Katy Today

TODAY

elegance LUXURY AND PAGE 7

TEAL PUMPKIN

PAGE 13

FALL FASHION

PAGE 16

COST OF EDUCATION

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Don’t miss out on the next edition of Katy Today.

Contact Terri at 281-391-3141 or terri.richard@katytimes.com

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HOUSTON TEXANS GAME SPECIALS Longhorn Network, SEC Network

TODAY SEPTEMBER 2019

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

5 7 13 16 18 22 26

FAV 5 Weekend get-away LEXUS Luxury and elegance

4

TEAL PUMPKIN Halloween reinvented FALL FASHION Get the look THE COST OF EDUCATION Controlling the cost of higher education MOVIE REVIEW Box office blockbusters FALL DECOR Embrace the season

KATY TODAY

STAFF Karen Lopez, Publisher Claire Goodman, Managing Editor Dennis Silva II, Sports Editor Terri Richard, Advertising Debbie Prejean, Administration Victoria Parker, Designer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cole McNanna Produced by Katy Media Publishing, LLC, publishers of Katy Times newspaper.

P.O. Box 678 Katy, Texas 77493 281-391-3141 katytimes.com For more information about advertising or distribution contact karen.lopez@katytimes.com COPYRIGHT © 2019 The entire contents of this publication and its electronic version at katytimes.com are copyrighted by Katy Media Publishing, LLC. No material may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the publisher.

Copyright © 2019 Katy Times LLC. All rights reserved.

FAV

Five

1 3 4

WEEKEND GET-A-WAYS

FREDERICKSBURG Although not nestled in Fredericksburg, Enchanted Rock State Park, just 17 miles north, is home to the largest pink granite monadnock in the United States. The Native Americans believed this area to have magical and spiritual powers. Head back to Fredericksburg and seek out the German Red Cabbage. It’s herrlich!

HORSESHOE BAY This is one of the most scenic places in Texas! The water is beautiful and if you are up to playing on it, there are endless activities.

Fishing, cruising, kayaking, and jet skis are just a few of things to do.

CANTON

Get your girlfriends together, buy matching shirts and head up to Canton for Trade Days. Do you like thrifting? Then you have hit the jackpot. Canton is the ultimate flea market.

Explore the magical treasure troves of unlimited retro, ostentatious or flat-out weird items. cantontxfirstmonday.com.

5

2

BOERNE

If your passion is bold and rich or light and fruitful, malty and rustic, or aromatic and earthy, then head to Boerne. Boerne is host to over 12 wineries and breweries hosting plenty of pleasing flavors for all. Stylish boutiques and locally owned restaurants are all the buzz along Boerne’s Hill Country Mile.

NEW BRAUNFELS

Try the River Road Treehouses.

Yes, cabins in the trees!

Access the cabins by walking across 100-foot bridges attached to centuries old cypress trees.

Located on the Guadalupe River and only minutes from Canyon Lake and Gruene Hall (river roadcabins.com). Cool off at Schlitterbahn Park or go tubing on the Comal or Guadalupe rivers or take in the Animal Farm & Snake Farm Zoo.

KATY TODAY

5

Experience Amazing

Westside Lexus Sales and Service 12000 Katy Freeway Houston, TX 77079 281-558-3030

Westside Lexus Collision Center

11960 Wickchester Lane Houston, TX 77043 281-584-2266

www.westsidelexus.com

elegance LUXURY AND

KATY TODAY

7

Westside Lexus will continue its legacy of elevated experience with a new facility

8

KATY TODAY

T

he Lexus brand is synonymous with luxury, elegance and high-performing vehicles.

The sleek design melds with expertly-engineered automotive construction to create a car that transforms the need for transportation into the desire for an elevated driving experience.

Lexus’ mission is to take inspired design, relentless innovation and uninhibited performance and turn them into passionate, moving experiences.

Westside Lexus is the Katy-area’s premier Lexus dealer. We bring an unparalleled customer service experience to every guest.

At Westside Lexus, we take as much pride in our customer service as we do in our vehicles. When you arrive, we’ll go the extra mile to make sure your experience at our dealership is beyond compare. Our mission has always been to provide our customer family with the best automotive buying and ownership experience in the industry. Our message has been consistent – provide superior products, competitive pricing, a top quality professional staff and the best in complimentary services for our customer family.

As part of that mission, we are bringing a new, upgraded facility to our customers.

