It’s sweater season! With a decided crispness in the air, the honking of Canada Geese overhead, and shorter daylight hours, there’s no denying that fall has arrived in Manitoba.
With autumn having officially arrived in the form of the fall equinox — sneaking in despite this week’s lingering summer weather — we can’t help but turn our thoughts to the colder, darker days looming ahead. But there are easy ways to decorate your home that will make it feel cozy and warm this fall.
Begin with your front door
As a lovely hint to the coziness waiting inside, welcome visitors to your home with a wreath or door hanging in the gorgeous, rich colours of autumn. It’s super-easy to make a wreath of your own, getting as creative as you can dream up, or just go to any store and buy a ready-made decoration. But with the abundance of bright leaves to choose from lying everywhere you walk, you can easily gather as many as you need to glue onto a foam or vine wreath. Add a warm-hued bow and you’re done.
Continue the mood in the front foyer
As soon as visitors enter, you can start setting that warm fall vibe. A rustic feel with warm woods is the perfect design style for fall. Add touches of red or orange in the form of a new rug, or pillows on a bench where guests can sit to remove their heavier seasonal footwear. Change the picture from a light summer scene to something more suitable to the colder season. If you have a side table at the entrance, you can replace those summery daisies with anything from dried seed pods to orange mums.
Pile on the pillows and throws
Swap your summer pastel pillows or bright greens and golds for warmer colours like charcoal, burgundy and caramel. Plaid is always a fall favourite. A sheepskin or faux fur rug under the coffee table keeps your feet cozy, while a chunky knit or faux fur blanket is something to curl up into if your living space lacks that epitome of fall coziness — a fireplace.
Bring on the flames
Do you have a fire pit outside rather than a fireplace indoors? Then bring the fall coziness and decor mood outside, too. Change up the bright pillows on your patio or deck with the same tones, add some faux fur, and you’re all set for a mosquito-free evening under the stars. If you only have access to a balcony, set out a tray of candles to mimic a fire. The huge variety of LED candle available allow you to put them just about anywhere, including on the ground, without any fear of causing a fire or scorching your pets. Add some curtain lights for privacy, or strings of bulbs overhead, and you have a perfect fall getaway to stretch this cooler season as long as possible.
Add textiles to your walls
Bare walls always look a bit cold, even if they’re wood or brick. Adding textiles to them not only adds a feeling of warmth, but makes a larger space feel a bit more cozy. Textiles for your walls are a big design trend, and anything goes, from handmade sheepskin weaves to macrame to quilts. Do you have a vintage quilt that grandma handed down that you’ve been storing in a closet somewhere? Now’s the time to display it out in the open and let everyone enjoy it. Have a piece of woven art that you made yourself? Hang it with pride!
Paint an accent wall
Painting is a super-easy way to make a really dramatic seasonal change to your room. You could literally paint an accent wall a deep green or rust or brown for fall, and then paint over it in the spring in a lighter colour for summer. You can do this with your front door, too. Sure, it’s a commitment, but the way a colour can change your space has a huge effect on the mood of that space. Lighter colours will open a room up and brighten it, while rich hues will bring it in closer and make it feel more like a cocoon. Or a hug. And who doesn’t want to feel embraced by warmth in the colder months?
Swap out your artwork
We mentioned this tip for your front foyer, but it works throughout your home. Exchange your lighter, airier pieces for darker or more rustic artwork to reflect your warmer decor in the rest of the room. If you have a large piece of art with sun-drenched sailboats on it above your couch or fireplace, why not replace it with an image more evocative of autumn that complements your darker pillows and throws?
Don’t forget your bedroom and office
Now that you’ve warmed every other area of your home, you want to make sure that your bedroom is equally cozy and inviting. If you have a neutral bedroom, the easiest way to transition it into fall is through texture. Remove flat artwork and add textiles to your walls. Add a faux fur or big, chunky knit throw to the bed. Change the white pillow cases to a warm grey. Add some candles to your side table and you’re all set. You can add the same touches to a guest room if you have one.
If you have a home office, the same small touches apply here, too, and can really change the mood in a way that might actually make you feel happy to be stuck indoors at your computer!
With these simple tips, you’ll welcome the nip in the air and having to pull on that extra sweater.