How to make your home feel extra cosy this autumn

Autumn is well and truly here, spelling the end of long days and balmy nights. While the onset of cooler weather isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (it certainly isn’t mine!), it does mean we get to embrace comfort, cosy nights in, and hearty meals, which naturally leads one to feel the need to spruce up their interiors.

If you’re looking to make your home feel like a cocooning sanctuary over the coming months, first you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a great energy-efficient heater – because no amount of styling can fix a cold home! Then, you’ll want to consider these four simple styling tips, which will help you transition your space into a cosy, autumn-ready haven you’ll be happy to return to at the end of a cool and windy autumn’s day.

1. Create a textural contrast

Materials like rattan and sisal are often linked to a summer coastal look, but when styled alongside wintery finishes like thick cable knit, fur or leather, they create a fantastically on-trend textural interplay that adds depth to your space.

Thick blankets and an earthy green tablecloth make the dining room of this restored coach house extra cosy. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Danielle Symes)

2. Showcase handmade pieces

Display any handmade trinkets, ceramics and other pieces that speak to you around the home; they are sure to add character to your space. Style a coffee table vignette featuring a wobbly ceramic bowl or a turned timber sculpture to welcome in the new season with textural and natural-hued wares.

3. Embrace a warm colour palette and natural light

There is a clear autumnal colour palette. Group Design Manager at Winning Appliances, Kate McGlone says, “In the cooler months, invite warmth and cosiness into your home by taking the beauty of the outdoors inside. Introduce interchangeable accessories in earthy tones like rust, bronze and walnut, that you can swap out as the seasons change.”

In addition to earthy tones, making sure your home gets as much natural light as possible is important for making your space feel warm and welcoming – and staving off those winter blues. Sheer curtains and pure white walls help bounce the light around the room, keeping the look fresh and crisp.

4. Add some texture

An ethically sourced sheepskin will add softness to your sofa, textural cushions in the bedroom will add warmth, and some indoor plants in the bathroom will inject an organic feel into a space that’s mostly hard tiles and reflective surfaces.

The soft green paint and plaid blanket in the bedroom of this bungalow in country Victoria create a soothing space. (Photography: Mitchell Hodge)

Autumnal interior styling inspiration

How can I decorate my house for autumn?

When styling your home decor for the change of the season, just a few small changes will make all the difference in bringing warmth and comfort. A few tricks to warming up your home decor include:

• Embracing a warm colour palette of earthy hues like dark green, rust, and chocolate brown.
• Adding texture with cushions, an ethically-sourced sheepskin or even indoor plants.
• Showcasing handmade pieces like ceramics.
• Maximising natural light with sheer curtains and white paint.
• Contrasting your more summery pieces (rattan, linen, sisal) with wintery finishes like thick cable knit, fur or leather.

How can I make my house cosy for autumn?

To warm up your home this autumn, opt for warmer bedding with a cosy, winter-appropriate doona, bring out the blankets (cable knit or plaid works well), light a candle or two, let as much natural light in as possible and embrace characterful styling with handmade pieces, textural contrast and earthy tones.