Creating Cosy

There’s no denying it, the world around us feels uncertain at the moment but if this year has taught us anything it’s to appreciate the small things. I’ve definitely found the change in seasons comforting; gone is the need to be endlessly productive and in its place is a quiet acceptance of hunkering down and enjoying time at home. Autumn is the perfect time for creating cosy ahead of the winter chill and the latest lockdown’s slower pace of life provides a great opportunity to not only create seasonal comfort in our homes but enjoy it, too.

Creating cosy with scent

Creating a home which is reflective of the season is more than just decorating and lusting after a look or feel. Scenting your home unifies spaces and more so than any of our other senses, smells evoke personal memories whilst being hugely emotive. And all of that goes without mentioning the unbeatable ambient glow of candlelight which is a must-have for cosy autumnal evenings. Choose scents such as warm woods, fig, orchard fruits, berries, and amber to create a warm, welcoming feel or aim for scents which transport you into your favourite memories and make you feel relaxed. Using the same or complementary scents in each room of your home with soy wax candles and diffusers is incredibly impactful and will encourage all the cosy feels throughout. 

Creating cosy with cosseting textures

For most of us autumn means comforting layers in both our home and our wardrobes. Adding texture is a really simple yet effective way to achieve a seasonal feel and if your home tends to lean towards neutral adding some seasonally toned prints can warm up your palette quickly and easily. 

For living spaces in tune with the time of year we love mixing knitted blankets and our Liberty fabric cushions with velvet and wool textures and log baskets piled high. Layering up bedspreads, throws, blankets and quilts on beds adds a touch of luxury and warmth and darker prints such as Forbidden Orchard, Thorpeness and Wiltshire Bud in rust feel opulent and cosy, perfect for a seasonal pillowcase update. Don’t forget layering up textures on your autumn tables by combining beautiful Liberty print table linen and heavy linen, it really is a match made in heaven.

Image from Nigel Slater's seasonal autumn recipes.

Creating cosy with seasonal fare 

Eating seasonally has a whole host of benefits - not only is seasonal produce at its very best in terms of flavour and nutritional value, but it is also much more environmentally friendly and therefore affordable. You’ll also find that eating in line with the seasons connects us to nature, the abundant orchards and branches heavily leaden with apples very easily translates to an apple crumble, fresh out of the oven all bubbly edged and smelling like home. Autumn’s harvest creates some of the best cosy meals without getting too heavy, making snuggling on the sofa after the washing up is done an even more attractive proposition. Our favourite seasonal produce for November includes apples, quince, beetroot, dates, game meat, celeriac, and leeks and we use websites such as Waitrose recipes, Delicious magazine and House & Gardens where you can search by season or ingredient to create seasonal meal plans, a lovely leisurely Sunday afternoon activity.

How are you creating cosy in your home? We'd love for you to share your ideas and images with us over on our Instagram.