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How to Cosy Up Your Living Room for Autumn

There’s a point in autumn when you start spending more of the evening in the living room. The curtains are drawn a little earlier, your favourite spot on the sofa gets more use, and you notice which corners could do with a lamp.

Image courtesy of @de_beauvoir_design

Getting the room ready for those evenings can be as simple as moving a light, bringing out a heavier throw or adding a colour you’ve been wanting to try. To help, Dowsing & Reynolds has teamed up with Swyft Home to share a few ideas for making your living room feel cosier this season.

Start with the spot where you settle down

“Think about how you actually spend an evening in your living room. Perhaps you read at one end of the sofa, curl up in an armchair or tend to have everyone squeezed into the same corner,” says Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, co-founder at Dowsing & Reynolds.

“That’s your starting point. Put a throw within reach, make space for a mug and look at whether the lighting suits what you’re doing.”

“A room can look lovely in a photograph, but being able to sit comfortably and see the page of your book matters just as much.”

Image courtesy of @laurengracewils

Bring warmer colours into your existing scheme

Autumn colours are easy to introduce through the things you can move around: cushions, throws and accessories.

“Shades such as Vine, Umber, Mustard, Chestnut and Harissa can bring depth and warmth into your living space,” says Shay, Interior Designer at Swyft.

“Take your lead from the colours already in the room. A rusty orange cushion might pick up a detail in a print, while a deep green throw could sit comfortably alongside a neutral sofa and wooden furniture. Repeating a colour in a couple of places helps it feel at home.”

If richer shades aren’t for you, Shay also suggests warm tonal neutrals for a softer palette. Oatmeal, cream and warm brown give you plenty to work with, especially when you vary the fabrics.

Give your lamps and wall lights a little more to do

As daylight fades, notice where the light in your living room comes from. If it’s mostly overhead, adding light closer to where you sit can make the room feel more comfortable in the evening.

“Varying the height of your lighting can also help illuminate more of the space,” explains Shay.

A floor lamp beside an armchair, a table lamp on a sideboard and a wall light in a dark corner can each serve a different part of the room. They don’t all need to match, and they don’t all need to be switched on at once.

“You don’t need to light every corner equally. Having some areas softly lit and others a little darker helps the room feel more relaxed. Try switching off the ceiling light and using just your lamps and wall lights, then see how the room feels,” suggests Ally.

Image courtesy of @rufflesandrenos__

Sometimes bringing a lamp closer to the sofa, or giving a dark corner its own light, is enough to change how the room feels.

Pay attention to the shade as well as the light

Lampshades bring another texture into the room, even before you switch them on. Linen works particularly well alongside upholstery, curtains and throws, with a softness that suits a space made for settling down.

“Choose your lighting for the things you enjoy doing in the room. You might want a lovely soft glow when you’re chatting, but a bit more light when you pick up a book. Giving yourself those options makes the space much easier to enjoy,” says Ally.

It’s also a good idea to consider dimmer switches to give you more flexibility as the evening goes on. You can have the room brighter while everyone’s busy, then lower the lighting when it’s time to relax.

Image in collaboration with @swyft_home

Layer textures you want to sit with

“Consider combining different materials, such as linen with wool or leather with softer fabrics, to add depth and interest,” suggests Shay.

Start with your sofa and build from there. A wool throw adds a different feel to linen upholstery, while a soft cushion can make a leather armchair more inviting on a chilly evening.

There’s room for pattern, too. Try a striped cushion alongside a plain one, using a shared colour to bring them together. A little variation makes the arrangement feel more personal.

Leave enough space to get comfortable. The best combination is one you enjoy sitting with, without having to move half the cushions onto the floor first.

Take your cue from outside

You don’t have to fill the room with seasonal decorations to give it an autumn feel. Shay recommends looking to the rich, earthy colours and tonal variations found in nature when choosing accessories and soft furnishings.

That could mean a branch in a favourite vase, a cushion in the colour of turning leaves or a bowl brought out from a cupboard because it works beautifully with the rest of the room.

Keep the things that make it feel like your living room: the books you’re halfway through, the picture you love, the chair everyone wants. Add a little softness and light around them, and you’ve got somewhere you’ll look forward to spending the evening.

pale stone vase with woven effect imprint
framed moss wall panel against a whitewashed exposed brick wall in a kitchen

Follow @dowsingandreynolds and @swyft_home on Instagram.

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