Construction on this new state-of-the-art facility consists of three phases: Phase one: Our state of the Art Service Department is up and running.

Phase two: Our Award Winning Lexus Certified Collision Center is open for business in its new location at 11960 Wickchester Lane, Houston, TX 77043.

At Westside Lexus, we know the Collision Center is the last place you want to be. So when you’re here to get your Lexus back to its original excellence following an accident, we’ll make sure

that every interaction with us is pleasant, and we’ll get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Our Collision Center is 30,000 sq ft facility which is equipped with 60 repair stalls and consists of 24 technicians specifically trained to work on your Lexus.

Our paint department consists of 20 stalls, four containing down draft heated paint booths and two doublewide down-draft prep stations, helping to insure the cleanest possible paint work.

The refinish products are P.P.G. Global Paint Products exclusively. In addition, we are a P.P.G. Certified First Collision center which means that our employees have met the requirements and criteria to be a part of the program.

With all these amenities, our turnaround time is faster, and our quality of work is everything you’ve come to expect from the luxury of a Lexus- only better.

Phase three, the final phase, is still ongoing, and it will feature our stunning new and pre-owned vehicle showroom located at 12000 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77079. It’s guaranteed to elevate everyone’s shopping experience.

At Westside Lexus, we take immeasurable pride in the quality of our automobiles and customer service, but we’re also committed to being a part of the Katy community.

Yes, our unique contributions have moved the entire automotive industry forward. But we never forget about giving back. That’s why we strive to empower people’s lives, help to preserve the environment and donate to numerous causes.

These are the things that matter to us—the things that drive us every day.

Westside Lexus offers a car-buying experience like no other.

We have a huge selection of cars, SUVs and crossovers, and we provide elite customer service and world-class amenities.

That’s the Lexus of Westside Lexus difference.

KATY TODAY

9

THE

TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT

THE TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT PROMOTES A SAFE HALLOWEEN FOR CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGIES

By Claire Goodman

M Mark and Laura Acosta’s life changed in 2016 when their son Owen, then eightmonths-old, took his first bites of food.

Within a few moments, Owen began vomiting violently, and he broke out in hives all over his body. Owen survived, and he was diagnosed with severe food allergies. He tested a positive allergy for seven out of the top eight allergens.

Owen’s condition is far from unique: approximately one in 13 children in the United States have an allergy to at least one stimulus. Of those children, 30 percent are allergic to more than one food type. The reactions to these allergies are life-threatening and often fatal if a child goes into anaphylaxis.

Owen is now four-years-old and thriving, but his parents have had to make major alterations to their lives to keep Owen safe. They still want to make sure he has a happy, normal childhood, but they have to maintain constant vigilance over him and the food to which he is exposed. As a result, Halloween is one of the most difficult times for a the Acostas. In addition to the dangers of ingesting an allergen, Owen is contact-reactive.

“Even reaching into a bucket to grab a treat is not an option,” Laura explained.

While the Acostas were researching ways to help Owen deal with his allergies, they learned about the “Teal Pumpkin Project”. Facilitated through Food Allergy Research and Education, the Teal Pumpkin Project is a national campaign intended to raise awareness of food allergies and promote inclusion of all trick-or-treaters throughout the Halloween season. The goal of the project is to create a safer, happier Halloween for people with food allergies.

12

KATY TODAY

Laura Acosta (left) and Liz Powell visit schools to discuss Teal Pumpkin Project with children.

Owen Acosta For the Teal Pumpkin Project, people put out a teal pumpkin at their front door to indicate that they have nonfood treats available. It helps parents and children know which houses will have safe alternatives for children with allergies.

The project encourages people to give out non-food items to trick-ortreaters, such as small, inexpensive items purchased from dollar stores, party supply stores, or online shops. The Teal Pumpkin Project advises, “These low-cost items can be purchased and handed out to all trick-or-treaters, or made available in a separate bowl from candy if you choose to hand out both options. Nearly all of these items can be found in a Halloween theme or festive colors.”

When the Acostas learned about the Teal Pumpkin Project, they immediately embraced the movement and began to spread awareness of the project. They enrolled Owen in Foundations Academy Preschool because of the school’s commitment to enable children with allergies to be included in as many activities as possible. While Owen was enrolled in the school, the Acostas met Liz Powell, whose son, Andy suffers from serious food allergies.

