By Rachel Schemmerling | Timeless Living Designs

This time of year  brings a subtle slowing, an invitation to turn inward — when the air cools, the light softens, and our homes start to whisper it’s “time to gather”.

Before the rush of guests, menus, and twinkle lights, I always find myself wanting to pause and create space — both literally and emotionally — for the season ahead. Because while the holidays can bring joy and celebration, they can also stir up stress, clutter, and a feeling of being “off balance.”

This is the moment to shift from decorating to preparing — from making your home look ready to helping it feel ready.

Here are a few ways to begin:

1. Clear the surfaces. Before adding décor, edit what’s already there. A clean console, sideboard or uncluttered dining table instantly makes a room feel calm.
2. Layer in warmth. Bring out your textured throws, heavier drapes, and candlelight lanterns, holders and vases. Think of creating a gentle glow that draws people in.
3. Welcome with scent. A simmer pot of citrus and cloves or an essential oil blend of cedar and orange can set the tone before anyone walks through the door.
4. Rethink your gathering spaces. Consider the floor plan flow. Does your living room invite conversation? Do guests have a spot to place a drink or cozy up near the fire? A few thoughtful adjustments can change the entire experience.
5. Prep your guest spaces now. Fresh linens, towels, bedside lighting and a touch of hospitality — even a carafe of water or a note — tell guests they’re seen and cared for. Start stocking up on toiletries to share in a small basket. Things like hand creams, shampoo, organic soaps, make up wipes, etc. to help guests feel thought of.

Creating a home that feels good to be in isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence. When your home supports your peace, you and your guests will have more room for joy, connection, and meaning in the moments that matter most.

By Rachel Schemmerling|Timeless Living Designs

Autumn arrives quietly. The light shifts, evenings cool, and suddenly we’re craving warmth and coziness. (I have a thing for scarves and fuzzy socks, you too?) But, instead of giving yourself another list of to-do’s—bins to unpack, garlands to hang, pumpkins to buy—this season can be embraced as a pause. A time to honor your life as it is right now, with simple gestures that feel nurturing.

🍂 Begin With the Senses

Sometimes, a single candle is enough. Choose a grounding scent—cedar, clove, or cinnamon bark—and let it linger in your space. Swap out a throw blanket for one with texture, a knit or a quilt that invites slowing down. And don’t forget sound: music, a record, or even silence can become your seasonal backdrop. Textiles have a way of wrapping the senses in comfort, turning the ordinary moments of home into something nurturing. A soft wool blanket draped across a chair invites you to pause, while linen napkins on a table make even a simple meal feel intentional. Natural fibers—cotton, linen, wool—breathe differently than synthetics, offering texture your hands can appreciate and weight your body can relax into. Layering fabrics—plush pillows, a quilt folded at the end of the bed, curtains that filter the light—creates not just visual warmth, but a sensory landscape that calms and grounds you.

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🌾 Bring Nature Indoors

Forget elaborate arrangements. A single branch of golden leaves in a vase is both effortless and deeply seasonal. A handful of acorns or pinecones in a bowl tells the story of a walk outside. Even your groceries—apples, squash, herbs—become décor when you display them with intention. Another practical way to bring nature indoors is by keeping a small basket or tray near your entryway where you place seasonal finds—a handful of smooth stones, fallen leaves, or sprigs of herbs picked from the garden—so the act of arriving home also becomes a moment of connection with the outdoors.

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🫖 Embrace Daily Rituals

Autumn rituals are less about tasks and more about slowing the pace. Shift your afternoon drink from iced to warm. Simmer a pot of soup and let the fragrance linger. Enjoy the way a mug feels in your hands as much as the drink itself. Your daily rituals are your seasonal décor. Swap out your summer scented soaps for fall favorites like orange and clove, pumpkin spice, and fall leaves. Washing your hands can become a simple ritual when you slow down. Instead of rushing, let the warm water run over your skin and notice its comfort. Lather the soap gently, inhaling the scent as you massage it into your palms, between your fingers, and over the backs of your hands. Rinse with intention, watching the water carry everything away, and finish by drying your hands softly—like a pause, a reset, and a return to the present moment.

