The leaves will start falling from the trees very soon, the days are getting shorter, the night cooler and we are having the last ray of summer sunshine and it's warmth. We can feel it, autumn is around the corner. The summer holidays are over, the kids have gone back to school, the work routine is resuming and all of a sudden something in our brain clicks, it is the beginning of a new school year, a new cycle.
Some people love the winter season, it's colder and shorter days, spending more time inside, the crips wintery walks and raw landscapes. But some people would rather stay in the summer months where somehow life seems a bit brighter, lighter and easier. I think I am more of a summer girl but no matter what, I will make sure that my life, my routine, my home welcomes every new season.
I ascertain that making small changes in your home, to welcome new seasons as well as new times in your life is a recipe for happiness and I am going to share with you some of my top tips to make Autumn and Winter a time of joy!
Weather friendly spaces
As we all know Autumn and Winter can be months where mud and rain are very much present (at least here in the UK!) and there's nothing more frustrating that entering a house and having nowhere to wipe your feet, or put your dirty shoes away. It is also a time where you start wearing scarfs and hats and gloves. But how many times have you lost them or simply can't find them? Make it easy and reorganise your hallway/entrance so that everything has it's place. So unless you have a boot room (lucky you) you can organise it by placing or hanging baskets for hats/gloves/scarves and making space for the chunkier/dirtier winter shoes.
If you don't have space for a shoe rack have you thought of using the space above your door to build one? We have done that in our house as our hallway is tiny and it's a space saver trust me!
Time to declutter and clean!
Going into the winter season also means wearing warmer clothes, shoes, coats etc. I would highly recommend you to take this opportunity to declutter your belongings. Start with your clothes and shoes. What are you no longer wearing? Could you donate some to charity shops or sell some? Also, take this time to have a look at your cupboards, in the bathroom, in the kitchen in your office...and while you're at it, give it a little clean! I know spring is the most well known time to work on that but for me autumn is as important. Making space, cleaning and looking after your home is taking care of your head space too.
Move around your furniture
People live in a very different way in the summer than in the winter. In the summer you want more space, you tend to meet people outside more often, As Autumn and winter months creep in you may find yourself wanting to entertain friends and family at your place rather than braving the cold when going to a restaurant. You may also want to find that cosy spot by the window when the sun goes down in the evenings. You might want to think about building your own cosy little cocoon by enclosing some spaces. Changing the layout of your room, moving your furniture around is healthy. Think about the function of the room and start by moving your biggest furniture first and then focus on the smaller items. Think of the time you're going to spend in the room and how you're going to spend it and work around that. Moving around your furniture will also enable you to give a good clean behind it (where you never get a chance to do it).
Play with your textiles
In the summer, we are after lighter refreshing textiles such as cotton or linen but when the winter comes it's time to change a few things around to accommodate the colder days so here are a few of my suggestions
Change your bedspread
Your bedroom should be a sanctuary. a place where you can relax, rest and feel calm. The bed is the main focus of the bedroom so around this time of the year I start thinking of dusting off my winter duvet and piling up the bed with layers.
Changing the material of your bedspread from Linen to Wool is an example, but also think of the colour you would like to have in your bedroom. As in the summer it's all about light and brighter colour, winter months might be for more muted and warm tones...
For a healthy good night of sleep, experts tell us to sleep in a cool bedroom. This is a must for me but I always make sure I have enough layers, blankets and throws.
Throw and cushions
Changing cushions and throws for winter months is a very good way of changing the feel of a room without spending too much money, I have a couple of cushions cover and throws for the winter and a couple for the summer. I rotate them and tada! Very quickly and easily my room feels very different. It is also a very good way of adding textures and colours without having to pick up a paint brush.
Rugs and mats
One of the things I dislike the most is having cold feet. We all know that when winter creeps in, the house gets colder and unless you've got underfloor heating everywhere, your feet will feel it. Adding a little runner rug by your bed, will make waking up cosier and more enjoyable. The same goes for the bathroom, having a mat or rug by the sink to keep you warm and cosy is important. With regards to the living spaces, it's up to you whether you want to add some rugs perhaps and bring in those layers I was speaking about earlier, but one thing I always make sure is to have a runner rug by the sink in my kitchen. Having cold feet when washing up is not enjoyable.
And there was light!
Nothing is more important than the right lighting. Even more so in the winter months. The sun won't be shining until 9.30pm any longer, so we need to take artificial lighting seriously and think of the best way to implement it in your home. No one wants harsh overhead lighting from a pendant or spotlights. Instead try to bring in indirect lighting such as wall lights, floor and table lamps around the room. If you have a reading chair make sure you have one there that can be directed so that it highlights the book.
And of course, candles! I go crazy with candles, I make sure I always have enough of them and pay great attention to candleholders too, these too can be changed with the seasons. Candles diffuse a soft and warm light but if you're scared of having real candles why don't you try battery operated ones? Another way or bringing a glow to a room is to get fairy lights (warm light), wrap them around a mirror, a doorframe or by a window sill and it will get you that soft lighting you were after. I have some around a big mirror we have in our bedroom and it's on every night, so that when we go to bed there's no need to turn on any other lights. It's soft, it's calming and welcoming.
And you, how do you get your house ready for winter months? I would love to see some of your spaces and how you've used my ideas. There's nothing more rewarding for me than seeing some of my clients pictures when they put my ideas into practice.
Enjoy cocooning, I know I certainly will.
Annabelle