Late Summer Vignette with Charming Thrifted Box Decor

Welcome to the Blog today, Friends.

It’s August—and can you believe there’s only one month left until September breezes in with cooler weather and all things Fall? While some bloggers are already diving into pumpkins and plaid, I’m just not quite there yet. Today, I thought I’d stay in the summer spirit a little longer and share a simple vignette that blends those late-summer colors we all love with a few of my favorite thrift store treasures.

Tell me—do you love using boxes in your home decor? My hand is definitely raised! Whether it’s wine boxes, shaker boxes, leather, or classic wooden ones, they’re such versatile and charming pieces to decorate with. Every now and then, you stumble upon a box that’s not just a container, but a conversation starter.

Enter: this beautifully crafted Winchester ammunition box. It’s made from solid wood with a lovely warm tone and even comes with a removable wooden tray (you’ll see it making a cameo later in the post). It’s got some serious presence and fits perfectly on top of an end table, anchoring the whole display.

Behind the box, hung on the wall, is a watercolor I found recently—and instantly fell in love with. The colors are rich and moody, and the scene feels like a quiet story unfolding: birds in the foreground and a ranch nestled beneath dramatic mountain peaks. Best part? It was just a few dollars! The tones in the painting play beautifully with the wood of the box, and together they create such a cozy harmony.

Inside the box, I tucked a simple glass jar wrapped in a colorful napkin—something bright and cheerful to echo the warmth of late summer. It’s ready to be filled with greens and grasses, a little reminder that there’s still beauty to be gathered before the seasons shift.

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I started gathering a few natural elements to tuck into the jar—some eucalyptus stems, dried grasses, and a touch of cotton for texture. In this arrangement I’m using faux stems for longevity.  It took a little time (and a lot of stepping back and squinting!) to get the arrangement just right—not too full, not too sparse. I wanted it to feel effortless, like you’d just gathered a few things on a walk outside and popped them into a jar. The soft greens and neutral tones add that perfect end-of-summer calm to the whole scene.

Next, I angled the wooden tray along the edges of the box, just beside the jar arrangement. It added a bit of dimension and brought the eye across the vignette. To echo the warmth of the napkin and pull in some of the golden tones from the painting, I tucked a few cheerful sunflowers into the tray. Their bright faces seemed to smile right back at the room. Altogether, this little scene feels like a quiet celebration—the closing notes of summer blending gently into the first hints of fall. It’s that sweet in-between moment where one season begins to hand things over to the next.

Once everything was in place, I stood back to take it all in—and realized I wanted more of the painting to show. So, like any determined decorator, I shifted the whole setup—table and all—just enough to reveal more of that lovely artwork in the background. If you’re anything like me, these little vignettes almost never come together in one go. There’s always a bit of shifting, adjusting, and stepping back to tweak until it finally feels right. But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?

Here you can see the bird peeking through the branches of the arrangement.

Here, you’re a little further away from the display, and you can just spot an antique milk bottle box peeking out from below the table. It’s one of those quiet little touches that adds history and charm without stealing the spotlight. I love when a vignette offers layers—something new to notice each time you look.

There’s also another piece of art on the wall that quietly echoes the colors in the arrangement. The soft blues, gentle grays, and creamy whites play so well with the natural elements in the jar and complement the wood tones beautifully. It’s a woodcut by Kurt Ambler—simple, textured, and full of character. Together, the pieces create a layered visual story, where each element supports the next without overpowering the scene.

Here’s a close-up of the wood block. It’s one of my favorite pieces.

The third piece hanging above the vignette is a set of three handmade tiles we brought back from a trip to Italy. They seem to dance across the wall, full of movement and charm, pulling in the soft colors from both the vignette and the paintings just below. It all comes together—favorite thrifted finds, colors I return to again and again, and pieces that carry special memories. This little scene in the hallway feels like a quiet celebration of the shifting seasons, blending the warmth of summer with a nod toward the cozy days to come.

Thanks so much for joining me today and spending a little time with this seasonal vignette. It’s always amazing to see how much inspiration can come from something as simple as a thrifted box. With just a few well-loved pieces, a dash of color, and a touch of imagination, the possibilities are endless.