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✨ Mark This Chapter of Life

Let your home reflect not just the season outdoors, but your season of life. Keep a basket of books by the sofa. Frame a photo that feels meaningful right now. Style one surface simply—a candle, a seasonal object, and a small stack of books you have your heart set on reading, maybe keep a journal for gratitude nearby. It’s not about filling the space, it’s about giving it a soul, meaning and warmth. Create a quiet ritual of pausing at the same window or spot in your home each day, noticing the light and reflecting on where you are in life’s rhythm.

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The beauty of autumn lies in its invitation to slow down. Instead of filling your home with “shoulds,” allow it to hold space for quiet rituals, simple comforts, and the feeling of enough. I know that’s what I’ll be doing. Just feeling enough.

🍁 Here’s to savoring the season, in the gentlest way. Cheers!

There’s a quiet moment many women experience—but rarely talk about.

The house is suddenly still. The shoes by the door are your own. The calendar isn’t packed with school pickups or college visits. And in that stillness, a question gently rises:

What do I want this space—and this life—to look like now?

It’s a question of design, yes. But also of identity. And for many of the women I work with, it’s the beginning of a beautiful rediscovery.

A New Chapter Deserves a New Foundation

When we’ve spent decades creating a home that supports everyone else, it can feel unfamiliar—sometimes even indulgent—to begin designing it around ourselves. But this season? It’s not about indulgence. It’s about intention.

It’s about creating a home that reflects your values, your energy, your dreams.

Maybe it’s finally turning the guest room into your art studio.
Maybe it’s upgrading your kitchen so cooking becomes a joy again, not a chore.
Maybe it’s simply letting go of things—furniture, routines, expectations—that no longer serve you.

One client recently told me, “This is the first time in 25 years I’m making design choices without thinking about sticky fingers or sports schedules.” Her home now holds soft textiles, books in every room, and a reading nook by the window that makes her want to stay home.

The Home Becomes a Mirror

What’s most powerful about design in this season of life isn’t just how your home looks—it’s how it makes you feel.

When your space is serene, you feel more grounded.
When it reflects your style—not trends—you feel more confident.
When it functions with ease, you breathe more deeply.

Design isn’t just about pretty things. It’s about giving your environment the permission to support who you’re becoming.

This is especially important when life has been filled with transition. Whether it’s becoming an empty nester, retiring, navigating loss, or simply choosing to slow down, your home can become your partner in that process.

Reclaiming Space, Reclaiming Self

You may find that as you declutter rooms, you also declutter expectations. As you make space for beauty, you make space for clarity. This is why I often say design is a gateway to restoration—it invites you to come home not only to a place, but to yourself.

So I’ll ask you what I often ask my clients:
What spaces in your home feel like you’ve outgrown them?
Where do you feel most at ease? Most alive?
What’s calling to be reimagined—not just in the layout, but in three energy?

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If you’re ready to explore what your home could become—and in turn, what you might rediscover—I’d be honored to guide you. Let’s begin the process together. You don’t have to do it alone.

Hospitality, at its core, is not about impressing—it’s about inviting.

It’s about creating an environment where people exhale when they walk through your door. Where conversations linger. Where laughter feels effortless. Where beauty and warmth are thoughtfully intertwined, not fussed over.

And as we grow into new seasons—when the house is quieter, and we finally have space to host on our terms—many of us rediscover a longing to gather again. Not in the way we once did for children’s birthday parties or big holiday meals, but in a slower, more intentional way.

This is where thoughtful design becomes your ally.

A Sense of Welcome Starts Before the Door Opens

When I help a client create a home for hosting, we begin not with furniture, but with feeling.

What do you want your guests to feel the moment they arrive?

