*This post was sponsored by Walmart & SheKnows Media
At the start of every season I’m always excited for a change in temperature and the opportunity to embrace new colors, routines and experiences. However, it’s with fall’s annual arrival that I always feel the urge to nest. As a total homebody, the cooler temps and shorter days are the ideal catalyst for home updates. My friends at Walmart asked me to partner with them to share my advice on making your home a cozy and happy space for the fall. They kindly sent their exclusive bundle of a Google Home Mini and Google Chromecast to see if I could use this to make my home extra cozy and smart this autumn. I love that the Google Home Mini’s soft gray cover means you can make your home smart without being ugly – stylish looking tech is my fav! OK, let’s dive in…
1. As the nights draw in and its gets darker lighting becomes even more important as it can really affect your mood. For lights in living and dining spaces I like to use light bulbs in the 2700k range – check the side of the box as it should tell you the Kelvin rating. Bulbs in this range create a warm, welcoming light that is perfect for fall. The Merkury Innovations smart bulb can be controlled via your smart phone or via talking to a digital assistant to set it to the color, warmth, and brightness you want.
2. One of my favorite things about fall is all the new TV shows! I am currently obsessed with Manifest (seriously, it’s SO good!) and StayHere (great for fellow design nuts) – if you have any recommendations for others, please let me know. With the Google Home Mini and Chromecast Bundle you can simply ask Google the show you want to watch. For example, you can say “Hey Google, play StayHere on Netflix”. Then, Google will automatically start playing the next episode on your TV. Neat, right?
3. Fall is the perfect time to replace key items in your home. If you are going to add some new pieces, a new deep pile rug or layers of new textiles are great way to spruce up a space without investing in new furniture. With so many sofas now offering changeable covers, why not buy a new cover for the season as a way to breathe new life into an existing couch? This is an instant way to completely change the look of a room.
4. Painting in the summertime can be brutal – that heat and humidity is no joke! With the arrival of fall it’s a great time to pick up the paint brush and get painting! Pairing soft greys with rich greens is a great way to create a cozy and inviting home. A deep forest green will create a cocooning and restful vibe for the season. Add an open wood fire and you’re really winning at #cozygoals!
5. One of the downsides of fall is that the probability of rain increases. Still, the good news is that with the Google Home Mini and Chromecast Bundle from Walmart you can easily play games with the family to see away a rainy day! Just say, “Hey Google, play Trivia” to start playing. If you don’t know how to play Trivia, Google will even explain how it works, too. And if it rains for days on end, it’s good to know that there are tons of games available.
6. I’ve been dreaming of adding a window seat (like the one above) to our beach house. I think it would be the perfect weekend DIY for fall, especially if you have a dormer window as they offer a cozy, and often unused, nook that’s ideal for creating a built in seat by the window. Window seats provide extra seating for the family / friends in time for holiday entertaining, or just create the perfect place to curl up with a book on a cold day.
// Styling & Photography by Will Taylor
13 Comments
I love my google home too! Your’s looks great in this room. Better than I made mine look haha ;))
@Keenan – Thank you so much! I am sure you made it look fab as part of your home, too!
I never knew you could use it to change channels on the TV?! That’s awesome.
Hope you had a good weekend Will!
– Jess
@Jessica – I think that is one of my favorite functions of it TBH! I had such a lovely fall weekend; hope you did as well!
Hi Will
Do you know how much it would cost to add a window seat like the one in no.6? Always love reading your posts from here in Chicago!
Paula xo
@Paula – TBH I’m not sure as the price would vary a lot depending on location, structural conditions etc. Best to contact a few local contractors for a series of quotes you can compare. Or, you could look into doing a DIY window seat project – there’s a bunch of them on Pinterest you can follow. Good luck! And thank you so much for the kind words and reading my blog!
This house is a F***** dream!!!! Gotta get me a Google Mini too…. I can afford that so it’s a start lmao!
@Dan – Haha! It sure is!
Great ideas Will! Love your suggestion of game playing through the GH, never thought of that.
@Harry – A great way to keep kids occupied!
Grey is such a good color when it comes to interiors. Neutral, just bright enough to make the space look bigger and can be matched with any other colors. Like the combination of furry rugs and throw with the fireplace.
Wow! what an idea you just shared. I really love these ways specially the last one for the window seat.
Nice decoration and creative idea. I like it. Thanks for sharing with us.