Apparently a month’s worth or rain is going to fall in a few hours today. Great. It’s the 19th of bloody August and the first day of my “holiday” this summer. The rain is torrential and not going to stop any time soon. So the crazy golf and picnic is cancelled. I thought I might as well use my time to write a blog as we don’t have a rainy-day plan and I’m sat here doing nothing.
The first thing that came to mind is preparing for autumn. After weeks of sunshine and throwing open the doors every morning it’s suddenly time to bring in the garden cushions and batten down the hatches.
I actually really love the turn from Summer to Autumn. I’m kind of relieved to knuckle down and get back to more sensible eating and drinking habits after a summer of frivolity where I mostly sack off the workouts in favour of homemade pizza and a bottle of wine on the patio. Autumn feels much more like the ‘new year’ than January. January is just depressing, whereas autumn has a sense of anticipation and potential.
One of the things I enjoy is the ritual of preparing the house for Autumn. Which basically means preparing the house for the rain, the cold and the longer, darker evenings. Now I know we live in times of central heating and insulation so you may think I’m a bit of a weirdo, but I still feel the need to embrace the change of season. It makes me feel positive and optimistic rather than sad the summer is over because let’s face it summer is the best time of all (when it’s not bloody raining).
Photo by Luca Dugaro on Unsplash
So here are my 8 ways to get your home Autumn ready.
1. COSY UP THE BED
Sleeping is the thing I love more than anything and I adore my bed. So I always pay keen attention to the bedroom when it comes to Autumn. September is the time of year to dust off the winter duvet (sometimes I even get it dry cleaned) and pile up the bed with layers.
For a healthy, good night’s sleep, the experts tell us to have a warm bed but have the air temperature in the room cool. This is what I have always done, I don’t have the heating on at all in the bedroom, no matter how cold it gets, but I do go extra on the duvet and bedding. I have a 14.5 tog duvet. An electric blanket. And a few throws and blankets. Having layers means you can control the temperature and if you and your partner disagree on what ‘cold’ is then they can pile the excess layers onto you.
It’s also worth investing in the best mattress you can afford and it’s now recommended that we change it every 8 years. So maybe now is the perfect time to treat yourself.
2. CUSHIONS AND THROWS
Now you’ve got the bed all cosy it’s time to address the rest of the home. Think about all your favourite spots to sit. The sofa for your Sunday Netflix binges. The armchair for curling up with a book. The window seat for your morning coffee. Wherever you spend time make sure it is warm and cosy and inviting. Cushions and throws are a must for that time of year when it’s chilly but not cold enough to put on the heating. They are also great for changing up the feel of a room without spending much money. Adding colour and texture can make the decor of a room feel very different without picking up a paintbrush. Look out for the classic autumnal colours like greens and oranges, or choose bright jewel-like colours which look amazing under cosy evening light.
3. LIGHTING
Speaking of lighting, the sun isn’t going to hang around until 10 pm much longer so we need to think about artificial lighting. For those long, dark cosy evenings you don’t want harsh overhead lighting from a central pendant or from downlights. Light is more flattering and romantic when it’s lower down so think about wall lights, floor lamps and table lamps dotted around the room. And if you have plants or features like a mantelpiece you can get creative with fairy lights. Because you know it won’t be long until someone drops the ‘c bomb’. Yep, it’s gonna be Christmas before we know it.
4. RUGS AND MATS
Rugs are the perfect way to add warmth and texture to a room and give it that cosy feel. Particularly if you have hard floors. Some people who are really committed have summer rugs and autumn rugs. This is a really clever and inexpensive way of changing up the decor of your home whilst keeping your walls the same colour. Our Danish friends do this as standard. But I guess you need a loft or some decent storage to carry this off. But wouldn’t that be great? I love the idea of rolling up my light, flat-weave summer rugs and rolling out the dark, heavily patterned Persian style rugs for winter. If only I were that organised.
The thing I do change up is the mat situation. I have white painted floors which look beachy and effortlessly cool in the summer. But come the rainy months they are covered in bootprints and muddy paws. I need extra reinforcements in winter so I do bring out the coir and washable mats at every door to keep the situation under control. Shoe covers have also been ordered which I will store in a basket by the front door for the never-ending tradespeople who come in and out.
5. CURTAINS
There is nothing like a heavy velvet or linen curtain to make a space feel winter-ready. Blinds are great for summer but can leave a room feeling sparse and chilly. So another good trick is to have blinds and curtains but take the curtains down for summer when you don’t want to block the natural light but whip them back out in winter to keep the drafts at bay. For those of you in new builds or modern flats drafts probably aren’t an issue but they can still add visual warmth to create cosy vibes. And if you are going for curtains they have to be full length. Short curtains are not allowed (for other interior design crimes read more here).
6. PROGRAMME APPLIANCES
After a summer of no heating required it’s time to get organised. It’s dull but get it on your to-do list. You need to programme towel rails, central heating, underfloor heating, lights, hot water etc etc. Think about your daily routine so you get the towels warm and the tiles toasty at the right times of day. Of course, we have a load of smart apps now that make all this kind of stuff easier. It’s also a good time to get your boiler serviced, dull but true!
7. STORAGE
Another step that feels more like a chore. But you’re not just gonna chuck on a pair of flip-flops and grab a cardi as you run out the door now are you? It’s time for bulky coats, long boots, scarves and all that jazz. This means it’s also time to make sure you can store all that stuff. Sorry, but you need to get organised with your storage. Your hallway is such an important aspect of your home and it needs to function as smoothly as possible. So maybe it’s time to plan out your storage and make the most of what space you have.
8. CANDLES
I know a lot of you hate scented candles but I am a complete candle whore. Which my friends and family love because it makes present buying really, really easy. Candles are beautiful. They create that cosy glow I crave every evening when the toddler is in bed and I can get on the wine. And if they smell amazing then all the better. I have them everywhere, in the living room, kitchen, hallway, and even the downstairs loo. What my years of burning have taught me is that you get what you pay for though. Cheap scented candles either smell of nothing or smell really synthetic. If you want to experience a proper scented candle my top recommendation is Bay and Rosemary by St Eval.
The unofficial husband was looking over my shoulder and rolling his eyes as I was just finishing this off. He said it was ridiculous to get your house “autumn ready”. But one of the things he always comments on when he gets in from work (in the days when we used to go out to work) is how lovely the house feels. Not looks. FEELS. And that’s because all these little things matter. I don’t exist just to fanny about with cushions you know! Everything is carefully thought through to create a warm and happy feeling that we love to come home to.
So if you want to show you and your home some love this autumn have a think about what you could do to embrace the new season. Let me know your plans in the comments below.
If you like what you read here and would like some advice IRL then get in touch here. I offer my interior design services across Hampshire and Southampton and would love to meet you.
Sarah x
