Autumn is here, and it's time to embrace the enchanting beauty of the season within and beyond our homes. As the leaves paint the landscape in shades of amber and crimson, we welcome you to our Fall Home and Lifestyle Guide, where we've curated a collection of tips and inspiration to help you celebrate the magic of fall. From cozy home decor ideas that will transform your space into a warm haven to delectable recipes and cocktails that capture the essence of the season, we've got you covered. Join us as we explore the best leaf peeping spots, discover fall landscaping ideas, and embark on a journey of sensory delights that define the most picturesque time of the year.

 

Best Spots for Leaf Peeping:

Burlington, Vermont, is surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes that offer excellent leaf peeping opportunities during the fall season. Here are some leaf peeping spots near Burlington:

1. Mount Philo State Park: Located just a short drive from Burlington, Mount Philo offers a relatively easy hike to a summit with panoramic views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. The fall foliage from this vantage point is spectacular.

2. Camel's Hump State Park: A bit farther from Burlington but well worth the drive, Camel's Hump is one of Vermont's highest peaks. Hike the Burrows Trail to the summit for sweeping vistas of colorful foliage in the Green Mountains.
3. Shelburne Farms: This historic estate on Lake Champlain has miles of walking trails that wind through beautiful gardens and along the lakeshore. The fall foliage combined with lake views creates a picturesque setting.
4. Intervale Center: Located just outside of Burlington, the Intervale Center offers walking and biking trails that take you through meadows and wetlands with the Adirondack Mountains in the background. It's a great place to enjoy fall colors without venturing far from the city.
5. Ethan Allen Homestead: This historic site, the former home of American Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen, has walking trails along the Winooski River. It's a peaceful spot to appreciate fall foliage in a serene setting.
6. Bike Path along Lake Champlain: The Burlington Bike Path runs along the shores of Lake Champlain and provides a picturesque route for biking, walking, or running. During the fall, the path is lined with colorful trees, offering beautiful views of the lake and the Adirondacks.
7. Green Mountain Byway: Take a scenic drive along Vermont Route 100 through the Green Mountain Byway. This route will lead you through charming villages, covered bridges, and some of the state's most scenic fall landscapes.

Remember that the timing of peak fall foliage can vary from year to year, so it's a good idea to check with local sources or Vermont's tourism websites for updates on the best times to visit for leaf peeping in Burlington and the surrounding areas.

 

Fall Home Decor Trends:

image source: https://lonefox.com/

Here are some key trends to consider when decorating your home for fall in 2023:

1. Earth Tones and Warm Colors: Earthy hues like terracotta, ochre, olive green, and warm shades of brown dominate fall color palettes. These colors create a cozy and inviting atmosphere reminiscent of autumn foliage.
2. Sustainable and Natural Materials: Sustainability remains a significant focus in home decor. Look for furniture and decor items made from reclaimed wood, bamboo, rattan, and recycled materials. These choices reflect a commitment to environmental consciousness.
3. Botanical and Floral Prints: Floral patterns and botanical prints continue to flourish in 2023, evoking the beauty of nature indoors. Incorporate these patterns in upholstery, curtains, and throw pillows for a touch of organic elegance.
4. Vintage and Antique Accents: Nostalgia is in vogue, and incorporating vintage or antique decor pieces adds character and a sense of history to your space. Look for retro furniture, antique mirrors, or heirloom textiles.
5. Cozy Textures: Embrace the cooler weather with cozy textures like chunky knit throws, faux fur blankets, and plush velvet upholstery. These materials provide warmth and tactile comfort.
6. Candlelit Ambiance: Candles are a timeless fall decor element. Opt for scented candles in autumnal fragrances like cinnamon, apple, or pumpkin spice. Group them in clusters on trays or place them in lanterns for a warm, inviting glow.
7. Earthy Pottery and Ceramics: Handcrafted pottery and ceramics in natural, rustic textures add a touch of artisanal charm to your fall decor. Consider vases, bowls, and mugs in muted, earthy tones.
8. Layered Rugs: Layering rugs is a stylish way to create depth and warmth in your space. Pair a neutral jute or sisal rug with a patterned or colorful rug to add visual interest.
9. Harvest-Inspired Centerpieces: For dining tables and mantels, consider creating autumnal centerpieces with seasonal gourds, dried flowers, and branches. Incorporate elements like wheat sheaves or mini pumpkins for a charming touch.
10. Indoor Greenery: Houseplants and indoor gardens continue to be popular, providing a fresh and lively contrast to the changing outdoor landscape. Consider low-maintenance options like snake plants, pothos, or fiddle leaf figs.

