With the colder, and wetter, weather arriving, you’ve no doubt started to transition your wardrobe from light summer pieces to chunkier winter knits, hats and scarves. But your outfits aren’t the only thing that needs a seasonal switch up. It’s time to inject some autumnal vibes and winter warmers into your home. Here’s how to do it without breaking the bank.
All about the accessories
Just as you can change up any outfit with some new accessories, your home is just the same. You don’t need to swap out big furniture pieces, it can all come down to smart accessorising. If your walls are kept in neutral tones, rooms can be easily updated by swapping out soft furnishings like cushions, throws and duvet covers. For summer you might have had soft pastels like pinks and blues, but for autumn why not try burnt orange, deep brown or mustard yellow. Try adding some different textures too, like soft velvets and tweed. For winter, swap them out for deep reds or forest greens. If you’re swapping out cushions, buy just the cover itself meaning you are simply replacing those and not the full cushion. This should keep costs down and also mean you don’t need too much space to store them when not in use.
Just like your summer clothes, don’t throw away your summer home accessories. If possible, keep them stored away in your loft, cupboards or garage for next year. Duvet covers, throws and cushion covers can be kept in vacuum bags, making sure they’re kept fresh for the following year.
Make your home feel cosy and warm by adding nice throws over the sofas and the foot of your bed so that you can snuggle up when the temperature starts to dip. They’ll come in handy for cosy movie nights with the family too.
Switch up your scents
If you’re a fan of scented candles, diffusers and oil burners, remember to swap your scents out too. Instead of fresh, flowery smells, why not try something spicy like cinnamon or Christmassy like pine trees. Or even one that smells like your favourite winter coffee, pumpkin spice or gingerbread.
Check out your favourite home stores for their latest autumn and winter scents, H&M Home even has a candle named ‘Christmas morning’.
A good tip is to buy these scents in bulk, like large packs of tealights and wax melts and whatever you don’t get through this year, you can keep for next year.
Keeping your home warm and cosy is key for this time of year and simply lighting some warming candles can do that instantly.
Keep the cold outside
Once the temperature starts to dip outside, it’s normal to feel it inside too, even with the heating on high! A good way to keep the heat inside and to stop it from escaping through your windows is to put up some thicker curtains. You may find that you only need a blackout blind during the summer but putting up some curtains can help stop drafts. You could also buy some draft excluders for your doors. It’s maybe time to swap out your summer duvet for your winter one too. Duvets are scored by their tog rating, the higher the tog, the thicker the duvet. Again, these can be stored in vacuum sealed bags in your loft or garage to save space.
If you have wooden or tiled flooring, and you’re not lucky enough to have underfloor heating, you may find that they are adding coldness to your home. Why not add a rug to your room, tying in with your new coloured accessories?
More lights for darker nights
With the darker nights starting earlier, you’ve probably noticed that you’re putting on your lamps a lot earlier. If you’re out working during the day and by the time you get home it’s already dark, you may want to buy some timers for your lights. This means you’re not coming home to a dark house or flat, and that you don’t need to leave your lights on all day. Timers are relatively inexpensive and can be picked up in some supermarkets and home stores. They’re also handy to have when you’re away on holiday.
Don’t just think about lights inside your home, consider what lighting you have outside. Would you feel safer with a motion detector light for your garden? Or even just simple spotlights or solar powered lamps for your driveway to avoid any bumps when you’re parking your car.
Remember, fairy lights aren’t just for Christmas! They can be wrapped around bed frames, windows and even bannisters to add subtle lighting to any room, making it extra cosy.
By transitioning your home interiors to match the seasons, you can make your home feel like new without having to move!