I feel fortunate to have grown up in several states with four distinct seasons. As a local and business owner in Houston, Texas, those seasonal changes are not always as precise. Fall was always my favorite time of year and I distinctly remember how the overnight the temperatures would drop. Once we sensed the crispness in the air, we knew that autumn had arrived. As a child, I loved pressing leaves in between sheets of wax paper, seeing pumpkins in the fields – all the fall things. I admit I still miss it even though I’ve lived in Houston a long time.
Autumn in New York
This year I was really lucky to experience the glory of autumn several times. My first opportunity was courtesy of Steinway Houston.
My friend Amanda invited several designers to visit the Steinway Factory in Queens, NY. I knew it would be interesting but I had no idea how fascinating it would truly be. From the perfect fall weather to the fact that Steinway revolutionized the instrument by inventing the curved structure rather than a boxy upright. We saw all of the processes involved in creating these works of art and learned about how Steinway created its own community in the mid 1800’s when it was a neighborhood in itself. The fact that it was perfect NYC fall weather and the next day I got to visit the Noguchi Museum and the Queens Botanical Garden made the trip a delight.
Noguchi Museum
Fall in North Carolina
Next up was High Point, North Carolina. I always enjoy attending the furniture market and not the least for which is that North Carolina is beautiful in the fall. That part of the country really knows how to celebrate the harvest and they welcome us with fall foliage, seasonal beverages, cozy comfort foods and lots of hospitality. I enjoyed seeing what’s coming up and what’s still going strong in design trends and influences. There were lots of autumnal influences in the furnishings that I saw with warmly textured upholstery, lots of fall hues and natural materials that felt very welcoming and enduring. I always take a few days off to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousin who live not far from Asheville.
This year was sobering with many trees down and a lot of debris in certain communities due to the recent devastation of Hurricane Helene. However, none of their areas were nearly as hard hit as Asheville. Seeing the devastation of many of the places I had visited with my aunt over the last few years was heartbreaking.
Experiencing Seasons Overseas
Prague
The icing on the autumnal cake was that Jon had booked a river cruise for us for November! We added on an excursion to travel to Prague, a city that had been on my bucket list for years. We spent three days there. We did walking tours, foodie tours and even a moody photo shoot with the talented Sarka Parkes. Our hotel was across the street from the Mucha Museum which thrilled me. I have loved this Art Nouveau artist since high school and it was a delight to tour a museum dedicated to his talent.
I had hoped there would still be some leaves and despite the very cold temps, we got lucky. Autumn leaves were everywhere, bathing the city with red, orange and golden hues which looked beautiful with the red tile roofs of Prague.
Germany & Austria
We boarded the ship on the Danube River in Regensberg, Germany and enjoyed charming villages on the way to Austria. A lovely feature of a river cruise is that you often dock near a small town and just step right off the dock into a village scene. Germany is so pretty with its neat as a pin little farms and fields. The country is clean and orderly and I found it to be very charming.
When we passed into Austria, the Wachau Valley wowed me not only for its wines but also for the beautiful Goettweig Abbey. We visited a hall inside the complex where they had painted canvas panels that were gilded and applied to the walls. The guide called them tapestries but they were really a wall covering like wallpaper that covered nearly all the walls. While those rooms were very ornate and there was a magnificent ceiling, other areas were austerely lovely with simple décor and beautiful views. Leaves were still turning everywhere so the countries were aglow with fall color.
Other Austrian highlights included visiting Salzburg where most of the conversation centers on Mozart during our day trip. The famous Mozart chocolate bonbons, filled with marzipan and pistachios were a treat. We also had a luncheon featuring music from The Sound of Music, of course and the creamiest and most delicious polenta we had ever eaten. That was a surprise because polenta is an Italian specialty.
Slovakia
Since we docked for several days in Vienna, we decided to spend a full day exploring a whole new country for us – Slovakia. It was fascinating seeing the changes from Austria to Slovakia. Since Slovakia had been behind the iron curtain and undergone many changes during the two world wars, it had lots of 70’s and 80’s Soviet era buildings. These huge gray apartments with tiny windows and little color were clearly not as beautiful as the medieval or Baroque styles we had been used to seeing. Happily, the downtown area has been restored to its original splendor and it was very charming and pretty. I was interested to see a building that was being renovated. You can see the two sides of the project and even some remaining war damage.
It was definitely a grittier part of the world than the pristine nations we had been visiting but it was wonderful to see that they were able to restore and preserve the old city and the castle at the top of the hill. Even with its grit, it was considerably cleaner than Houston. I am continuously dismayed and shocked to see the amount of trash in our streets and along our freeways every time I return home.
Budapest
We finished the trip in the magnificent city of Budapest. I think it was probably the loveliest city of our entire voyage. Budapest is elegant and stately. Arriving on the Danube and docking in town gives beautiful panoramic views of the bridges, buildings and castle from every direction.
After my December trip to the Christmas markets in Switzerland and France during my trip last year, I was delighted to see that a few in Austria and Hungary were starting early. I actually found the Hungarian markets to be excellent. They had a lot of local vendors and artisans and fewer mass-produced holiday items. The Great Market in Budapest was also amazing. Such a fun place to buy souvenirs and, of course, lots of paprika and nesting dolls. I actually rather love the more traditional dolls and I have a small collection that I’ve bought or been gifted over many years.
The Perfect Blend of Autumn and Design
Glorious European history, art and architecture are huge inspirations for me. And, of course, the beautiful colors of fall as well. Until next time, find your inspiration or call us and we’ll help you discover it,
-Pamela
MEET PAMELA, A LUXURY INTERIOR DESIGNER IN HOUSTON
Pamela O’Brien is the founder of Pamela Hope Designs in Houston, Texas. Pamela is an award-winning luxury interior designer, writer, and speaker. Prior to founding Pamela Hope Designs, Pamela served as a spokesperson in media and public affairs, working with media outlets like Dateline NBC and 48 Hours. This experience allowed her to travel the world and furthered her love for travel, culture, and interior design. After going back to school to pursue interior design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Pamela launched her own interior design firm. Pamela is known for building strong relationships with her clients, who later become friends and collaborators. She is highly influential in the Houston interior design space and shows no signs of slowing down.
