Five Home Decor Trends from the Country Living Fair

Hey, y'all!  I'm back today with a fun inspiration post after a very busy week last week where I had zero time for blogging.  (It was the end of the nine weeks at school. #teacherprobs)  I was able to rest this weekend and have lots of fun when I visited my bloggy bestie Kirsten (Sweet Tea & Saving Grace), and we travelled to the Country Living Fair at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, GA.  We ate some really great food and looked at lots of pretties at the fair.  Today I want to share with y'all some home decor trends that I spotted at the Fair.

Trend Number One: Feathers

Just like last year, I saw many displays featuring feathers.  This is just one example from the Dilley Brand booth (their booth is always one of my favorites), but I saw feathers on display in many other booths.

Trend Number Two: Natural Elements

Other natural elements were popular as well, like this fun little vignette featuring a bird's nest, moss, and a bird print.  I saw lots of displays with fall leaves and even cotton stems.  I was really inspired by the cotton stems, and I'm trying to think of a way to incorporate them into my own decor.

Not only were actual pieces of natural decor at the far, but artistic renderings of these natural elements were prominent as well.  I just loved the art from Mary Gregory Studio!  The pieces were affordable and so pretty.

Trend Number Three: Vintage Items Used in Unexpected Ways

Another fun trend I spotted was the mixing of unexpected vintage items in with regular decor.  This table setting from South Porch Antiques is fabulous and perfectly exhibits this trend.  I love the book page placemat paired with the "fancy" dishes.  (And, of course, the vintage glass bottles in the middle of the table were each filled with a feather!)

I also spotted this cool art made from vintage water spigot handles.  I never would have thought of using the vintage handles in this way!  This art makes me want to take another look at items I have at home to see if I could give them a totally different purpose.

Trend Number Four: Quirky Mixed with Traditional

One of my favorite trends at the Fair is perfectly exhibited in the photo above.  Sometimes traditional decor pieces can come across a little too "stuffy," so adding little quirky pieces to those traditional decor items can take the serious-factor down a little to a more comfortable, everyday level.

Trend Number Five: Taxidermy

I'm sure that this last trend is something that some people will find hard to get on board with, but I saw lots of taxidermy, mainly stuffed deer.  I did see a ferret (or maybe a weasel?) and even a small pheasant too.  I can't say that I really like those last two, but the deer were fun because many of them were wearing accessories like a hat or a tinsel garland like the fancy fellow above.  If you can't go full-blown taxidermy in your decor, you could always take the less "stuffed" approach by simply adding antlers to your decor.  I actually found some antlers at my local Habitat Restore, and I want to use them in my Christmas decor.
So there you have it: five trends from the Fair that I think we can all use in our home decor.  If you don't like all of the trends, you can pick and choose which ones fit your personal style, but don't be a afraid to take a chance with your decor.  You might just surprise yourself, and that one thing you take a chance with may become your favorite piece of decor in your home.

Now I have to ask: what's your favorite trend from the ones I mentioned above?