Fall Backyard Landscaping Idea:

image source: https://kelleynan.com/fall-porch-decor/

As autumn paints the world in vibrant hues, it's the perfect time to transform your outdoor space into a cozy and inviting haven. Fall landscaping ideas can help you make the most of this enchanting season. Start by incorporating warm, earthy tones into your garden with the addition of mums, marigolds, and ornamental grasses, creating a rich tapestry of colors. To add a touch of whimsy, consider scattering hay bales, cornstalks, and pumpkins throughout your yard. Fire pits or outdoor fireplaces are ideal for extending outdoor gatherings into the crisp evenings, allowing you to toast marshmallows and savor the season's scents. Embrace the natural beauty of fallen leaves by creating a leaf pile for children to play in or using them as mulch to protect your plants during the winter months. By embracing these outdoor fall landscaping ideas, you'll not only enhance your home's curb appeal but also create a serene space to relish the magic of autumn.

Fall Recipe:

Rustic Pumpkin and Sage Risotto

As the leaves change and the air turns crisp, there's nothing quite like the comforting aroma of a hearty fall dish. This Rustic Pumpkin and Sage Risotto recipe is the epitome of autumn in a bowl.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, diced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4-5 cups vegetable or chicken broth, kept warm
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Sauté the Onions: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until they become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Toast the Rice: Add the Arborio rice to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously until the rice becomes slightly translucent around the edges.
3. Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the white wine and stir until it is mostly absorbed by the rice.
4. Add Pumpkin and Garlic: Stir in the diced pumpkin (or butternut squash) and minced garlic, allowing them to cook for a couple of minutes until they start to soften.
5. Begin Adding Broth: Start adding the warm broth, one ladle at a time, while stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to be mostly absorbed before adding more. Continue this process until the rice is creamy and cooked to your desired level of doneness. This should take about 18-20 minutes.
6. Incorporate Sage: About halfway through the cooking process, add half of the chopped sage leaves to infuse the risotto with their earthy flavor.
7. Season and Finish: Once the rice is cooked, remove it from heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and the remaining chopped sage leaves. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
8. Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the creamy pumpkin and sage risotto into bowls, garnishing with extra Parmesan cheese and sage leaves, if desired.

This rustic autumn-inspired dish is the perfect blend of creamy and savory, with the sweet notes of pumpkin and the earthy aroma of fresh sage. It's a comforting meal that captures the essence of fall and is sure to become a seasonal favorite at your dinner table.

Fall Cocktail:

Spiced Apple Cider Margarita

As the leaves turn and the air becomes crisp, there's no better way to embrace the flavors of fall than with a Spiced Apple Cider Margarita. This cocktail combines the warmth of apple cider with the zing of tequila and a hint of autumn spices for a delightful seasonal sip.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz silver tequila
• 4 oz fresh apple cider
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz Cointreau or triple sec
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Ice cubes
• Apple slices and cinnamon sticks for garnish
• Optional: Rimming salt (a mixture of coarse salt and cinnamon)

Instructions:

1. Rim the Glass (optional): If you'd like, rim the edge of a rocks glass with a mixture of coarse salt and cinnamon. To do this, wet the rim with a lime wedge and gently dip it into the salt-cinnamon blend.
2. Mix the Cocktail: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add the tequila, fresh apple cider, fresh lime juice, Cointreau (or triple sec), ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
3. Shake It Up: Secure the lid on the shaker and shake vigorously for about 15-20 seconds until the mixture is well chilled.
4. Strain and Serve: Strain the cocktail into the rimmed rocks glass filled with ice cubes.
5. Garnish: Garnish your Spiced Apple Cider Margarita with a slice of apple and a cinnamon stick. The apple slice can be placed on the rim for an extra touch of fall charm.
6. Enjoy: Sip and savor the delightful blend of apple cider, tequila, and warm spices. It's the perfect autumnal drink for cozy evenings by the fire or gatherings with friends and family.

