Snuggle up to new season
Fall home decor trend: Cozy, with dash of color
It seems like we went from summer to fall in a snap this year. One minute we were sweating in 90-degree mid-August, and not a week later we were sending our sweaters to the dry cleaner to start mixing them into our wardrobes. And while the outerwear debuted this week, we’re still getting ready to spend a lot more time inside as we wait winter, and the pandemic, out.
So let’s get after autumn-ifying the inside of our homes, shall we? And let’s make each room as cozy and welcoming as possible, with a dash of seasonal color here and of celebration of harvest time there.
And how about we start at the front door. The 18-inch Dried Fall Wheat Wreath ($55 on etsy.com) is a rustic but minimalist design, and its light color looks dramatic against a dark gray, green or black door. Meanwhile, the Autumn Abundance Wreath ($179 on balsamhill.com) is resplendent on nearly any color background, with its warm earth tones by way of lifelike fall leaves, berries and pinecones.
Chilly temps mean one thing in my house: It’s time to snuggle up. And that, of course, requires great throw blankets. It’s tough to find any better than the Heathered Boucle Fringe Throws ($49 on potterybarn.com). Sure it’s the gorgeous, soft texture that feels like a sweater, but it’s also the beautifully muted colors they come in — soft shades like fig and sage, oatmeal and mineral blue.
Or the super-soft Chappy Wrap, created by a New England-based company run by a mom and daughter team. The cushy and stylish blankets ($135 on chappywrap.com) sport fab designs like maps of Nantucket, buffalo checks and demure schools of fish in the Herring Bone Blanket.
What would a blanket be without a pillow? I love the folksymeets artisanal allure of kilim—a flat tapestry-weave traditionally produced in countries of the former Persian Empire. They’re in warm fall colors—rusts, tomato reds, taupes and creams — that work so well in almost any design environment from contemporary to country.
And whether or not you have a fireplace in your abode, it’s easy (and far cheaper) to create the same vibe with candles—with an even more refined scent to imbue the room. At no time of year can I pass up Jo Malone’s fragrances, but especially not in the fall, when the olfactory genius puts out masterpieces like mimosa & cardamom candle ($69 on saksfifthavenue.com). One of my relatively new discoveries is P.F. Candle Co. based in Cali, which churns out lovely spice-centric candles such as smoky cinnamon ($20 on pfcandleco.com) and earthy ones like teakwood & tobacco ($29 on pfcandleco.com). Just the thing to keep us warm and happy through the long, cold season ahead.