Stylist Nicola Marc draws on natural elements and a cozy autumn palette for a softer take on fall decorating.

Centre of attention

A handmade wreath on the front door welcomes family and friends. Stylist Nicola Marc’s rustic farmhouse table, brought from her parents’ house when she moved to Canada from England, is set with an airy centrepiece in muted autumn hues, including taupe, rust, grey and sand.

Photography, Moni Richard. Styling, Nicola Marc. DINING CHAIRS, BENCH, RUG, Bouclair. Tibetan SHEEPSKIN, linen RUNNER AND NAPKINS, EQ3. PENDANT LIGHT, Lambert et Fils. PAINT, Abalone 2108-60 (front door, panelling in dining room), Chantilly Lace OC-65 (walls above panelling), Benjamin Moore.

Simply pretty

Tiny pinecones and dried branches gathered in the woods and arranged in containers of contrasting shapes add texture on one windowsill; for the other, Nicola hand-painted plastic pumpkins in her chosen colour scheme and then used a gold-leaf pen to paint the stems.

Black stoneware VASE, large white stoneware PITCHER, brown VASE (on windowsill), HomeSense. PUMPKINS, Amazon.
 

Fall treasures

An autumn-themed garland, embellished with pinecones, branches and sprigs of fall foliage, brings an inviting texture to the table. The setting is purposely kept airy and low-key, so as not to block sightlines.

 

Ceramic VASES, GLASSES, PITCHER, black stoneware PLATES, wooden TRAY, BOWLS, EQ3.

 

A place for all

 

Handwritten place cards on kraft paper tied with string and embellished with acorns add an informal sense of occasion. Nicola placed them on a linen napkin atop a grey plate, creating layers of colour and textural interest. A collection of vessels on a linen runner completes the romantic centrepiece.

 

 

“I love working with a lot of natural textures: linen napkins, the sisal rug, the sheepskin. It feels very inviting to add all these layers for fall.”

Woolly warm-up

The living room, where guests gather by the fireside pre-feast, is wrapped in the same soft-spoken mood. More painted pumpkins, these ones in wood, top the bookshelf, while a cozy plaid pillow and woollen throw on an accent chair add warmth.

Brown linen THROW, linen CUSHIONS in rust and warm terracotta colours, EQ3.

A stylist's touch

The black coffee table adds a smooth, sleek surface among all the soft textures, and a trio of charcoal-colour candleholders keeps the mood minimal. A rustic stoneware vase (also modern in shape) is filled with coral ranunculus blossoms to sweeten things up.

COFFEE TABLE, Bouclair. White stoneware VASE, HomeSense.
 

 

Floral jewellery
 

Dried flowers, grasses and foliage partially wrap large and small wire frames for an artistic take on the traditional autumn wreath. Nicola says the shapes of the wreaths, handmade by an artisan in B.C., remind her a bit of jewellery, like rings for a giant.

Handmade dried-flower WREATHS (above fireplace) by Forevermore Dried Wreaths, Three Chi's Acre. Black wooden CANDLESTICKS, ARTWORK, Urban Barn. CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE, Luminaire Authentik.

 

“I find the typical colours of [fall] can sometimes be quite garish. I wanted to use a more muted palette.”