Powell and Acosta now work together to promote the Teal Pumpkin Project for the community. They distribute information about the Teal Pumpkin

Project to parents to spread awareness and to educate the community on the reality of food allergies. The mothers hope that promoting awareness will result in more families participating in the project and offering non-food alternatives to trick-or-treaters.

Acosta and Powell plan to continue to spread awareness of food allergies through the project. For more information on food allergies and the Teal Pumpkin Project, visit www. foodallergy.org/education-awareness/ teal-pumpkin-project.

From left, Laura Acosta and her son, Owen, work with Liz Powell and her son, Andy to spread awareness for food allergies.

KATY TODAY

13

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Plan a STRESS-FREE

GETAWAY T

he arrival of vacation season means it’s time to stop daydreaming about that getaway and start making some travel plans.

Getting organized for a grand adventure, especially if you’ll be traveling with a group, requires some careful planning before you begin making reservations. Get started planning your dream vacation with these travel tips from the experts at Vrbo: Narrow down the location. Vacation planning often begins with an idea more than a specific destination. For example, you may want to lay on the beach or visit the mountains. The first step should be figuring out exactly which beach or which mountain range captures your attention. Research your options online and look for information such as lodging, food and activities you may want to explore.

Set a budget. Daydreaming about a luxury excursion may be appealing when it’s all in theory, but your bank account may have a different opinion. Also remember that if you’re traveling with a group, you’re likely to encounter household finances different from your own, so you’ll need to set a budget that works for everyone.

Determine how you’ll get there. The smaller your group, the more options you have for reaching your destination. As the group grows, you may have fewer alternatives, particularly if you want to travel together. For example, it can be difficult to get a large block of seats together on a commercial flight.

Think about where you’ll stay. Vacation rentals typically offer more space and privacy than hotel rooms and allow everyone to stay together. Many offer amenities like a backyard or pool, and guests can split the cost several

ways. You can give others a chance to weigh in with a tool like Trip Boards, a feature on the Vrbo website and mobile app that lets friends and family members collaborate during the decisionmaking process and find the perfect vacation home together. With inviting, voting and commenting capabilities, fellow travelers can see each other’s favorited properties, vote and leave comments on which vacation homes they like best.

Discuss an itinerary ahead of time. With multiple personalities and interests involved, it can be challenging to keep everyone on a set schedule. Some may prefer to sleep in and others may have specific ideas about what time meals should be. Even if you don’t have a formal itinerary, it’s a good idea to talk through the schedule ahead of time, so expectations are clear. Breaking off into smaller groups part of the time may work better than keeping the entire group on the same schedule throughout the trip.

Look for group discounts. Though a larger group poses some challenges, there are also some perks that make bigger better. As you’re planning activities and making reservations, be sure to inquire about specials and rates reserved for larger parties.

Use apps to get organized. From organizing everyone’s travel schedules to voting on activities and coordinating payments, you can rely on apps to orchestrate most of the minutiae of a group getaway.

Find more information to help plan your next group vacation at Vrbo.com/tripboard.

KATY TODAY

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Alex Orlando, owner of Wildflower Threads, models the fall trends of corduroy paired with 16 KATY alligator print shoes.

TODAY

L L FA FASHION KATY BOUTIQUES WEIGH IN

A

By Claire Goodman

s the summer wraps up, Katy boutiques are stocking the newest fall fashions in their shops. Some of the trends are fresh spins on timeless pieces, and others are unique to 2019.

Alex Orlando, owner of Wildflower Threads, and Laci Drkowski of Mainstream Boutique weighed in on the trends that are coming in-and how to wear them.

According to Orlando, animal prints will be returning this fall.

Snake, alligator and cheetah print are timeless, but this season will integrate animal-inspired prints that warp the print in such a way that it seems more like an intentional pattern. “It’s kind of a speckled pattern that I’m seeing,” said Orlando. “It has the visual effect of animal print, but it’s not exactly an animal print.”

Animal prints are best paired with a soft cream or tan color, Orlando says. The best combinations are chunky cream-colored sweaters or rough-hewn linen paired with the prints. “Adding texture is really important,” she said.

Scarves, a traditional fall staple, will carry the animal print theme, but there will also be cinnamon and rust colors “to give it a fall flavor,” she said.

For early Fall, Orlando suggests linen shirts because they’re light enough for Texas weather but still evocative of autumn. “If you do choose linen as a material, one thing I’m seeing is large

Camouflage is the new neutral for fall.

Available at Mainstream Boutique.

