Autumn is a time for home. By adding just a few simple, seasonal touches, we can look forward to welcoming the season both inside and out, creating a comforting rhythm of Autumn home rituals to come back to year after year.
If you have been following me, you’ll know that alongside being a Lifestyle Coach, I am an Interior Designer and love changing the interiors of my home seasonally – and it’s time to do it again; welcoming my favourite season; Autumn ♡
Autumn colours are not only beautiful, but they also offer an established colour palette from which to work. The burnt oranges, rich yellows and rustic reds can be used in almost any room, from your bedroom to your living room to your kitchen. With Autumn comes swift changes for much of the country, and there are plenty of ways to look out your window take what you see and make some changes in your own space.
Look at your home and choose which pieces you’ll replace as you decorate with new autumn colours. Focus on the rooms you want to decorate with new colours. Get some inspiration from websites and magazines or just go out into your garden and look at the colours, textures and images. Collect leaves for colour schemes or as accents and accessories.
Bring autumn foliage indoors
A simple and low-spend option to make your home feel prepared for the change in season is to see what natural foliage you can gather and display in your spaces.
Seedheads, berries, small branches, dried leaves – all of the golden tones of Autumn can be brought in and added to small jars, trays or wreaths.
Floating frames and foliage also work well at this time of year. If you have a flower press you can press your favourite finds or flatten them between book pages and then frame them between two pieces of glass.
This is a really lovely way to include kids too – if you have little people who love to fill their pockets with all sorts – take them out on a nature walk and see what you come back with…
Add cosy textures to your home
This is the time to go through your cupboards and pull out all the blankets and throws. Adding an extra level of comfort in the living room for those cosy evenings ahead.
The range of textures will give your room a warmer, more inviting feel and keep those toes toasty throughout the Autumn/Winter months.
If you can, add a comfy rug to any floor which could do with a little more warmth!
The addition of soft and tactile materials makes for an inviting autumn home. Rich and warm colours and low lighting will create a comforting haven for when you need to retreat, close out the outside world and relax.
Use natural scents to connect with the seasonal shift
The scent is a wonderful way to create an inviting atmosphere and a sense of comfort in your own space. By choosing scents which tune into the Autumn season, you can add a deeper layer of connection to the natural world outside your door.
It is a real joy to work with essential oils and create natural scents which connect with our seasonal journey. Each blend I make here at The Smallest Light tells a story and each one holds the potential to bring a season to life. For Autumn the scent stories are woven with seasonal themes of harvest, retrospection, gratitude and preparation.
Lighting a candle always holds an element of magic and the soft light of a flame is a perfect companion to your Autumn home. Whether you prefer a candle, oil burner or twinkly lights – make sure you add a few of these touches once the darker evenings begin to draw in.
So let’s look at some simple ways you can incorporate and use natural scents in your living spaces. Do you have a certain aroma you love to smell in autumn? If not, try a few seasonal essential oils out at home and see how they make you feel.
The spiced notes of Cinnamon and the earthy scent of Juniper berry are two of my favourites. I also love to blend these oils with Cedarwood and Bergamot.
- Cinnamon Essential Oil – helps us to relax, manage stressful feelings and enhance mood
- Juniper berry Essential Oil – has a calming effect on the brain, helping fight the effects of anxiety
- Cedarwood Essential Oil – promotes emotional balance and helps stabilise emotions
- Bergamot Essential Oil – the oil of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-approval
Declutter your home
Most of us are likely to spend a great deal more time indoors in our homes over the Autumn and Winter months, so this is a perfect point in the year to try and declutter our space so that we can feel relaxed when we are there! Easier said than done I know, I have two kids and the stuff in our house seems to breed of its own accord!
TO TRY: 30-Day Autumn Cleaning and Decluttering Challenge
With decluttering it’s easiest to take one room, one corner or one cupboard at a time. Think about what you will need for the next few months and whether there is anything that can be packed away or given to charity.
Stock up on your favourite home comforts
During the Autumn months, we should be beginning to wind down, in the natural cycle of things we would seek a quieter pace of life after the busy days of Spring and Summer.
Not all of us can follow natural rhythms as much as we would like though. I find it helps to look forward to the comforts of home, after those busy days on the go.
My go-to comfort is usually a hot drink, so this season I have stocked up with plenty of comforting teas & lattes, chocolate truffles etc. + I have bookmarked quite a few recipes of seasonal comfort foods and cookies!
Whatever your go-to comfort is, stock up ahead of time and look forward to winding down with a little extra treat.
Preparations for the Autumn Season
- A few tried & true recipes, a stack of candles, soft and fluffy cushions & throws, make sure everyone has jackets & shoes to size and slide into the next season gently. No need for a million changes. READ MORE: Get your Home Ready for Autumn
- Do an Autumn Clean of your Home and prepare it for the colder months. TRY: The 30-Day Autumn Cleaning and Decluttering Challenge
- As we’ll probably spend more time indoors, make sure to take this opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones.
- Homecooked foods made with seasonal produce. A little intentionality and enjoyment go a long way to a nourished soul! CHECK OUT: Soulfully Nourished: Healthy Cooking & Eating Made Easy
- Grounding… Earthing… Bare feet on soft earth before it gets too cold. Spend time in Nature and see the seasons change. READ MORE: The Power of Grounding
- Quiet times, conversations, hugs & spoken blessings. It’s the small moments that etch themselves deep into the cores of who we are.
- Life & homemaking are constant adjustments, a routine of making some things more efficient, limiting some things, and holding more space for other things. READ MORE: The Art of Homemaking
How will you prepare for Autumn?
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