This Spiced Apple Cider Margarita captures the essence of fall with its seasonal flavors and is sure to be a hit at any autumn gathering. Cheers to the beauty of the season!

With the cold Vermont winter behind us, sunny days are upon us with warm weather and flowers blooming. Spring is the perfect time to take part in the cleaning tasks inside and outside your home that you have been unable to do or simply just not wanting to do. Spring cleaning can make your home look fresh and new which can be very helpful if you are looking to sell your home. Even if you’re not looking to sell, it’s a wonderful way to start your Spring! Keep reading to learn about some easy Spring outdoor cleaning tasks that can really change the look of your home.

Start With a Good Wash

The first task you can do is give all external surfaces of your home a nice power wash. Power washing your deck, front porch, chimney and siding is a sure-fire way to make your home look fresh and clean especially if there is grim and build up that has accumulated over the years. When it comes to the sides of your home this is an easy way to brighten up, you’re siding without having to give it a new paint job which can become rather expensive and time consuming. Get your power washing done in the spring so that your home looks fresh and clean during the entire duration of the summer for you to enjoy!

Update Those Flower Beds

Over the winter your flower beds and bushes can take a beating and get filled with a lot of trash and debris. Make sure this Spring that you give you flower beds a little TLC. A new layer of mulch, trimming your bushes and planting some new bright flowers can really make your home look more welcoming for both you and your guests. This might sound simplistic but it is probably the best way to personalize your home while at the same time making it a more welcoming environment.

Don’t forget the Backyard

Especially if you are looking to sell your home, don’t forget the importance of a well decorated and maintained backyard. If you keep your outdoor furniture out during the winter it can get very dirty so while you have that power washer out don’t forget to give your outdoor furniture a good hose down. If it seems to be dingy and needing an update see if it is within your budget to get a few new pieces of furniture. Not only will the “clean look” appeal to potential buyer if you’re looking to sell, but for your own person usage, it will make your space feel more welcoming and relaxing. Don’t forget to bring that flower bed maintenance to the back as well, clean up the mulch with a fresh layer, plant some beautiful flowers, give your shrubs a little trim and maybe get some cute lawn decorations that please you. With COVID and having to be in lockdown people have grown fonder of this outdoor space, so make it your own!

2021 was an all time record-breaking year for the housing market in the United States. Along with that, it was a sellers market, and not much is expected to change for this year (2022). While the housing market is at an all time high, mortgage rates are at an all time low, leaving home buyers wanting to take advantage of this opportunity. Whether or not you’re a seasoned home seller or selling a home for the first time, here are step-by-step instructions to help you sell your home and make it stand out. 

Make Repairs & Small Updates:

Making small repairs and updates to your home before you show it is an easy way to please potential buyers, along with attract them to your home. This is a sure way to assure your home's value along with adding to the overall value of your home. 

Understand the market's current trends

There are some home design trends that really made their headway this past year such as a new kitchen, quartz countertops, an office and recessed lighting, these were the top 4 most valuable home trends for buyers in the past year. The pandemic really impacted our lives in many ways but it definitely changed the wants of buyers all around the United States. The reason being more people spending long periods of time in their homes, and wanting their home to be able to completely accommodate their wants and needs. While many of us were isolated in our homes during this time, many picked up new hobbies and activities such as baking, making the want of a new updated kitchen and beautiful quartz countertops so high up on that list of desired trends for buyers. 

Needless to say, many jobs also went remote and stayed that way making the need for a home office space less of a trend and more of a necessary space in peoples homes. If you're trying to sell your home and you have a small room that could be converted to and staged as an office do so, before listing and showing your home. If your home doesn’t have a room that can easily be transformed into an office space, even an extra area beneath a staircase can easily be designed into an office space with a small desk, a chair and a few decorations. 

