Decorating
Tiny Changes to Transform Your Rooms for The New Season
Embrace shorter days and longer nights with these ideas for autumnal cheer
As winter approaches, it’s time to snuggle down and make the most of being at home. While it can be hard to motivate ourselves to make major interior changes as temperatures drop, there are plenty of little tweaks that will make a surprisingly big difference. So ring in the new season with these small but enticing ideas.
Install a jewel-bright rug
Grey has its place, but there’s nothing like a colourful rug to give a living room a warm, inviting feel, especially now the seasons are turning. It will also keep chilly toes warmer on hard flooring. If you’re worried about rugs slipping and sliding around on hard floors, use double-sided carpet tape to keep them in place. Alternatively, use felt pads or buy a special rubber or vinyl non-slip rug pad (you can cut this to fit, though watch out for cheap pads leaving a sticky residue on floors).
Grey has its place, but there’s nothing like a colourful rug to give a living room a warm, inviting feel, especially now the seasons are turning. It will also keep chilly toes warmer on hard flooring. If you’re worried about rugs slipping and sliding around on hard floors, use double-sided carpet tape to keep them in place. Alternatively, use felt pads or buy a special rubber or vinyl non-slip rug pad (you can cut this to fit, though watch out for cheap pads leaving a sticky residue on floors).
Sprinkle some fairy dust
Fairy lights definitely aren’t just for Christmas. They add a lovely twinkly feel to rooms, which is especially welcome now we’re heading into autumn and winter. Hang them on a window to add an extra warm glow on those dark, cold mornings or to cheer you up at the end of the day as the light fades. They also look lovely coiled in a fireplace, hung on a mirror or picture frame, or arranged across a wardrobe door.
Fairy lights definitely aren’t just for Christmas. They add a lovely twinkly feel to rooms, which is especially welcome now we’re heading into autumn and winter. Hang them on a window to add an extra warm glow on those dark, cold mornings or to cheer you up at the end of the day as the light fades. They also look lovely coiled in a fireplace, hung on a mirror or picture frame, or arranged across a wardrobe door.
Mix in some metallics
Coppery and golden tones were made for autumn. They add an edge of warm luxury, but also seem to fit with the colours and low light of the season. You don’t need to make a big change – one or two lampshades, a side lamp or a vase or two can make a huge difference to rooms. Copper tones also go beautifully with a neutral palette of greys, whites and beiges, which so many of us have in our rooms these days,
How to use metallics in the bedroom
Coppery and golden tones were made for autumn. They add an edge of warm luxury, but also seem to fit with the colours and low light of the season. You don’t need to make a big change – one or two lampshades, a side lamp or a vase or two can make a huge difference to rooms. Copper tones also go beautifully with a neutral palette of greys, whites and beiges, which so many of us have in our rooms these days,
How to use metallics in the bedroom
Display some evergreen foliage
You don’t need to spend a fortune on expensive bouquets to cheer up your rooms. Spring and summer flowers such as daffodils and tulips might be behind us now, but you can celebrate the change of seasons with some evergreen foliage or even a display of autumnal leaves.
Prop branches, cuttings and sprigs of autumn berries in tall colourful vases to add some natural beauty to the dining table. Head to your back garden or local hedgerows for ideas, but be careful not to collect poisonous berries if you have small children or pets.
You don’t need to spend a fortune on expensive bouquets to cheer up your rooms. Spring and summer flowers such as daffodils and tulips might be behind us now, but you can celebrate the change of seasons with some evergreen foliage or even a display of autumnal leaves.
Prop branches, cuttings and sprigs of autumn berries in tall colourful vases to add some natural beauty to the dining table. Head to your back garden or local hedgerows for ideas, but be careful not to collect poisonous berries if you have small children or pets.
Illuminate kitchen cabinets
Under-cabinet lighting make kitchens look more appealing at night, as it create soft pools of light. It’s also practical for cooking and prepping, especially in gloomy corners, when natural light is at a premium (inevitable as the seasons turn).
No need to despair if you don’t want the fuss and expense of getting lights wired in. Instead, look for simple stick-on battery operated lighting that can be secured in place using sticky tabs and operated at the switch of a button. Round ‘puck’ lights are compact and often feature energy-saving LED bulbs. There are lots of budget options (including Ikea), so read reviews and shop around.
Under-cabinet lighting make kitchens look more appealing at night, as it create soft pools of light. It’s also practical for cooking and prepping, especially in gloomy corners, when natural light is at a premium (inevitable as the seasons turn).
No need to despair if you don’t want the fuss and expense of getting lights wired in. Instead, look for simple stick-on battery operated lighting that can be secured in place using sticky tabs and operated at the switch of a button. Round ‘puck’ lights are compact and often feature energy-saving LED bulbs. There are lots of budget options (including Ikea), so read reviews and shop around.
