Britt is a stargazer and sunrise-chaser with a collection of magic erasers, and a fascination with the fantastic. A storyteller at heart, she finds inspiration in all the small things, and can likely be found singing show tunes, catching up on K-dramas, or going on adventures to satiate her natural-born wanderlust. (Sometimes even all at the same time.)
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When it’s time to welcome a new season, there’s no better way to transition your home than with a few key pieces of new decor. Before you panic thinking we’re suggesting you break the bank on a complete furniture makeover or spend your weekends painting a moody shade onto your walls (though you can absolutely do so if you want!), hear us out. Rather than spend big bucks on changes you may tire of in a few months, you can up the cozy factor of your space by incorporating finishes and decor that lean into the warm, welcoming vibe of the season. And when it comes to fall decor, no one does it better than West Elm.
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From nubby textiles and handmade accessories to plush bedding, the mid-century modern-inspired retailer has it all this fall, making it basically a one-stop shop for harnessing all iterations of the perfect cozy season vibes. So whether your style skews more “weekend in the Hudson Valley” or “weekend in Stars Hallow,” you’re sure to find something to suit your style below.
Kristen is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer and homebody. She specializes in home and lifestyle content, and loves helping others live their best lives at home and beyond. Romanticizing her life since 1987, you can probably find her sipping on iced coffee, crushing a Crossfit workout, designing her next dream space, or blasting Taylor Swift.
Jennifer Prince’s work is featured on several national travel sites, such as Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, AFAR, Lonely Planet, and Conde Nast Traveler. She thrives on off-the-beaten-path itineraries and is passionate about finding microstories to bring destinations to life. Jennifer currently lives in Virginia with her husband, and other than travel and writing, she enjoys ’80s music, vintage things, fostering kittens, time with her family, and dreaming about her next Airbnb venture.
My wife and I will be buying a house somewhere in the near future. Whenever she asks me what kind of neighborhood I want to live in, I just say, “One within walking distance of a coffee shop.” That’s my only criteria, because that’s how much I love coffee. Right now we live in an apartment in a busier part of the city, so most of my coffee is to-go, and grabbed on foot. Which is where this DIY leather coffee sleeve come into play… 
For now, I don’t live in a house within walking distance of a coffee shop. I live in an apartment within walking distance of like 20 coffee shops. It’s a caffeine-lovers dream, really. I don’t know if you can call “grabbing coffee” a hobby, but if you could, I’d be the most skilled at that hobby. Even though I get a lot of coffee, I don’t always remember to grab a reusable cup prior to a coffee run. A coffee sleeve, though, is small enough to keep in my coat pocket. It helps cut down on a little bit of waste, plus it’s cute and let’s everyone know that I am definitely not drinking tea.
Because I live in an apartment and not a house, there’s not a lot of heavy duty crafting happening at my place. Tools are loud, and the walls in my building are thin. I had never even considered doing any mechanical etching, sanding, etc. before I got my hands on the tool I used to etch this leather coffee sleeve. You guys – it’s so quiet. And it’s small, so it’s not intimidating at all. The Dremel® Stylo+? 10/10, would etch again. Keep reading to see how I made a reusable coffee cup sleeve to keep my hands cool and my drink hot.
Print out the Leather Coffee Sleeve template, cut out the template, and trace the shape of the cup sleeve onto to the back of a piece of scrap leather.
Use a sharp utility knife (or a sharp pair of scissors) and cut out the shape of the sleeve.
Line the template back up with the cut piece of leather, both the leather and the template facing right side up. Trace over the lettering lightly with a pencil. This will leave an indentation in the leather.
Affix the leather to your work surface (using clamps or tape, just so it doesn’t move while you’re trying to work on it), and throw on a pair of safety goggles. Following the indention, etch over the design using the Dremel® Stylo+ tool.
While this tool is small, take the same precautions as you would with a larger power tool (because while it’s small, it’s still powerful!). When switching out the accessories, make sure to unplug the Dremel® tool. And always wear some type of protective eyewear. Safety first!
Lay the leather on a scrap piece of wood, and use the small nail to press a few equally-spaced holes along the edge of strap. After you’ve marked your holes, hammer the nail through each mark to puncture the leather and create a hole to stitch through. Line up the other edge of the strap with the punctured one, and press the same number of holes onto the other side. Puncture through these holes with a hammer and nail as well.
Thread your needle with embroidery floss, and stitch into one of the bottom holes. Leave a few inches of floss at the first hole (so you can tie it up at the end). Stitch across as you go up the edge of the cuff, joining the strap together. Once you’ve reached the top, turn around and stitch down, going through each pair of holes again. Once you’ve reached the bottom, tie the ends of the thread together in a knot.
Oh, coffee. I really do love you. There are few things that I will always agree to no matter the time or place, but coffee is one of those things. It doesn’t even matter the kind of coffee. Espresso shots, mochas, drip coffee, crappy gas station cappuccinos… just give me caffeine. I’m drinking an almond milk latte right now as I write! What a coincidence.
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