Hello Autumn, My Old Friend

As I turn the page of my diary and find myself in the official first week of September, I feel a sense of relief. Almost like a new chapter has begun, a new day has risen, and new opportunities are around the corner. Is it that back to school feeling that I’ve had since I was a child? Probably. But also, Autumn is starting to peek its head around the corner and I have to say that I fully approve. I feel like a season changing has so much depth to it – familiar scents, crunching of leaves beneath my feet, cooler evenings, and a desire to break out everything wool in my wardrobe. I think I may be getting ahead of myself though… you’re probably thinking – OK Lydia can we just get to the part where you talk about your Autumn Home Accessories so I can buy all of the things that transform my house for the season? Sure! But I think it’s important to take a moment and really embrace the feelings that come long with Autumn.

Pause and Appreciate

Before I bring you into the joy that is Autumn Home Accessories, I thought we should take a moment to appreciate how wonderful creating a seasonal space can be. It’s highly therapeutic to curate your home and peel off the layers of summer, making room for change and new air. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to make these changes too – with a simple tweak in fabrics, scents, and warmth, you can feel connected to the season. So let’s talk about Autumn in particular as a season. Autumn to me represents the beginning of the end… (OK that sounds mildly morbid but do you know what I’m saying??). The leaves start to fall, the year is coming to a close, and it’s a time to reflect on what you have done – what you have loved, what you haven’t loved, and what you hope to do more of next year. You know me, I love goal setting. I love to start by undoing all of the summer things I have around the home and carefully putting them away in storage. I then like to work, room by room, to figure out how I can add the accents of Autumn in each space. No two spaces are the same either – each one requires special attention to achieve that seasonal glow. Without further ado, let’s go into what it takes to create a gorgeous Autumnal home.

Room By Room

Decor can be overwhelming, and although I do really love it, it’s often hard to know where to start and where to draw the line… I sometimes ask myself questions like “How many candles are too many candles, Lydia?”. The answer is, you can never have too many candles, but I digress. Let’s go through the house and see how we can dress some of the important spaces for Autumn.

The Living Room

My cozy little corner to relax, unwind, and disconnect from the digital world. I can curl up with a book, Lumi and Porter and not move for a solid three hours. In order to create the ultimate Autumn space for your living room, I suggest getting a great candle with notes of amber, like the one from Daylesford or Diptyque that I’ve linked below. To me, lighting is crucial in this space. This is the quickest way to recognise the season and immediately makes me decompress after a long day. I also like to bring in a blanket for texture and of course warmth for the space. You’ll see that just by adding these two accents, the whole space will change.

The Kitchen

Curating an Autumn scene in the kitchen is probably the easiest of all of the rooms in your home because all you really need is a nice basket or bowl, and then you can put small pumpkins, or acorns as a centrepiece on your table. I like to find these things at a local market so they are fresh, but equally you could find faux online. I also like to bring in dried wheat to replace the summer floral displays. Side note – I’m not sure if you seen but I have been dabbling in creating some of my favourite preserves like chutneys because it’s the perfect way for me to cultivate what I have growing in the garden and bring that warmth into my diet. Is there a sort of animal instinct we get at this time of year where we feel we need to harvest for the long winter? It gives me old-school Anne of Green Gables countryside vibes that you know I’m always feeling! Do you like to cook more when we get to this time of year?

The Bedroom

This is where the magic happens… haha no, but in all seriousness, you want it to be really cozy, am I right? Can I be frank – if you can get a cat or a dog, I highly recommend adding this accent to your space! The absolute LOVE you get from them, especially right before bedtime is incomparable. (OK besides an animal, Lydia). Some of my interior design friends tell me that this is the space they like to curate first as it’s the most important for them in the home – so interesting. I like to use this time to change over my duvet to a heavier weight, and embrace texture. I like to bring in wool blankets, and of course a scent that will lull me into a peaceful sleep as September is always quite a full-on month and I need zen for nighttime worries. I’ve linked the perfect lavender candle from Daylesford.

The Patio & Outdoor Space

Again, it’s all about lighting for me here. A fire-pit can transform your outdoor space if you have room for it, and that smokey and woody smell that you get is the ultimate Autumn comfort. My favourite time of day at this time of year is when the sun is setting after my long walk with Porter and I can swing the doors of my kitchen open to my patio and get that fresh crisp air into the house. And this comes at no cost – ah, the little things in life. The crisp air freshens up the room and creates such a special atmosphere… then swiftly close it after about 20 mins because there is a fine line between crisp and friggin’ cold!

What are your favourite accents to add to the the home?

You know I always love to hear from you and seeing your beautiful spaces. I really love how this site and my channels have become the most lovely community. What are you buying or making or reusing this season to curate the perfect atmosphere? Have a lovely weekend everyone!