Animal prints and cut-off denim jacket make the perfect fall outfit. Available at Wildflower Threads.

buttons added to the linen,” she said. “Button accents are really popular right now.”

As fall shifts into winter, Orlando suggests integrating chunky sweaters into your wardrobe. “The big staples for pairing are cream, rust and greens, but we’ve also got a lot of blue coming in,” she explained. “The bright blues of summer are transitioning into more of a navy color as the season changes.”

Drkowski agreed. “You can never go wrong with a solid navy piece,” she said. “Even outfits that are traditionally for summer, like a romper, can translate into fall if they’re navy.”

As a new take on the chunky sweater, Orlando is seeing thick color-blocked stripes on the forefront of fashion. “Stripes are always in season, but for fall of 2019, it’s all about chunks of color. It’s really vibrant right now in the fashion industry.”

“Thick, chunky stripes are probably what sets this fall apart from last year the most,” Drkowski said.

Some timeless fall pieces like jean jackets are seeing an updated twist to their normal style. “You can never go wrong with jean jackets, but the new style jean jacket you’re going to see is the cut-off crop,” Orlando explained. “It’s easier to wear with dresses and jumpers, and it’s just a kind of dress-it-up or go more casual depending on what you’re looking for.”

The integrated crop style jacket is in response to the highwaisted trend that’s on every fashion designer’s radar. The crop-style allows the high-waist to have visual dominance while bringing a stylish, practical piece to the outfit.

Orlando sells cut-off jean jackets in her shop, but she added that anyone could easily crop an existing jean jacket for the same effect.

The maxi skirt is still popular this fall as well. “It’s nice and flowy, and it’s so versatile. I like to dress it up with a nice lacy cami tank with heels, or you can wear it with a twisted graphic tee and tennis shoes to dress it down. Throw on a jean jacket with either option, and you’ve got perfect and effortless fall fashion,” she said.

For transitional outfits, Orlando and Drkowski agree that corduroy and camouflage print function as fall neutrals.

“Camo is always interesting,” said Drkowski. “I’m seeing it act like a neutral color, almost like denim. You can pair it with warm fall colors like mustard and rust, and it doesn’t compete.”

As for jeans, the perennial outfit staple that transcends seasons, Drkowski stated that distressed denim is going to be the most popular option. “With all these rich textures that are in right now, a distressed denim adds a relaxed, comfy feel to the outfit,” she said.

Wildflower Threads is located at 5625 Third Street, Katy, Texas 77493.

Mainstream Boutique is located at 25757 Westheimer Parkway, Katy, Texas, 77494.

KATY TODAY 17

cost the

of education

By Cole McNanna

18 KATY TODAY

For a long time, it seemed as though attending a four-year university was the surefire path for high school graduates to take in order to study and obtain a degree that will help them get a good job.

That was the road taken by some 19.9 million students entering the fall 2018 semester according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That was an increase from 15.3 million in 2000 but still down from the highest enrollment seen, 21 million in 2010.

The same report included a postsecondary finance section where it cited research done by the same institution on the “average undergraduate tuition and fees and room and board rates charged for full-time students in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by level and control of institution,” from the 1963-1964 school year through 2016-2017.

There, it was calculated that “For the 2016-2017 academic year, the average annual price was $17,237 at public institutions, $44,551 at private, nonprofit institutions, and $25,431 at private, forprofit institutions,” the report states.

Entering the 1963-1964 school year, the average cost across all institutions (four- and two-year, public and private colleges) was $2,495, according to the report.

What has caused the overall increase in the cost of college? The answer may be rooted in competition.

“I think nationwide for universities, it’s been a little bit of an arms race,” said Richard Bray, the director of communications, media relations and marketing for Blinn College, a junior college with multiple campuses. “You have to have the nicest facilities, you have to have the shiniest objects so that when people take their campus tours, they’re blown away.”

That has, in turn, driven the cost of entrance up across the board, therefore creating a larger need of

assistance in order to afford just walking in the door.

A Forbes report from February of earlier this year stated the total student loan debt across 44.7 million borrowers in the United States sat at $1.56 trillion.

There are, however, ways around digging as deep a debt hole to climb out of, and the junior college route has continued to provide a feasible detour to the same goal. With rising college costs, fewer people seemed concerned about “the lower levels of upper education.”

“We’re actually seeing that change a lot. I think there used to be that stigma (that going to a community college is lesser compared to a fouryear school) but nowadays as the price of four-year universities continues to grow, I think people are starting to realize (how viable an option it is),” Bray said.