Try a wall light
Similarly, if you like the practicality of wired-in bedside or office lights, but your walls are already plastered and painted, then try this trick – an angled plug-in light that has the look of a wired-in number. With visible wires being very on-trend, this can easily be styled as part of your interiors scheme.
Wonderful ways with wall lights
Similarly, if you like the practicality of wired-in bedside or office lights, but your walls are already plastered and painted, then try this trick – an angled plug-in light that has the look of a wired-in number. With visible wires being very on-trend, this can easily be styled as part of your interiors scheme.
Wonderful ways with wall lights
Glam up your grout
If your grout is in need of a quick clean up (and let’s face it, whose isn’t), consider a grout pen. This nifty device can tidy up grubby grout in a flash. While it may not be a long-term solution, or look quite as good as replacing it properly, it can tide you over, covering up blackened, cracked and mould-stained patches.
Simply choose the colour that matches your grout – or if you want a change, choose a totally new colour – and draw over the top. Most are antibacterial, too, so should help to prevent new mouldy patches sprouting.
If your grout is in need of a quick clean up (and let’s face it, whose isn’t), consider a grout pen. This nifty device can tidy up grubby grout in a flash. While it may not be a long-term solution, or look quite as good as replacing it properly, it can tide you over, covering up blackened, cracked and mould-stained patches.
Simply choose the colour that matches your grout – or if you want a change, choose a totally new colour – and draw over the top. Most are antibacterial, too, so should help to prevent new mouldy patches sprouting.
Love a wood pile
It’s an easy styling trick that hardly costs anything, but adding a stack of freshly cut logs to a room can completely change its feel (empty fireplaces work particularly well). Logs add a natural, rustic feel and scent that’s completely in tune with the changing seasons. They can make a modern scheme feel warmer and more inviting, too. Head to your local garage, garden centre or DIY store for bags of ready-cut logs.
It’s an easy styling trick that hardly costs anything, but adding a stack of freshly cut logs to a room can completely change its feel (empty fireplaces work particularly well). Logs add a natural, rustic feel and scent that’s completely in tune with the changing seasons. They can make a modern scheme feel warmer and more inviting, too. Head to your local garage, garden centre or DIY store for bags of ready-cut logs.
Light a candle or two
Whether you call it hygge or something else, there’s no doubt that as the evenings start to draw in we’re more likely to light a candle and huddle down, maybe with a mug of cocoa or something a little stronger.
If you already have an assortment of tealight holders and candlesticks stashed in your drawers and cupboards, why not turn them into a flickering display on a low shelf or table? Just always be candle safe and never leave bare flames unattended. Ordinary glass bottles and jars can also work well if you don’t have anything else to hand.
Whether you call it hygge or something else, there’s no doubt that as the evenings start to draw in we’re more likely to light a candle and huddle down, maybe with a mug of cocoa or something a little stronger.
If you already have an assortment of tealight holders and candlesticks stashed in your drawers and cupboards, why not turn them into a flickering display on a low shelf or table? Just always be candle safe and never leave bare flames unattended. Ordinary glass bottles and jars can also work well if you don’t have anything else to hand.
Add a bright blanket
Now that it’s cold outside, it’s time to bring out your blankets. But don’t just see these as functional, seasonal apparel, they can easily be made part of your scheme and are an easy way to give tired bedrooms a seasonal refresh.
Go outside your comfort zone and choose something with a bold design or shade to change the feel of your room – replace summer pastels with rich colours that add a more mellow autumnal atmosphere, for instance. This cosy mustard number tones in with the cushions and brings the neutral bedroom to life.
What tiny touches have you made this autumn? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Now that it’s cold outside, it’s time to bring out your blankets. But don’t just see these as functional, seasonal apparel, they can easily be made part of your scheme and are an easy way to give tired bedrooms a seasonal refresh.
Go outside your comfort zone and choose something with a bold design or shade to change the feel of your room – replace summer pastels with rich colours that add a more mellow autumnal atmosphere, for instance. This cosy mustard number tones in with the cushions and brings the neutral bedroom to life.
What tiny touches have you made this autumn? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
If pretty florals are starting to feel all wrong, embrace the new season with something a little fluffier. Most of us are happy to switch our wardrobes from summer to winter, so why not our accessories at home, too?
Try swapping your cushions for more tactile, cosy numbers in winter whites, oranges or browns to mirror the seasonal hues – and switch light cottons for sheepskin, velvet, wool and felt. The shaggy numbers here make a pair of compact armchairs feel much more inviting on longer evenings.