Five Things to Love About Autumn ~ Fresh Design Blog

While we all love summer, with long, bright days, alfresco meals and lots of outdoor living, we have a sneaking affection for autumn as well. It’s the season of real fires, cosy throws and evenings in. This year, we’ll be spending more time at home than ever before so we’ve picked out five things we love about autumn to help you love your home.

1. Layer it up

Autumn can be a funny season temperature-wise – it may not be necessary to have the central heating on all the time but you need to take the chill off in the evenings. This is where throws and cushions come into their own. Opt for natural materials and textural fabrics such as faux fur, hessian, canvas, linen and wool. Several thin throws can work better than one big chunky one, and they look good on the backs of chairs and sofas when not in use.

This orange cardigan throw (above), £175 from Kraft Space, is inspired by the traditional Welsh costume. It’s designed in Cardiff and woven in Bristol, made from the softest wool.

2. Bring the outside in

Just because it’s looking a bit dreary outside and there’s nothing much in the garden for inspiration is no reason not to decorate your home. The autumn colours are stunning at the moment, and you can make an eye-catching display with autumn foliage and fruits and berries such as haws, rosehips and acorns. Go for a long walk and see what you can find for inspiration! Leave your harvest outside for a day or two in some water to give insects a chance to decamp, and then spray leaves with hair spray when you bring them inside – this helps keep them attached to the branch for longer. If you’re feeling particularly creative, how about making a wreath of autumn leaves for a door?

Much seasonal autumn food is also very decorative. Make a pile of apples in a bowl, or use pumpkins and squashes as decorations on a table until you’re ready to use them. If you don’t have pumpkins to hand, try these realistic-looking pumpkin design lights instead.

3. Let there be light

Sometimes ‘dark and cosy’ is the way to go, but when the weather’s a bit grey outside then the inside might start to feel dull as well. During the day, get as much light into the house as you can by pushing curtains back as far as possible. For dark corners, consider a standard or floor lamp. If you’re working from home, now’s the time to make sure you’ve got as much light as you need by your desk area – invest in a desk or table lamp for dark afternoons. If your room is due an update, then painting it a lighter shade will give a feeling of space.

The minimalist Lily floor lamp by Nordlux (above) is perfect for extra seasonal illumination. It costs £109.95 and is available from LimeLace.

4. Update your cookware

With all the season’s bounty ready and waiting, many of us do more home cooking at this time of year. From apple cake to pumpkin soup and pumpkin gnocchi, the perfect autumn food is comforting and warming. Look through your cupboards and check if anything needs replacing or updating, as this is the perfect time to treat yourself to new casserole dishes, cake tins or baking accessories.

This cast iron casserole set (above) from ProCook consists of two pans in an eye-catching green, ideal for slow cooking stews or curries. £129 for the set, available from ProCook.

5. Nesting!

This year more than ever it’s important to carve out some space in the house for yourself, especially if you have other people at home all the time. Autumn is the perfect time to build yourself a ‘nest’, which could be a whole room, part of a room or just a chair. Pile up the throws, make sure you’ve got a little table to hold magazines and mugs of tea and buy yourself that book you’ve been meaning to read.