By Angela

IN Social Team

All the leaves are brown

We love Autumn. The colour of fallen leaves, chilly walks, warm fires and an excuse to eat comfort food in chunky knits. As the nights draw in, our homes become a cosy haven from the outside world. Here’s our guide to making your home feel warm and welcoming…

Invite autumn into your home

@s.u.s.a.p

As we’re spending more and more time in our homes, it’s a good idea to regularly refresh our surroundings and give ourselves a new view. Autumn is one our favourite seasons to invite into our homes, with colours inspired by candy-red maple trees, golden sunsets and russet brown leaves.

Cool, monochrome rooms are all very well during the summer heat, but when the cold autumn mists the streets, it’s time to warm up your home with colour. From your walls, to your soft furnishings to the spines of your coffee table books, dare yourself to be brave. Autumn offers a palette of hues from ochre yellows through to deep rich reds. But be careful to get the balance of light and dark just right – autumn colours are best used as highlights against a neutral backdrop or to contrast with darker colours such as forest green or teal. Grey is still the neutral colour of choice. Be inspired by the British weather; the dappled warm grey of the early morning light or the dark cool greys of a stormy October sky.

There’s no better time to be creative – forage for pine comes and pop them in vases with some fairy lights, or make a garland of acorns, strung on twine with painted copper hats. These things will bring you joy in their making and to look at for weeks to come.

Curate your own cosy

Pinterest

The Danish concept of ‘Hygge’ has been embraced by the Brits and it’s time to put into action all we’ve learned. The closest translation of the word means ‘cosy’. Just the mention of the word has a calming effect on body and mind. The great thing is, cosy means different things to different people, so you can really have some fun curating a truly original space. Think back to moments in your life when you felt the most relaxed, warm and safe. Maybe it was at your grandparents, surrounded by kitsch décor, board games and colourful knitted blankets. Perhaps it was in a log cabin on a skiing trip, wearing thermal socks and nestled into a fur throw in front of a roaring fire.

Take this opportunity to stay safe at home and escape what’s happening in the world. Switch off from the digital drone and create a tech-free sanctuary. Excite all the senses – open your blinds to watch the rain drizzle down the window, we promise it gives you a warm glow inside. Scent your surroundings with spicy and woody fragrances, reminiscent of bonfires and buttered cinnamon toast. Invest in a vintage cake dome or biscotti jar and perfect your signature bake. We have a perfect one here.

Light up the room

@fashionablykay

British daylight can be quite cold and unforgiving at this time of year. As many of us work from home, we find ourselves in dim blue-toned light for most of the day and evening walks are now in the dark. Light is vital to our wellbeing and as the sun hides behind clouds and the nights draw in, it’s important that we adjust our lighting accordingly.

Maybe now is the time to change your working from home space? Do you have access to plenty of light? Can you see out of a window? Do you have an adequate light on hand when dusk descends? Light is also a great tool for us to use when creating the transition from work-life to home-life. Many of us no longer have a commute to reset our brains, either to gear up for the day ahead or to relax when the work is done. By working in bright natural light and then switching to low warm lights in the evening, it will help you to get in the correct head space. Create rituals at the beginning and end of each day such as putting the radio on in the morning or lighting your favourite scented candles after you’ve closed your laptop.

Stay snug as a bug

Reducing draughts in your house will make your house feel warmer and reduce your heating bills, particularly as many of us are now heating our houses all day. Cold spots to look out for are single-glazed windows, gaps between skirting boards and floorboards, loft hatches and under doors. Insulating the back of your loft hatch, draught-proofing windows and doors and sealing gaps in floorboards will help create a cosier home. Check out the new scheme to replace single glazing here.

Check your heating is working properly before winter really kicks in. If you’re finding your radiators are warm at the top but cold at the bottom, you probably need to bleed the air off them with a special key. There’s lots of handy tutorials on YouTube and a key is very inexpensive from your local DIY store.

We would love to see your autumn abode and beautiful views through your windows! Please share your images with us on Instagram @in_veka