Today I’m sharing some simple updates I made to my kitchen by painting the island, adding new hardware, and how I decorated for fall using copper and wood tones.
Earlier this year I decided my kitchen needed a bit of contrast, as it was all white since we replaced our butcher block counters last year with quartz. So after some research I decided to paint our kitchen island gray, to bring out the gray veining in the quartz and the gray in our marble backsplash.
The gray I chose was Behr Anonymous in semi-gloss. I painted two coats right on top of the white paint we had on there before, and I used less than 2 sample pots of Behr Marquee paint.
Once this was done I decided to switch out our knobs and pulls to gold ones. I reached out to my favorite hardware company, D. Lawless Hardware to work together again. They were happy to sponsor this small part of our kitchen update.
Champagne Bronze hardware is their top-selling finish right now, which is not as yellow as a brass, but still has that gold warmth I wanted. They have all of the options in that finish categorized together, so it was easy to select what I wanted– their prices are great and their shipping is super fast.
Gold knobs was something I’ve wanted to do since we first made over our kitchen, but initially had chosen black knobs and pulls because I figured it was safer. Now that we have gold (champagne bronze), I absolutely love it and I just wish I would have went with my gut years ago. I chose these cup pulls and these knobs.
I also decided to switch out the pendant light above the sink with one that had gold in it and found this super budget-friendly one on Amazon. I love how the warmer grays and golds work together in the kitchen now.
After painting, adding gold hardware and a gold light fixture, I was ready to decorate for fall. This year, I’ve been intentional about not adding too many obvious or overt fall decor pieces. Instead I’ve been adding warm-tone colors that are more subtle, easily to transition, and evoke a feeling of coziness. So, I brought in some copper-colored accents with this tea kettle I’ve had for years and some wood accents with cutting boards.
I normally don’t display measuring cups and spoons, but these copper ones from World Market are too pretty to keep in a drawer, so they are hanging on one of our hooks for easy fall-baking access.
Something I bought new, but which is usable year-round, is this oriental-pattern rug that has copper tones.
When decorating for fall, consider all 5 senses. I already described the colors that remind me of the season (visual), warm or cozy textures with the rug and dish towels (touch), then for taste and smell I brought in apple pie and a vanilla candle. The color of the candle pairs perfectly with the other copper accents in the kitchen.
The only thing left is sound, which you can choose whatever laid back music suits you, but we love to play Lauren Daigle or Jason Mraz on our Alexa.
The last touch is a couple of branches I clipped from a friend’s tree. I got lucky that a few leaves were turning and put them in a dark brown antique crock I have. Bosc pears are the perfect shade of golden brown to complement the leaves, so I filled a ceramic bowl and placed them with the leaves on top of a pizza board for my kitchen island centerpiece.
The height and color of the leaves make an impactful statement and because they are on the pizza board, it’s easy to remove when the entire island is being used.
I decided to try an alternative, less “invasive” option and filled the crock with hydrangeas. This takes up less visual space but is also cheerful and still looks inviting.
I’m obsessed with the difference the simple changes have made! I love the idea of having a spare set of hardware for your kitchen on-hand to change the look for a season or more. It can totally change the vibe of the kitchen, and is quite an inexpensive update.
When it comes to decorating for fall, I hope this post provided some inspiration on how to bring in warmer tones to create a ‘feeling’ of the fall, as an alternative to using pumpkins, faux foliage, and signs.
Let me know if you have any questions! xo, Rachel
Debra says
Hi Rachel, Thanks for sharing your kitchen refresh and updates for fall. I’ve had HanStone quartz countertops for the past few months and am getting frustrated with “scuff” marks and discolorations despite my vigilance in using trivets and immediately wiping up spills. I thought it would be no maintenance. Are you finding that your countertops show marks from everyday use?
Rachel says
I’ve had zero issues, honestly. Shocked you are finding this. I have several friends who have them too and I’ve never heard this complaint. I don’t wipe up everything immediately even. What kind of things are causing discolorations? I’ve had a couple instances of discoloration in the 18 months that we have had them, and I let rubbing alcohol sit on it for a few minutes and wiped it up. Hadn’t had any issues. Natural stone isn’t indestructible so I’m not sure what is causing ‘scuff’ marks (didn’t even know that was possible on these counters) but I would reach out to the manufacturer…