Autumn. The days grow shorter, the nights get cooler. It’s the time of year when homes seem to glow from the inside out. It is my favorite thing about fall; walking down the street or sidewalk and seeing the warm glow of lamplight coming from behind the windows. It’s as if the homes have settled into the season and are beckoning loved ones to come inside to get warm. If you love this aspect of the season, I want to share with you some very simple ways you can make your home feel nice and cozy this fall season.
01. Know your purpose
When we think about making our homes feel nice and cozy for the fall season, the most important thing is to know your purpose. You may be styling your home for an upcoming gathering or dinner, or you may be stying your home to bring a feeling of safety and solace to your family. Whatever your reason for wanting to style your home for the fall, start by knowing your purpose.
Ask yourself the question, “What do I want this room to feel like?” You probably already know what you want it to look like, but knowing what you want it to feel like will lead you in the right direction and help you create that nice and cozy feeling you’re looking for. Create mood boards, and continue to tweak them until you get just the right feeling you’re going for.
Here is a screenshot of the mood board I found online. When I saw it, I immediately knew this was the feeling I wanted to achieve. My husband is a huge lover of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I jokingly call this mood “modern hobbit.” It incorporates warm woods, faux furs, and rich leathers. What more could a modern hobbit want?
Understand your needs and your family’s needs first, decorate second. What do you need at the end of the day? A warm place to relax? Cozy blankets to snuggle up with? A place to set a steaming mug of hot cider? Maybe a soft place to put your feet up. Know your purpose first, and you’ll find that nice and cozy feeling will find it’s place in your home before you know it.
02. Start with Texture
I think it’s an easy thing to bring the feeling of autumn into your home without breaking the bank. If you want to bring in the feeling of autumn without your decor screaming autumn. That’s where texture comes into play.
Making your home feel nice and cozy can begin simply with swapping out your lightweight summer throws for heavier options. Currently I have a handful I’m loving. I have a brown faux fur blanket (that is my absolute dream), a chunky knit, and a plaid that feels like cashmere. Here’s the beauty of it; none of these blankets cost me more than $30. Most I’ve had for years. I simply pull them out of storage when I’m creating or reimagining a new aesthetic for our space.
Swapping out lighter weight pillows like linens or cottons for something warmer and snugglier, is another great way to bring in that cozy feeling without having to spend a lot of money. The pillows in the photos above are all from Amazon, and I’ve owned them for years. I love the way I can mix and match colors and textures to suit the season, and when it’s time to change things up again, I simply remove the covers and replace them with another. I love colors like taupes and blacks and creamy whites that can be used year round and for multiple seasons. Then, I keep in my stash a few coordinating colors like earthy greens and navy, caramels and warm golds that can be swapped in for seasons like spring and fall.
03. Dim the lighting
This may sound counter-intuitive as the days grow shorter, but dimming the lighting in your home will instantly give you that nice and cozy feel you’re looking for. We opt for warm white bulbs that have a cozier temperature. I think it creates an envelope of warmth that is felt but not necessarily recognized.
I’m always one to light the candles and dim the lighting as soon as the days begin to shorten. Around late August I begin lighting the candles on the table and counter tops around 6:00 p.m. But as the days grow even shorter, I like to start lighting the candles and dimming the lights around 4:00 p.m. Living in the Central Time Zone, it can be completely dark outside by 4:45 p.m., and so slowing bringing that glow into the home a little while before the sun completely sets, sets the tone and mood for the rest of the evening.
04. Experiment with fragrance
Fragrance may be one of the easiest ways to bring that nice and cozy feeling into your home for the fall season. Of course, I am a candle lover. I have a few favorites I purchase each year, and honestly, my fall doesn’t feel like fall until my home smells a certain way.
However, if you’re one who doesn’t tolerate fragrance easily, there are some very simple diy fragrances you can use to bring this feeling into your home, as well. You can create simmer pots with apple or orange slices, a dash of vanilla and a cinnamon stick or some whole cloves. If you prefer your home to smell like Williams Sonoma, you can find recipes for those simmer pots online as well. Most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand.
If you’re not one for simmer pots or candles, then try your hand at baking. Fresh apple cobblers or pies, pumpkin bread, or cinnamon rolls will all fill your home with that fresh autumnal fragrance, and leave it feeling nice and cozy just in time for fall.
05. Bring the outdoors in
This may be the easiest way to bring that nice and cozy vibe into your home for the fall. It can be as simple as foraging for pine cones in your neighborhood or nearby park, bringing in clippings from maple or oak trees that need trimming, or even drying hydrangeas as they begin to peak for the season.
You can dry beautiful autumn-colored leaves to frame or use as bowl filler. Even simply collecting interestingly shaped twigs and branches can be used in vases or in your fireplace before the season is in full swing.
Aside from brining the actual outdoors in, don’t forget to check out your local craft and hobby stores for faux florals. Let me tell you, they have come a long way in recent years. Some of them are very realistic.
There is something very special about caring for home
While some people don’t think about reimagining their spaces for the seasons, I believe there is something intrinsically special about caring for home. Like a bird who feathers her nest in the spring and continues to line it throughout the summer and autumn, or a rabbit that lines her burrow with fur, we too like to feel nice and cozy in our homes. There is something about coming home at the end of the day to your favorite snuggly blanket, a warm cup of comfort, and some soft candle light.
Life doesn’t have to be perfect. But I encourage you to find one or two ways to bring the coziness of fall into your own home. Create a safe haven for yourself and your family. It doesn’t have to cost you a penny. Sometimes just rearranging or rethinking your space is all it takes to give you a fresh perspective for a new season!
Let me know your favorite way to bring the cozy feeling of fall into your home. Leave me a comment below.
