The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
SEASONAL STYLE
As the days begin to get colder it’s time to spruce up your home with some warming and cosy accessories
Bring autumn indoors with the latest colours, textures and accessories.
As the nights draw in and an autumnal chill underlies even the sunniest of days, it’s time to think about transforming our homes into a cosy nest for winter.
That doesn’t mean replacing and repainting everything – a few clever buys and budget touches can take your home from sultry summer to warm and welcoming in a jiffy.
Designers at Pantone have announced the colour palette for autumn. Led by blues and greys, it will also feature earth tones to tie shades together, plus exuberant pops of vibrant colours, red tones to invite confidence and warmth, and hot pinkish purples and spicy mustard yellows to suggest a touch the exotic.
Metallic tones, retro vibes and natural or rustic woods will also continue into the autumn, ensuring that when it comes to accessories for the home, anything goes – as long as you choose one or two complementing themes and stick with them.
Cushions and throws are a great way to instantly transform a room and this season’s textures will include velvets, faux fur, wool and corduroy. And throws needn’t just be for show – you can use them to wrap up in and curl up on the sofa.
If your room has a neutral base you can opt for bright pops of colour when it comes to accessories but if your decor is already quite colourful, then tone it down with contrasting touches in taupes, soft
If your room has a neutral base then opt for bright pops of colour
greys, pale greens and blues.
Adding a rug to a room is a great way to introduce a shot of colour and texture and can liven up both a tired carpet and a plain wooden floor.
And when it comes to pattern, don’t be afraid to mix and match: for example, florals can look great teamed with checks and tartans.
Lighting is very important over the winter months so illuminate dark corners with lamps to create ambience, and ensure overhead and task lighting is strong enough to read or work by.
Changing a lamp or fitting a dimmer can create a real sense of mood and cosiness without stretching the bank balance too much. A transparent glass vase filled with clear fairy lights is a simply stunning look no matter the age or style of your property.
Nobody can afford to change their decor with each new season but why not change some of the pictures and paintings you have hanging on the walls. You can even mount a selection of prints or photographs yourself using an autumnal background in dark red or old gold – the effect will be striking.
Flowers and shrubbery are a great way to bring the new season into your home. A vase filled with Honesty (“silver pennies”), trailing ivy and a few twigs with fiery russet and orange leaves will bring a room to life, or why not fill bowls with fir cones, beech nuts, conkers and other autumn walk finds.