The great outdoors

Another way the pandemic has changed the needs of home buyers is their desire to have a nice welcoming outdoor space. Again, with many of us not being able to leave our homes due to the pandemic many of us got used to enjoying the outdoor accommodations of our homes and grew to value them more during this time. Home buyers now are prioritizing their outdoor spaces, so make sure to spruce these areas up a little bit before listing your home. You can make your home stand out by simply mowing your lawn, power washing the deck and the external siding of your home, trimming your hedges, planting some flowers and maybe even putting some fresh mulch in your flowerbeds. If you don’t have the time to do these things, consider hiring a landscaping company. 

Let there be light!

A poorly lit home can really damage the entire feel of your home. A dark home automatically appear smaller, dirty and more cramped even when the home might be very spacious and welcoming. There are plenty of quick and easy ways to brighten your home without hurting your wallet. Try changing out all old light bulbs with the new LED light bulbs (these also use less electricity, therefore save you money and helping the environment), add mirrors to reflect natural light within the home, paint any dark walls white or a nice neutral color, and add additional light sources such a fun lamps and recessed lights which we just learned is another desired trend of the year.

Get Rid of That Clutter:

This is probably the biggest importance when prepping your home to be sold. A cluttered home can be very unwelcoming and can also immediately deter potential buyers into even considering your home for purchase. If you're asking what do you do with your belongings so that you can declutter, renting a small storage unit for a few months has grown increasingly popular for this purpose. This way, you have already gotten some of the moving process out of the way as well prior to selling your home. Another thing you can do if you decide that you actually don’t need the additional items, is donate them that way you are also helping a family that might not be able to afford furniture for their home on their own. It’s important to declutter your home for many reasons, to much clutter leads to making your spaces look smaller along  with making it more difficult for potential buyers to envision their belongings within specific living spaces in your home. Along with subtracting any unnecessary clutter, it's a good idea to get rid of any personal and family photos you have placed throughout your home. When people see personal photos it makes it even harder for potential buyers to remove the idea that they are walking through a family's house as opposed to their prospective home.

Home Staging Tips:

• Deep clean your home: Nothing is more of a deterrent to buyers than an unwelcoming dirty home. Make sure before any photos are taken of your home or any showing take place that your home has a fresh cleaning done to it. Vacuum, dust, clean windows, scrub countertops and bathroom spaces.

• Add refreshing aspects: Adding white towels to the bathrooms, flowers around the house and lighting a few scented candles can really create a welcoming and fresh feeling to your home. 

• Arrange furniture: An easy way to revamp your home to be on the market is by simply moving furniture around. Move unnecessary and bulky furniture out of your home and just keep the essentials. If you have too much furniture in your home, it makes the rooms look smaller and adds to that cluttered feeling.

• Highlight those floors: A home's floors are a key feature to any home and are one of the main things a home buyer looks at and considers when looking for their new home. Hardwood floors are a big turn-on for a lot of potential buyers in today's market, make sure if you have hardwood floors to show them off! Remove any area rugs off the floors along with any large furniture that is unnecessary so people can get a view of the hardwood. If you want to take this extra step, polish your floors before showing days to really make those floors pop! 

• Organize closets: People very often look into closets to see how much space there is in there, and if it will fit all of their clothing and other belongings. If your closet is messy this will make your closet look smaller and frankly will immediately make them shut the door and look away. Lack of closet space can very well deter a buyer into placing an offer. 

Pack Up The Furry Family Members

For the peace of mind of your pets, Real Estate agents and potential buyers it's best that you bring your furry friends to a different location during showing times. A lot of people in and out of your home can stress a cat or dog out, you also don't want your agent to have to worry about accidentally letting an animal out and having to be liable for that. If you have a dog and lock them away in a crate or room, more often than not the dog will bark and no one wants to hear the ear piercing sound of a dog's bark when trying to view a home. It’s best for the safety and well being of your fur babies and everyone else involved, to bring your pets to a different location. 

Play Some Relaxing Music

Last but not least play some toons for the views to enjoy. Make sure it's something relaxing, calming and upbeat music. This is a simple touch but it can really make your home stand out along with adding a relaxing and tranquil feel to your home. If you have a unique system to play your music off of even better, bring out a record player to be a quaint visual, along with providing a unique sound to your home.