Sweater weather is here, and along with the desire to put one on and snuggle up with a hot cup of cocoa now that the temperature is dropping, we’re also looking to warm up the interior of our homes as we spend more time indoors.
With this being Thanksgiving Weekend, it’s also a good time to add a little autumn pizzazz to our home decor in preparation for all the family and friends who may be dropping by for a cozy visit and a bite to eat.So what are the big trends dropping this fall?
Earthy colour palettes
Earthy colours are still carrying on strong since last winter. The days of builder-beige and cool grey are long over. Sure, these colours are great if you want a space to look enormous and ricochet sunlight into every available corner, but not so wonderful at making you feel cozy and warm when cold winds are blowing.
Enter sun-baked terracotta, forest green, warm taupe, deep brown and even dark, overripe plum that allow us to evoke the warmth of a perpetual summer. These warm tones can easily be balanced with cream and warm white, or even a deep yellow or amber, all touches that help prevent this palette from feeling gloomy.
If you have cold white or grey walls, no worries, you can easily warm up your space by incorporating these colours into your accessories from cushions to and throws to artwork. Natural woods as furniture are an excellent way to warm up white.
Vintage and retro accents
This can’t even be called a trend, because it has never gone away. Incorporating authentic pieces with history behind them, like your grandmother’s well-loved kitchen table, or an antique timepiece that your great-uncle may have set his watch by, keep their stories alive while adding personality to your space. Cookie-cutter design using a pre-chosen line of accessories is easy, yes, but lacks personality.
Revisit items you may have stowed away in the basement or garage and re-purpose them instead of throwing them away. Or visit a thrift store and turn someone else’s castoff into your new treasure. This is something a really like to do because you’re now cherishing something that someone else used to love, giving it new life. Plus, it’s fun to imagine the story behind it!
Sustainable decor is not a fad and is growing in popularity every year. Not only is it more affordable than buying new, but once upon a time, everything was built and crafted to last for generations so they possess a quality that mass-produced items don’t. We’re also now more aware than ever that throwing items away after a season is filling up landfills and wrecking our planet. Reuse and recycle!
Layered textures and textiles
Nothing is more appealing than varied textures that draw in our eye, or that you want to sink into and touch. From exotic stone surfaces in the kitchen, powder room or even the bedroom, to aged brass and polished nickel, along with mixed textiles from cushions to woven baskets and placemats, visual and tactile texture is the rule. By mixing interesting surfaces with wools and velvets, rooms end up looking fascinating and like places you want to spend a lot of time in.
You don’t have to go big, either, because the trick is in the layering to create richness. If a tiger’s eye granite island isn’t in your budget, opt for an interesting marbled tray. Tapestries are having a moment, and will instantly warm up a space without all the trouble of painting an entire wall. But you don’t have to hang one since this texture can be found in everything from headboards to that essential throw that we all enjoy curling up in.
Block print florals
If you’re a big fan of graphic elements, this trend was made for you. Despite being a subtle nod to summer past — and keeping the hope alive until next year’s warm weather! — these traditional and botanical design elements add charm to any space. While these prints are a traditional method of producing designs on fabric, they have a very modern feel due to their bold and simple visuals.
Block prints do most often come in botanical prints, but they can also be very modern and contemporary, so they can be used anywhere, from cushions to blankets to framed art. I’ve often found a swatch of fabric that I’m in love with but that isn’t large enough to use for an item, so I’ll buy a frame in black or natural beech and hang it as art. Framed fabrics in bold prints look stunning, and are an economical way to add art to your bare walls.
Candles, and even more candles
This is the number one tried and true method to add a toasty vibe to any room. By using votive candles in glass jars, you can prevent someone accidentally knocking the candle over, but if you choose to go with battery-operated LED candles, you can turn them on anywhere including the bathroom, for that amber ambiance. Granted, an LED candle doesn’t have that pumpkin spice latte scent we all crave at this time of year, but you can use a diffuser instead to imbue your home with any seasonal warm scent.
By adding a grouping of pillar candles in varying heights to a tabletop, shelf, island or side table, you can imbue your space with a peaceful firelight glow even without having access to a fireplace. This is probably the one design element that complements every single design style that’s out there, and that has never gone in or out of fashion. Candlelight fosters relaxation that’s hard to resist.
Bring outdoor elements inside
This is a perfect touch for Thanksgiving (and upcoming Halloween) without having to spend a dime. There are always interesting branches and rocks and other natural elements to be found on walks in nature, and this is the easiest and most economical way to add visual density, tactile richness and appeal to a space.
If you have light-coloured walls, setting a few bare branches against that expanse highlights their simplicity and allows for interesting shadows that create even more drama while they travel across the wall as the sun moves. A nice touch is to hang interesting dried leaves or hand-made decorations from them.
In fact, decorating your branches is a particularly wonderful project that everyone can participate in. Offer craft paper, twine or sisal, along with markers, crayons or pencil crayons, and have your guests write simple messages of gratitude, inspiration, or even a single word that has special meaning, onto a shape they custom cut, or that you pre-cut for them. Some of my favourites are “Don’t overthink!” and “Read.” These can be left as is, rolled into a tube, or accordion-pleated like a fan to catch the light more fully before hanging. You can also write the messages onto strips of paper or ribbon and tie them directly onto the branches. These heart-felt messages can also be placed into a glass bowl or jar, and read out loud together, or dated and set aside for next year.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!