He backed that statement up by providing recent statistics from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

“According to their numbers, Blinn students who take 30 credit hours during this 2019-2020 academic year, this fall through the next summer semester, would save $4,036 in tuition and fees compared to the average state college,” he said. “That’s about 42% of your tuition and fees that you can save by attending Blinn.”

At the end of the day, though, college just may not be for everybody, and that’s just fine.

“It’s not always for everyone but the problem is that for 25 years, we’ve been preaching that it is for everyone but it’s not,” said Jeff Koch, Career and Technical Education Director for Sealy ISD. “We’re getting ready to have a huge wave of skilled workers and tradespeople who are getting ready to retire and we don’t have people to fill in for them.”

He went on to talk about another stigma that he hopes to continue to bring to cessation with the College and Career Center located in Sealy High School.

“We’re talking about jobs like welders, machinists, HVAC, construction, people who can make a very good living,” Koch said. “The problem is the shift in paradigm; how do we shift it back to the trades because what happens is the parents look at it like, ‘Well my kid’s better than that.’”

Randy Wooten, Texas State Technical College’s provost for the Fort Bend County campus in Rosenberg, echoed those thoughts.

“If I were to (answer the question of) ‘What should I do after high school?’ I would say go where the jobs are,” he said. “The place where the jobs are is the middle skills, the technical skills … It’s kind of like fishing, if you want to go fishing and want to catch fish, go to where the fish are. If you want a job, go where the jobs are; the jobs are in the technical skills.”

He added that all of the programs offered at TSTC develop students to obtain a high-demand, high-wage job that allows graduates to get right to work and pay back their student loans.

KATY TODAY 19

“The lineworker program is a certificate-one degree and those are usually around $7,000, each of our programs cost a little differently so we’ll be talking averages,” Wooten said. “After one year that the young man or woman would go through, a lineworker is a $65,000 a year job so you can pay off a student debt of $7,000 in about three paychecks.”

If, however, a student were not able to get a job right out of college, TSTC offers a money-back guarantee for four of their programs.

“We take (job placement) so seriously that if you’re not able to find a job in six months, we’ll give you your money back … Not all of our programs have that but welding, diesel, lineworker and electrical power and controls all do,” Wooten said.

20 KATY TODAY

“We’ve offered the money-back guarantee for three years now and we have yet to give back a dollar.”

So what will college really cost you?

Four years of your life and $50,000 in debt just for an annual salary of $20,000? Or can you make it work for you and get placed in a high-demand job with less repayment stress? You determine how much education costs.

“We have a purpose statement that says, ‘Our job is to make the American dream available to any Texan,’” Wooten said. “If you have the type of programs we do, the kind of salaries we’re talking about, the type of demand we have, you can do that because you will get a living wage when you leave here.”

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O C TO B E R

KATY TODAY 23

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Our Ultimate Expression of Design and Personal Service Lincoln Black Label is an elevated blend of both ownership and member privileges. Choose from three exclusive and thoughtfully styled interior themes for your Continental.

Select the horse racing-inspired Thoroughbred, the HSWPUL PUĂ…\LUJLK Chalet or the musically infused Rhapsody to make your Continental distinctively your own.

Lincoln Black Label ownership includes Exclusive Member Priveleges, Service Pick Up and Delivery, and a 4 year/50,000 mile Premium Maintenance Plan.

To learn more and test drive a Lincoln Black Label, contact Robert Cesca at 281-506-0374

E T A G L I A T

S P TI

C

Family Features

Make your mark at our new location

asual and diehard sports fans alike can all agree one of the best parts of game day is the tailgate. Whether you’re heading to the game to take part in the action or tuning in on the big screen, you can light up the scoreboard this season with these tips for a fun, easy and downright tasty tailgate (or home-gate).

Start early There’s likely no easier way to send a tailgate spiraling out of control than to get a late start, which puts the party in a rush ahead of game time. Prepare early, and if you’re heading to the stadium, leave yourself plenty of time to find the ultimate parking spot, light the grill and enjoy the atmosphere.

Come visit the University of Houston-Victoria at Katy at our new location at 22400 Grand Circle Blvd. (behind Cinemark and across from H Mart and Red Robin).

