Posted on October 03, 2024
While temperatures cool down, there’s something warming about the arrival of autumn. Root vegetables and gourds play main roles in recipes, red and orange hues burst out in colour on trees and we get excited for holidays dedicated to bonfires, fireworks and sweet treats. The personality of autumn is warming, slower and comforting. It’s natural to want to reflect this in our homes for the season as we spend more time indoors, curled up on the couch or dining in with friends and family. Here are a few tips to help make your home more cosy and a place you can truly relax for autumn.
Experiment with layering
Layer up textures and accessories to transform your room. In the same way you might start to layer up your clothing for the season, it’s also a great way to warm up your home for autumn.
You might have been going for something much lighter and airy at home for summer, especially with the heatwave we experienced this year, so consider adding back in some depth to your room that will bring warmth physically and aesthetically to your home.
Parker & Jules create some of our favourite vibrant designs that offer a wide range of uses, from cushions, to curtains.
You can also consider playing with various textures and patterns for blankets, pillows and throws. From knitted, faux fur or quilted textures. Check out our journal here for our favourite independent textile companies that will definitely have some gorgeous blanket and pillow collections for the season ahead.
Enhance your home with aromas
Scent is such an important, personal element in the home and spicy, warmer aromas are often associated with the autumnal season.
With darker evenings on the cards, the warm flicker of a candle is comforting throughout the cooler months. Don’t feel you have to go for the typical pumpkin or berry scents of autumn if that isn’t your scent preference. Instead find scents that help you relax and enhance the ambiance in the room you’re looking for this season.
We love Cotswold Candle Co. With 27 fantastic fragrances to choose from, you’ll feel spoilt for choice. Each candle is hand poured and made with ingredients only sourced from Britain. That’s not all though, the candles on offer are refillable, so once you’ve found a scent you like, you can keep topping it up once you need to. Another fantastic choice is the 100 acre three wick candle, a fragrance that's truly like no other, top notes of aromatic lemon myrtle, fresh lavender and zesty grapefruit are blended with balmy cedarwood, green rose geranium and the signature 100 Acres base to create an utterly unique fragrance.
Allow the outdoors to trickle indoors
A reason we choose to live in The Cotswolds is the abundance of nature. Time outdoors, especially in autumn is uplifting and good for the soul, so bringing a few of these natural elements into the home helps keep both the indoor and outdoor worlds connected.
To do this, think natural textures you can add to your home. If you have a fireplace, now’s the time to stock up on wood, bundled high in baskets and make the crackling embers an important feature of the home. Here are a few styling ideas in our Fireplace Edit and head over to Cornflower and Calico, a Cotswolds based independent homewares emporium to explore their abundance of baskets.
You can also curate a few dried flower bouquets to display all season as a sustainable way to add in winter florals. Check out Isabloom, an ethical, recyclable and sustainable floral designer based in Bristol who delivers in The Cotswolds and surrounding areas. Her letterbox dried flowers are beautiful!
Or you can even collect darker foliage on your autumnal jaunts and display these in beautiful vases as accent pieces in the home.
Perfect your lighting
Shorter daylight hours means a greater reliance on our indoor lighting to set the right ambiance. Generally softer lighting paired is preferred throughout darker periods but it’s important to create an environment that keeps you uplifted throughout autumn and winter.
If the lack of natural daylight is something you’re not looking forward to, think of it as an opportunity to experiment with some warmer-toned lighting or incorporate fun new shades. Nkoku is our go-to for fun lighting and shade options but also check out Cotswold Lamps & Interiors for creative and modern lighting solutions, from floor lamps to pendant lights and light bulbs.
Autumnal tablescaping
While we say goodbye to al fresco dining and barbecue season, we also welcome in Sunday Roasts and nights in with friends and family. Over on our autumnal styling tips for your table journal, we have a selection of great ideas to help you create the perfect table scape for the season.
Bring in Soothing Colours
Creating a comforting atmosphere in your home is all about choosing the right colours and textures that resonate with warmth and cosiness. YOu can start by infusing your space with earthy tones such as deep browns, warm oranges, and soft yellows. These colours bring a sense of calm and warmth to any room. For paint, consider choosing from Corinium Paints, a local favourite due to its high-quality and large palette that includes a range of earthy hues that can transform your walls into a canvas of comfort. They also offer a paint mixing service if you have a very specific colour in mind.
When looking to add earthly colours, you can also add different textiles into your home, think about incorporating fabrics that bring texture and depth to your space. The British Blanket Company offers a beautiful collection of woollen products that are perfect for adding a layer of warmth and elegance. Their throws and blankets in muted, earthy tones are ideal for cozying up your living room or bedroom.
Create a Dedicated Cosy Corner
Creating a cosy corner for reading and relaxation can transform any space into an inviting autumnal retreat, perfect for unwinding with a good book and a warm drink. Start with the most essential piece, a comfortable chair. No matter if you want a vintage captain's chair or a cosy wingback armchair, there’s no wrong way to create your own unique cosy nook to provide the perfect spot to curl up with a novel. Pair your chair with a practical yet stylish side table that not only offers a place for your favourite hot drink but also enhances the overall ambiance you’ll be creating. Shopping at Cotswold Grey you’ll find everything you need to start your cosy corner.
If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort from your chair, you should head to Loaf for some of the most amazing floor cushions and beanbags that you’ll sink into.
No reading nook is complete without a well-stocked bookcase. Your own personal preferences and the size of the space will dictate what kind of bookcase you go for, and The Cotswolds Company have a very wide range of bookcases in all shapes, sizes and designs. If you’re looking for amazing stores to stock up the shelves, read our blog here of the best independent bookshops in The Cotswolds.
Or if you’d rather create an entire reading room, we’ve got a detailed breakdown of how to create an ideal reading room here.