Warm things up as the leaves start to fall with a few easy room tweaks…
1 Paint a wall – Nothing transforms a space like a splash of colour. Paint an accent wall, a whole room or a piece of furniture with autumn’s warm palette (think rusty reds, burnt oranges, spicy yellows, deep burgundies and earthy browns).
2 Introduce a touch of brass, copper or gold – From urns and bowls, to lamps, candleholders and framed mirrors, brass, copper and gold have a certain warmth to them. If you have the space over a kitchen island, install a pot rack for your copper cookware. Or hang a series of gold-framed mirrors on a wall that could use a facelift.
3 Do a furniture swop – Where possible, swop out glossy, modern furniture pieces for natural and rustic wood alternatives.
4 Hang more curtains – Add more layers to your window treatments and replace summer sheers with lush, heavier fabrics. A change of hardware could also be in order, so think new curtain rods (wood instead of chrome) or rustic tiebacks.
5 Adjust the lighting – Take a look at your lamps and lighting, as it makes a huge difference to the feel of a space. Add some low, soft lighting to your bedroom – a bedside lamp with a low-watt bulb (40 or lower) is a good place to start. Also change bright, summery lamp shades for more subdued tones perched on wooden bases.
6 Bulk up your bedding – Introduce layers to your bed for the autumn months; from additional pillow pairs and a decorative throw, to a quilted blanket. Volume is the most important goal here – to make your bed look like something you want to sink into. You could even upholster the headboard in a fabric and shade that ties together all the other autumn elements you’ve introduced.
7 Pile on the throws and cushions – Scatters and throws are a decorator’s best friend; they are readily available, come in every colour, fabric and pattern, and they’re budget-friendly too. Embrace a mix of textures and add some varied fabrics in warm colours to couches, armchairs and beds. Chenille, faux-fur, velvet, mohair, crochet and bulky knits are perfect choices for autumn.
8 Fill your fireplace with candles – A blazing fire adds the best cosy feeling to a living room during winter. Since we’re not quite there yet, light up a collection of candles inside your fireplace for a warm glow. When winter rolls around, you can line up pillar candles on the fireplace mantle and enjoy a log fire. It might be a good idea to rearrange some furniture or add extra seating to shift focus to the fireplace in the meantime.
9 Cover bare table-tops and add floor rugs – Set the dining-room table with a runner in the colours of the season, topped by a leaf-patterned bowl, for instance. And drop thick-pile floor rugs in neutral tones in well-travelled spots around the house (layer them for even more can’t-wait-to-take-your-shoes-off cosiness).
10 Be inspired by nature – Bring in natural elements where possible, like coffee-table centrepieces featuring pinecones, sprigs, berries, spicy fragranced candles and vivid-coloured leaves from the garden. Floor vases containing weathered branches and tall dried stems are another wonderful way of bringing autumn indoors.
Got an autumn décor tip you’d like to share with us? Post it here…
Photos by iStock
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