling shelves is one of my favorite parts of the seasonal decorating process, and this room has arched bookcases and pretty millwork,” she says. “I often begin my seasonal styling right here and it becomes a jumping off point with artwork, accessories and my vintage book collection.”

Petite Pies. Baking is another of Lisa’s passions, and she loves whipping up pies and cakes full of festive flavor, like these mini apple pies. “Individual baked goods are a special way to garnish a place setting for each guest,” she says.

Well Plated. The plate wall was Lisa’s creative project for Cottages & Bungalows’ brand ambassador contest. “I had been collecting plates over the last few years to eventually make a wall in my dining room alcove,” Lisa explains. “Some are thrifted and all are plates I felt would be enjoyed so much more displayed like artwork on the wall.” She settled on her favorites and did a mockup with brown paper in the shape of each plate to help decide on the arrangement.

Nestled in the Nook. This is the kitchen nook where Lisa and her husband start their day. “I add some hints of seasonal color here with a table throw, a basket with table items close at hand, a pretty vase with flowers and a tray of our favorite desserts,” Lisa says.

Wide Open Spaces. An open floor plan is Lisa’s favorite layout and a feature she loves about this house. “It provides an airy feel and, with so many southern-facing windows on the lake side, we have abundant light,” she explains. One room flows into another and the layout is conducive to gathering no matter what you might be doing—baking in the kitchen, enjoying the lake views or sitting on the patio.

My Cornucopia Runneth Over. Though many say this about spring, Lisa finds that fall is her favorite season for botanicals, florals and table décor. “During this time, I use real and faux vegetables and fruits, seeded stems, fall grasses and berries,” she explains. The colors and textures of these elements create a stunning visual feast for the eyes.

Crisp and Clean. Lisa even adds autumn touches to her laundry room. “If we must do laundry, we may as well make it cozy and fun,” she says.

Spa Life. The primary bathroom was completely renovated last year and Lisa’s vision was a peaceful, spa-like retreat with a soaking tub, new floor and tile, shower and vanities. “Distant Valley by Valspar is the color on the walls. I chose it because it is such a calm, serene color,” she says.

rest nest. An additional guest room with coastal bird art, oodles of pillows and a stylish bench at the foot of the bed make for an inviting space for Lisa’s extended family.

Fresh Bedding. In the primary bedroom, Lisa typically refreshes her bedding for fall by adding new linens and a comforter in a richer color than she might do for spring and summer. Then she layers in lots of blankets and pillows, and a vessel with fall stems. “I like adding a little something in the color palette that I use in the rest of the house,” she says.

Go Boating. Over the past year, Lisa and her husband created an area for family and friends to gather by the boathouse with comfortable, weather-friendly furniture, a fire table, Adirondack rocking chairs, plants and outdoor rugs for comfort underfoot. “We spend most evenings right here during the spring and summer months watching the sunsets and all of the wildlife around the lake,” she says.

Beautiful Blues

Blue and white are the colors that transcend seasons in the Rocco home. The walls are painted with just a hint of blue and some furniture pieces are in shades of blue. Here’s how Lisa uses blue and white as her base colors to inspire her fall décor.

• Sticking with the classics. Blue is classic, timeless and complements most colors. “I view it almost as a neutral that can work with anything,” Lisa explains. “Take that mentality and you’ll be surprised at how certain colors work well as bases.”

• Varying hues. By using blue in a variety of shades for her fall décor, Lisa gives depth to her designs and they help her autumnal adornments pop.

• Perfect pairings. Shades of green, yellow, pink and orange can be added as accents for a seasonal mood with blue as a neutral. “I love artwork and pillows that have hints of blue with other colors because they are a fabulous way to tie everything together in a cohesive and colorful way,” Lisa says.

Lisa concocts magic in her kitchen on a regular basis and one of her favorite fall dishes is her homemade Pasta Fagioli. This dish bursts with flavor and warms you from the inside out.

A Cozy Cup of Pasta Fagioli

What You’ll Need:

1½ lbs. Italian sausage
1 large onion, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 large carrots, minced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
1 can cannellini beans
1 can kidney beans
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 cups beef or chicken stock (I like beef)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
½ lb. Ditalini pasta

What You’ll Do:

1. In a large Dutch oven, brown Italian sausage. Drain all fat but a tablespoon or two. Remove sausage. Sauté onion, celery, carrots and garlic until tender.
2. Return sausage to Dutch oven and add broth, tomato sauce, beans, seasonings and sugar. Simmer on low- to medium heat for 25-30 minutes.
3. Cook Ditalini pasta according to package directions (al dente).
4. Ladle soup into bowls and spoon in Ditalini pasta. Top with fresh, grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!