This piece originally appeared on CityLine.ca
Trade your summer cottage look for autumn cabin warmth.
Now that fall is here, besides dressing warmer for chillier weather, eating comfort foods and bringing in the harvest’s gorgeous-coloured fruit and veggies, we also feel a need to change up our homes. So tone down bright summer hues and try a more organic aesthetic.
Texture
Each season has a signature texture – think about it, in the summer, you can’t wait to use your freshest cotton linens. In the winter, you bring out the coziest, warmest blankets you can find. Autumn is about nature becoming dormant for another long Canadian winter. The leaves are changing and so are the textures. Bring in a great rattan rug or a chenille throw for your couch. Fall calls for a heavier material in your bedclothes – flannel can be reintroduced to your bed to keep you warm. Firewood brought in for the colder months also adds texture to a room.
Changing accessories
The great thing about accessories is that they’re flexible. Summery powder blue cushions can be replaced with earthy pumpkin and chocolate tones for autumn. A mantle display with vivid pink and yellow flowers is much more expensive to maintain when the weather gets cold. Instead, fill a beautiful decorative glass bowl with pinecones, smooth stones, or use a narrow vase with some twigs. For more information on changing your accessories for fall, check out Living With The Seasons by Bonnie Trust Dahan.
Colour
"It’s kind of psychosomatic, but taking off your white sheets and adding some deeper colours just makes you feel warmer," says Style at Home design editor Samantha Pynn. Of course thoughts of fall conjure images of rich, luxe colours reflected in nature like deep browns, reds and oranges. Incorporate these colours into your rooms with accessories and, if you’re ready for a commitment, paint. Colour can also be introduced by switching up pieces of art (try painting four canvases with your favourite fall colours and repaint as the seasons change), or simply by changing a summer display of lemons to a cornucopia of squash and eggplant.