The Best Reason To Travel In The Fall

At the first sign of fall, whether it’s a chill in the air or leaf on the ground, I plan a trip to see the changing leaves. Fall is a season that celebrates color, and it influences me every year. Color is integral to my work, and like no other, this is a season that inspires so much creativity.

A Designer’s Muse

All creatives benefit from a muse, a source of inspiration, and for me, it’s Autumn. Images of fall trees or, better yet, walks through the woods this time of year, provide ample fuel to my design process.

As a designer, I think in patterns and color pallets from which I draw my ideas, and in the fall, I get major inspiration to think in new ways about using color. I always find myself surprised by color combinations that appear on the branches or underfoot once the leaves have fallen.

Color, Color, Everywhere

So, this time of year, I head outdoors for short walks in the neighborhood or to savor a glass of wine on the patio. When it’s possible, I’ll immerse myself more fully in the season and take a trip. From a bed- and-breakfast tucked away among the trees to visiting an apple orchard or a taking a road trip to nearby state forest, there are many places to go and be outdoors to see the changing colors. Then, I open my mind to all the possibilities.

Wherever I see fall leaves, my mind instantly starts to envision everything in warmer tones. On the leaves, I see brilliant hues of orange, red, and yellow, and my designer’s brain begins translating them into colors reminiscent of spicy mixes like ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric or fruit bowls of lemon, apricot, and pomegranate. The changing trees change my perspective.

Nature’s Mosaic Pallet

It’s always a wonder to me that Nature provides all the colors available to us. In the fall, I’m amazed to see all the variations of red from vermillion to ruby and rust. I can’t help but begin to organize them into patterns, and soon I have a multitude of ideas about mixing colors, staying monotone, or playing with lights and darks.

The trees’ colors form a mosaic of colors that push me outside the bounds of my usual thinking. Orange next to chartreuse? It works! My design process finds new breath with these odd color combos that I wouldn’t ordinarily think of pairing: I’m inspired to pair shades of red with bronze like a tree at different stages of turning, or add chartreuse against orange the way one tree will stay green while an adjacent tree turns color. In the fall, Nature provides a new way to look at color, and I’m taking notes.

When You Can’t Get Away

It’s not always possible to head for a fall vacation get-away, but that doesn’t mean I miss out on the fall color. With the internet, it’s easy to search images and immerse myself into others’ pictures of the season, capturing the colors remotely. Whether it’s a virtual journey or a real sojourn into Nature, I look forward to every fall and the chance to spark my creativity with all the color and patterns it offers.