by Kulani Kon

Created on: September 11, 2008   Last Updated: June 21, 2011

The busy summer is coming to an end, the air is cooling down, mother nature's lively colors are changing to tranquil warming tones, and even the scent in the crisp air is different. Autumn has arrived. There is a warm, comforting, and cozy feeling from autumn's colors and scents. Bring nature's beauty inside and you can create these feelings in your home.

After all the running, traveling, and frenzy of the summer, families are starting to gather indoors. So make your home a welcoming place for friends and family. There are many fun and creative ways to bring autumn into your home.

Your air conditioner has been working overtime from the summer heat, it deserves a brake so turn it off and open your windows. Get the fresh breeze of autumn throughout your home. Fresh air is beneficial to your health. It is important to air out your stuffy house and lungs. It can lower stress and actually make you healthier.

Autumn's presence is all around you so utilize it for decorating your home. Go outside and collect some leaves, twigs, acorns, and anything else you see that represents autumn to you. This is great if you have children, get them to help out. You will also need to get some contact paper, a hot glue gun, construction paper, scissors, a picture frame, and a plastic coffee can.

Protect your leaves with contact paper, individually, and use them all over your house as center pieces on the dinner table, coffee table, or on the mantle piece. Use the acorns and other items you collected with your leaves. You can also place a leave on a square of construction paper and then cover in the contact paper to make coasters. Use the same concept but on a larger scale to create place mats. Use fall colors to decorate, reds, browns, oranges, and yellows. These colors are warm and comforting.

Personalize your autumn dcor with a picture frame and a new family portrait. Decorate your frame with the covered leaves, twigs, and acorns. Get a portrait taken in a pile of leaves or at a pumpkin patch. While there grab some pumpkins for decorations.

The aroma of your home sets a mood as well as the dcor. Pumpkin spices, cinnamon, baking goods, or pine scents are good autumn comforting aromas. Take the coffee can, cut it in half to make a smaller lip, and then use your outdoor collections to make a wreath around the container. Put a candle in the middle with one of your favorite autumn scents.

Bringing the comfort and warmth of autumn into your home is easy with a touch of nature. With the aroma of the harvest, fall colors, nature's gifts, and the crisp air you have a cozy autumn home. Use the resources around you to enjoy this season.

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