That question leads us to choices like:

• A soft, inviting entryway bench that signals stay a while
  
• Lighting that flatters the space and the people in it
  
• A curated scent—perhaps fresh herbs or a subtle diffuser—that becomes part of your home’s signature
  

These elements speak before you do. They tell your guests that this is a place to be nourished—in body and in spirit.

Function Meets Atmosphere

A beautifully styled table is lovely, yes—but the ease of flow in your space matters just as much.

Do guests know where to set their coats? Can they pour a drink without needing direction? Is the music soft enough to let conversation float easily?

Design can smooth these unspoken details. A well-placed sideboard becomes a self-serve drink station. A bench tucked into the dining nook becomes extra seating or a cozy perch for longer chats. Even the way chairs are angled—encouraging openness instead of hierarchy—can influence how people connect.

One of my favorite transformations was for a client who wanted to host more Sunday suppers. We reimagined her formal dining room into a moody, inviting space where friends now linger hours past dessert. Hosting became a joy again—because her home was working with her, not against her.

Hosting with Heart

Meaningful gatherings don’t have to be elaborate. A quiet cup of tea with a neighbor. A spontaneous afternoon of charcuterie and storytelling. A book club that ends with a firepit and barefoot dancing in the grass.

These are the moments we’re really designing for.

So as you consider your next gathering—whether it’s for two or twelve—ask yourself:
What kind of memory do I want to create?
And what might need to shift in my home to make space for that?

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Your home has the power to open doors—not just literally, but emotionally. If you’re ready to create a space that invites connection and feels like a true reflection of the way you want to gather, let’s dream it up together.

By Rachel Schemmerling|Timeless Living Designs

There’s something magical about the early days of May — a feeling that everything is waking up after a long winter’s rest. As the trees stretch out their newly green branches and the breeze carries a sweet, earthy scent, our spirits naturally lift. This is the perfect time to mirror nature’s energy in our own homes. I always encourage my clients to create spaces that don’t just follow trends, but instead feel alive, welcoming, and sustaining all year long. A spring refresh isn’t about tearing everything apart; it’s about thoughtfully layering in beauty, function, and a sense of renewal.

Start by inviting nature inside: open your windows wide, swap heavy winter textiles for lighter, breathable fabrics like linen, and display a simple vase of fresh flowers. Small changes like rotating your furniture to catch the morning light, editing surfaces for breathing room, and adding tactile elements — like a handwoven throw or a vintage ceramic bowl — can shift the entire mood of a space. Spring renewal is also the perfect moment to reassess your routines: could you carve out a cozy corner for journaling, meditation, or morning tea? In timeless living, I design not just for how a space looks, but for how it supports a slower, more intentional way of life.

Just as important as tending to our homes is nurturing our sense of community. Times of transition — even the hopeful ones — are easier and richer when we’re connected to others walking a similar path. That’s one of the reasons I created The Ginger Jar Society: a place where women can gather around beauty, tradition, creativity, and slow living. As we all step into this new season, may your home feel lighter, your spirit feel lifted, and your circle of connection continue to grow. Ask me about it if you’re interested in learning more.

5 Ways to Bring a Breath of Fresh Air Into Your Home and Life This Spring:

1. Invite Fresh Air and Natural Light
   Open the windows daily, pull back heavy curtains, and let the light and breeze energize your space and spirit.
2. Switch to Light, Breathable Fabrics
   Swap out heavier throws, bedding, and pillows for linens, cottons, and softer neutrals that feel fresh and weightless.
3. Bring Nature Indoors
   Add living plants, fresh flowers, or a small herb garden by your kitchen window to create a daily connection with the natural world.
4. Create a New Daily Ritual Space
   Carve out a cozy, inspiring corner for journaling, tea, reading, or meditation — a small, beautiful moment just for you.
5. Clear the Energy by Refreshing and Editing
   Gently declutter surfaces, rearrange furniture to flow with the light, and donate or rehome anything that feels heavy or stagnant.