Why Decorate Just Once?

Written by Marissa Moldoch

Photographed by Kaitlyn McLallen

See how this military wife styles her home in a few simple, yet statement-making, ways for fall.

Like the rest of us, Kaitlyn McLallen loves to style her home for fall. There’s just one difference: Kaitlyn’s home is on a military base.

“My husband, Jake, has been in the Air Force for nine years, and he’s planning on staying in it as a career—around 20 years,” she says.

**JUST BREW IT.** Witch hats and tombstones give Kaitlyn’s coffee bar an eerie effect—but that won’t stop her from getting her morning brew. In fact, nothing could scare her away from the hot beverage, because it reminds her of a special memory: “My husband and I got married in a coffee shop called Just Brew It in Altus, Oklahoma,” she shares.

**A GOOD ‘PICK.’** Most of Kaitlyn’s baskets and candlesticks came from Picks, a local store in Grand Forks, North Dakota. “I love finding unique pieces at thrift and local stores,” she says. “They add a lot of character to our home.”

Although it might be difficult to imagine what life looks like on a military base, Kaitlyn says it isn’t much different than what we’re used to seeing in the civilian world.

“Except for the extra security, life on a military base is very similar to living in a subdivision. There are mostly quiet neighborhoods, but you do see more moving trucks than you might in a ‘normal’ neighborhood.”

**A DIY DUO.** Kaitlyn says the living room is the favorite part of her home. “It’s where I spend the most time with my family and where I pause and enjoy my home the most.” She and Jake put significant effort into revamping the furniture in this space. “The TV stand was a dresser we found at Goodwill, and we repurposed and refinished it,” she explains. They also refinished the coffee table, and Jake built the ladder shelves next to the TV.

Kaitlyn is no stranger to the moving process—she and Jake have changed bases four times throughout his years in the service.

“We’ve lived in Oklahoma, Washington state and North Dakota, with a move to Ohio up next,” she shares.

**CELEBRATE THE SEASON.** When it’s time for Kaitlyn to style her spaces, she puts a certain method into practice. “I always take a day, make a cup of coffee, put on “Gilmore Girls,” get my storage bags out and decorate!” she says. “I usually rearrange my décor two or three times before I’m happy with the final look.”

**PRETTY PARCHMENT.** This pumpkin patch scroll adds rustic flair to Kaitlyn’s reading corner. By layering it over the old window, she makes the décor look even more charming.

Each time they move, Kaitlyn looks forward to decorating their new home.

“I find so much of my inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, magazines and in local stores,” she explains. “I’ve always been drawn to local coffee shops and bookstores, which is why I wanted to add my own coffee station and a reading nook.”

A Devoted Decorator

Kaitlyn discovered her passion for decorating early in life.

“I’ve always loved to decorate. When I was little, my mom would encourage me to help her decorate, and I would rearrange the furniture in my bedroom probably five times a year,” she says.

**FANG-TASTIC.** Kaitlyn gave her reading corner a spine-tingling ambiance by making a few changes to her fall décor. “I imagine my spaces and what I have for decor and style it in my head,” she points out.

When fall rolls around, Kaitlyn takes her creativity to the next level by decorating the same areas in a few different ways.

“I decorate for fall in September and November, and I decorate for Halloween during October. I realize this is a lot of decorating and rearranging for most, but this is my favorite time of the year for styling. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays!” she exclaims.

**GHOULISH DESIGN.** To give her bedroom a Halloween makeover, Kaitlyn traded her plaid for more pumpkins and sent bats flying across the wall. She says her affinity for spooky décor is nothing new. “As a kid, I would make trash bag ghosts to hang in the trees. I’d also stuff old clothes with leaves, place a pumpkin for the head and sit these little ‘leaf people’ outside in seats by the door. Now, I use that same creativity to style my home,” she says.

When Kaitlyn isn’t busy decorating or working as a dental hygienist, she likes to spend time with Remington, her sweet, 6-year-old German shorthaired pointer.

**PRECIOUS PUP.** When she’s not snuggling with Kaitlyn and Jake, Remington loves to sunbathe, go for walks, take naps … and eat plenty of treats, of course.

“Her name is Remington, but we call her ‘Remi’ or ‘Remi Lou.’ We got her right around the time we got engaged, so she’s been part of all our big moments in life so far. She does a lot of hunting with my husband, so you could say fall is her favorite time of the year too.”

Framed for Fashion

A Boho Twist

If your tastes have changed over the years, your furnishings might not reflect your current style. Kaitlyn McLallen can relate. Learn how she transformed her home’s ambiance by incorporating boho elements into her décor.

“In our first home together, my style was ‘farmhouse,’ and everything was neutral. However, after a while, I really found myself missing having color in my home,” Kaitlyn shares.

To solve this problem, she added textures, patterns and vibrant shades to her home, giving it a “boho farmhouse” vibe. For a unique touch, she hung an array of baskets on the walls near her reading corner and coffee bar.

“Some of my baskets are hung up by nails,” she says. “For others, I hot-glued some string on the backs of the baskets and hung them on a Command strip.”

Although her style might change, Kaitlyn’s objective always stays the same: “My goal is to have my home feel welcoming, cozy and cheerful.”

To see more of Kaitlyn’s charming home visit @kaitsnest on Instagram.