How to make your home cosy this autumn

Autumn is well and truly upon us and with it, thoughts of making your home a cosy place for
all the family. But how does one make a start on making a house cosy with Autumnal Decor, without spending many
pounds buying craft and decorating supplies? The elements of a cosy autumn home can be
explored through the 5 senses.

SIGHT
Autumn colours are deep, vibrant hues ranging from greens into fiery reds, golden yellows and
rich burgundies. You do not have to stick to these colour schemes and the photographs below give
you an idea of the varied shades that can be used in your autumn palette.

Light neutrals including blue also work in an autumnal palette.

A cool palette with soft colours

A warm palette with soft colours

CREATE COSINESS WITH LIGHTING

The correct choice of lighting can help create the mood and is as equally important as colour matching. Bright colours work well with bright (or natural) lighting and soft colours with soft lighting. For example, using the soft colours from the cup of cocoa colour palette above for say a bedroom. The cosy effect can be heightened by using smaller, softer lamps instead of a strong overhead light bulb. Some spaces in your home such as kitchens do require lighter, brighter colours such as pale neutrals with a pop of colour.

SMELL

Cinnamon, ripe apples, fresh rain on the grass, and earthy damp leaves . . . are all scents of autumn. Scented candles create an autumnal atmosphere inside your home and are available in many scents to suit many tastes from fruity scents, sugary scents or spicy musky scents.

CINNAMON

Fill your kitchen and home with the spicy smell of cinnamon by simply boiling a few cinnamon sticks and clove essential oils for a couple of minutes and then turn the heat to low and let the warm, spiced scent travel through your home, turn the heat off once the pleasant smells take over.

APPLES

Cooking apples in a pan or roasting them in the oven lets the aroma of sweet, ripe fruit fill your house for hours. Scented candles also do the trick and come in some interesting fragrances such as homemade apple pie, pumpkin delight and autumn leaves.

CRISP MORNING AIR, FRESH RAIN & DAMP LEAVES

In the colder months opening the windows for at least half an hour a day lets the fresh air in through your home. The smell of rain on the grass is best left outside in the garden, but you can dry out branches and colourful leaves and put them on display in your home.

TOUCH

Add autumn textures around your home with these easy ideas. Create a warm welcome to your house with fresh or dried flowers in pots. Sheaves of wheat in vases make a statement on the mantel, while bowls of collected pine cones make the cheap autumn decorating. Place pumpkins in unexpected places around the house, they don’t have to be orange as you can decorate by painting them different colours and drawing funky patterns on them. Create cosy spaces in your house with woollen or flannel blankets, tartan used as tablecloths or even liven up your dining room with a fun centrepiece, such as golden branches in large glass vases, bold red and yellow blooms in vintage tins or other vessels finish off with a ribbon.

TASTE

Using certain ingredients in your cooking helps keep your meals in tune with the changing seasons. Use squashes, pumpkins, corn, potatoes, apples, grapes, and cranberries. A good hearty vegetable soup showcases fresh veggies and herbs, perhaps with dumplings or barley added to the broth. Make your house smell cosy and inviting with freshly baked apple pie, pumpkin bread or muffins, pumpkin spice and pumpkin French toast bake.

HEARING

These are the sounds of autumn . . . Leaves crunching underfoot, wild geese calling, rain pattering, squirrels chattering. You can hear them if you listen. Grab your wellies and a jacket and go for a walk in the woods, kick the leaves and listen to the sound of nature’s very own anti-depressant. If you like to make a playlist of songs put together an autumn playlist of your favourite tracks here are a few to get you started . . .

• Earth, Wind and Fire . . . September
• November Rain by Guns ‘N’ Roses
• Harvest Moon by Neil Young
• Jeff Wayne’s Musical War of the Worlds

Have these ideas got you thinking about a cosy new home and adding some Autumnal decor in? Take a look at our developments.