Posted by Susan Condon, Newhouse News Service, October 12, 2008 12:00 AM
Categories: Home

www.zgallerie.com. Your home will be thrice wiser decorated with a flock of these soft white owls.

Your home will be thrice wiser decorated with a flock of these soft white owls.

When it gets cold out, most people reach for the warm woollies. Then there's the other segment of the population. They barely notice the cold as they eagerly prepare for fall decorating.

Candleholders. Place mats. Wind chimes. Tablecloths. Doormats. Even soap dispensers. All of these items -- and more -- are usually emblazoned with maple leaves in full autumnal glory.

But this year, owls are raking in the big bucks of fall splurges.

"Now is also the perfect time to add a little whimsy. Acorn, leaf and owl patterns are big this season on everything from artwork and tapestries to decorative flags, table runners, and couch pillows," said Pamela Bayer of Pamela Bayer Interiors in Hudson, Ohio.

"At market, in New York, owls were everywhere," agrees Sharon Garofolo, manager at Hedges in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. "We are getting lots and lots of things with owls. And the good thing is that some can be used for Halloween, too."

The good news is that sprucing up for fall doesn't mean having to replace existing home furnishings.

"In a lot of cases, you can just add punches of autumn around existing accessories, much like you would when decorating for the winter holidays," she said.

Bayer suggested retailers like Pottery Barn for affordable seasonal items that can be displayed and stored for more than one rotation.

Now, find that sweater and go shopping. Whoooo knew it would be this fun?