Looking for simple tips for fall dining room decorating? Here are some of my favorite fall ideas (and the cutest new rug.
// medallion rug // blue and white pillow // blue and white curtains //
Have you ever wondered what are the best questions to ask to get to know someone?
You know.
When you are at a party and you don’t know anyone and you are on your fourth glass of punch and you are looking around desperately for conversation. But you’re not sure how to start one? You gulp and sigh and wish you had a question to ask?
I wanted a few questions, too. So I read this article from a website called Conversation Starter about the top 200 questions to ask to get to know someone.
Aren’t you curious about what they are?
Oh, good.
Me, too.
Here are five of the 200 (in no particular order).
1. What is your claim to fame?
2. Where would you rather be from?
3. What’s the best book or series that you’ve ever read?
4. What could you give a 40-minute talk on without any preparation?
and my personal favorite:
5. What do you hope never changes?
Do you think those questions would work?
How did they determine these would get people talking?
Did they telephone survey?
Did they take a poll online?
Did they ask 1000 inquiring minds?
Let’s test the theory. I’ll answer the five questions in this post and you answer one of the questions in the comments.
And then?
We’ll see if we get to know each other better.
Okay.
Here goes.
1. What is your claim to fame?
I know that I write this blog and a few books and try to decorate my house for fall with pumpkins and artichokes.
But that’s not really my claim to fame.
Not even close.
Around here? My claim to fame is that I’m Whitney and Westleigh’s mom.
Sometimes I get stopped in the Walmart produce aisle by someone I don’t know and I get all excited because I think it’s a reader who’s read one of my books or the blog or follows me on social media.
Nope.
Sigh.
It’s just someone who knows the twins and asks me if I’m their mom.
And have I ever cooked spaghetti squash?
// medallion rug // blue and white pillow //blue and white curtains //
// medallion rug //
2. Where would you rather be from?
I wish I was from England.
Cornwall to be exact.
I wish I lived where Poldark lived and knew how to ride horses and climb cliffs and swim in the ocean out to rowboats and talk with the most amazing accent.
And I wish my hair would blow in the English wind.
// blue and white pillow //
// medallion rug //
3. What’s the best book or series that you’ve ever read?
That’s a hard one.
I had to divide it up into fiction and non-fiction.
(total aside: if you were at the party and I led with that potentially long answer—would you tell me that you had to go get a carrot stick?)
Fiction (I had to put this one here because it reminds me SO MUCH of my father): Texas by James Michener
I love this book because my father loved it and made the story come alive for me.
Non-fiction: The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
This book seriously changed my life. It helped me understand my mother and my husband and my kids and random people throughout my life.
// medallion rug // blue and white pillow // blue and white curtains //
4. What could you give a 40-minute talk on without any preparation?
Umm.
I have a few.
Blogging.
And more blogging.
And how to take pictures of dining rooms.
And how to shop the side of the road and find sticks and make them into this.
And how to apply red lipstick without a mirror.
// medallion rug // blue and white pillow // blue and white curtains //
and last but definitely not least:
5. What do you hope never changes?
I hope I never lose the sense of wonder at all the little things.
Truly.
My grandmother lived until she was 94 and I can remember driving with her in the car as she would exclaim with joy over the smallest things that so many people might overlook. She’d talk about the clouds in the sky and the leaves turning color and the flowers that just started to bloom.
And so I try to be all about the little things, too.
Like the first day of crisp, cool fall weather.
Or the texture of a pumpkin against the antique wood of a rescued table.
Or the textured walls painted a brilliant navy.
Or the brilliant patterns and colors in a rug.
And the tiny polka dots on a button.
And the brilliance of a bird of paradise tucked into a flower arrangement.
And the world turning and changing and spinning from one incredible, glorious season to the next.
There’s so much wonder in every moment.
If you simply look.
// medallion rug // blue and white pillow // blue and white curtains //
I know I only said five “get to know you” questions.
But you might have one more.
Did I get a new rug for the dining room?
YES.
YES, I DID.
It’s one of the new rugs from my sweet friend Sara from Simply Southern Cottage’s new rug line. Isn’t it beautiful? I wish you could see it in real life. Seriously. It’s AMAZING. It has so much depth of color and pattern with blues and yellows and greens and creams and it’s so thick and plush.
You can see her entire line here.
And you can see the rug I have here.
And to celebrate the launch, there’s a coupon right now for an extra $23.37 off the price.
Here are a few more sources for the room:
- this blue and white embroidered pillow
- blue and white striped chairs (similar because mine are sold out)
- blue and white curtains
- fall ficus trees
- fall ficus branches (similar)
- dining room chairs
- dining room table (it comes with the leaf)
- wireless brass picture lights
- white lamps
I love a good conversation and I love questions, too. I mean, I wonder why the earth is round and why kangaroos have pockets and where do all the extra socks go to and will there be another Downton Abbey sequel?
And now, I’d love to hear a little bit more about you.
Wait.
Hold on a second.
Let me get another cup of coffee, first.
Okay. Let’s go.
disclosure: affiliate links are used in this post
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