Keep it simple A true tailgate experience starts with flavorful foods fit for a crowd, which calls for ready-to-go ingredients like Eckrich Smoked Sausage, crafted with just the right blend of spices for a rich, savory and smoky taste. Because it’s pre-cooked, just heat it up and pair with other simple ingredients, such as a hoagie bun and some peppers for an easy Grilled Smoked Sausage and Pepper Hoagies.

We look forward to helping you achieve your educational goals! Contact us now at (281) 396-3700 or katyrecruitment@uhv.edu for more information about starting classes this spring.

Ensure an easy cleanup When the tailgate is winding down and the game is about to start, it’s almost inevitable there’ll be a rush to pack up and head to the stadium (or the couch). Make things simpler and quicker by using disposable plasticware, plates and cups, and strategically placing trash bags in easily visible areas for everyone to clean up as the party continues, rather than scrambling to pick everything up at once.

For more recipe ideas and tailgating inspiration, visit nathansfamous.com and eckrich.com.

VICTORIA • KATY • ONLINE

UHV.edu

KATY TODAY

25

FALL DECOR Muted colors, rich textures define 2019 trends

By Claire Goodman

To maximize decorating dollars, integrate timeless accents like cotton with fall accent pieces. “Gather� sign: $20 Vase: $35 Cotton stalks: $9.50 each Antique bottle carrier: $29 Antique shoe mould: $14 Dining set (table and six chairs) $1,680 Available at KTX Home

This fall is all about subtle colors with an organic feel.

Items available at Ruizstudios.

Bold textures with subtle colors are on trend for this fall, according to Katy home decor experts. Beverly Ruiz, owner of Ruizstudios, and Jannet Howell, owner of KTX Home, reported that soft colors and strong textures will set the stage for a cozy autumn design aesthetic.

According to Howell, the pure whites of summer are transitioning into cream colors for the fall. “Warm creams, browns, and natural wood tones are popular for furniture,” said Howell. “For accent colors you’re going to see very organic tones like muted greens.”

Ruiz added that soft purples and rusty tones will add warmth to autumn decor. “We’re seeing the same color schemes that you associate with fall, but everything is softer. This year is all about comfort and soft tones, not the bright, harsh oranges or yellows,” she said.

28 KATY TODAY

Howell’s favorite color to integrate is called “Holy Guacamole” by Dixie Belle paint company. “It’s just a soft, natural green that has a very organic feel,” she said. “It brings in a little bit of color, but your eye reads it as a neutral.”

To add dimension to design, Ruiz and Howell reported that thick, natural textiles will be defining fall this year.

“I’m seeing a lot of textures, like burlap or thick yarn,” said Howell. “Again, anything that feels really organic.”

“The plaid and check patterns that are traditional fall elements will still be big this year, but you’re going to want to add to it some thicker, subtle fabrics that will draw in a more natural element,” said Ruiz.

One of Ruiz’ favorite items is a fauxfeather throw pillow. “It’s so soft, and it reminds me of a pheasant,” she said. “It has a great pattern, but it’s also very earthy.”

Lavender sprigs: $14.95 per bunch Available at Ruizstudios

Perennial fall favorites like sunflowers and plaids will return this fall, but soft tones and textured fabrics will also be on-trend.

Items available at Ruizstudios

Soft creams, organic greens and rustic oranges will be the primary colors for Fall 2019.

Dixie Belle paint samples, $10 Available at KTX Home

Howell noted that she likes to integrate “investment” pieces into her decor that are timeless and seasonless.

“To maximize your decorating dollars, you can buy something that seems very seasonal, but if you rearrange a different type of flower then you have a different seasonal arrangement.”

Howell likes to use classic vases with cotton stems year-round. She switches up the accent colors around those pieces to create a different aesthetic each season. “Cotton has been popular for a few years, and if you bring in some of the prevalent fall colors, you’ll have a beautiful design.”

Part of creating a warm fall space means integrating as many senses into the decor as possible. Soft colors create a gentle visual, natural textures 30 KATY TODAY

Faux-feather pillows: $35: $55 Available at Ruizstudios

add an autumn touch, and fall scents will round out the sensory experience.

Ruiz reported that Mulled Cider and Cinnabuns from Tyler Candle Company are her most popular autumn candles.

KTX Home is located at 5809 Highway Boulevard.

Ruizstudios is located at 5614 Second Street inside KT Antiques.

Design tip: Welcome guests with a seasonal vignette “Open” sign: $39.95 Large flowers: $8.95 Available at Ruizstudios

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