How to Create a Cosy Home for Autumn: 6 Interior Ideas
As the evenings begin to draw in and the temperature starts to fall, autumn has a way of turning our attention back towards home. Summer's open windows and long evenings give way to lamps, blankets, warm drinks and nights spent curled up indoors.
The good news is that you don't need to completely redecorate your home to achieve it. A few thoughtful changes to colour, texture, lighting and the architectural features already within your rooms can completely alter the atmosphere.
And while cushions, candles and throws usually get all the attention, your internal doors can play a surprisingly important part too.
Here are seven ways to give your home a warmer feel this autumn.
1. Bring Warmth In With Natural Materials
One of the easiest ways to create a cosy interior is to bring more natural materials into the room. Wood is especially effective because its natural grain immediately introduces warmth and texture. You might already think about this when choosing flooring or furniture, but your internal doors can have just as much visual impact.
An oak door provides a large area of natural texture within the room and can work beautifully alongside warm neutrals, soft creams, sage greens, deep blues and other autumn-inspired colours.
The 1930's Oak Internal Door is a particularly good example. Its uncomplicated Shaker-influenced design gives it a timeless appearance, while the oak helps introduce natural warmth without making the room feel overly traditional.
Autumn interiors don't have to mean covering the house in burnt orange and pumpkin decorations. Deep blues, muted greens, warm greys, rich neutrals and earthy off-whites can all create that enveloping feeling while still looking good throughout the rest of the year. This is where your doors can become part of the colour scheme rather than simply being painted white and forgotten about.
The DirectDoors Eco-Urban® collection is particularly suited to this approach. The handmade Manchester 3 Panel Eco-Urban door, for example, is available in colours including Sage Sky, Heather Blue, Stormy Grey, Cloud White and Shadow Black, allowing the door itself to become part of the room's overall design.
Open-plan living is brilliant when the sun is shining and everyone is moving between the house and garden. Come autumn, however, many of us naturally start gravitating towards smaller spaces.
The sofa becomes the center of the evening. The reading chair starts getting used again. The dining table becomes somewhere to linger rather than somewhere to quickly eat before heading outside.
Larger openings can achieve the same effect with internal double doors or door pairs. During the day they can remain open to connect adjoining rooms, while in the evening they can be closed to create two smaller and more defined spaces.
4. Borrow Light From the Next Room
As the days become shorter, one of the best ways to make darker hallways, kitchens and living spaces feel brighter is to allow daylight to move from one room into another.
The Shaker 4 Pane Oak Internal Door with Clear Glass combines warm oak with four clear glazed panels, allowing natural light to pass through while still defining the two rooms. Its Shaker design also works particularly well with the natural, understated interiors associated with hygge.
5. Think About How Your Home Looks After Dark
We tend to design our rooms in daylight, but during autumn and winter we spend a huge amount of time experiencing them after dark. Glazed doors can become particularly effective at this time of year too.
For something a little more dramatic, the Baltimore Eco-Urban Internal Door with Tinted Glass is an interesting option. Its slim glazed design combines colour with tinted glass to produce a softer, more atmospheric doorway- exactly the sort of effect that works beautifully once the lamps come on.
6. Add Texture Before Adding More Stuff
When we think about making a home cosy, the temptation is to start buying things. Often, a relatively simple room with plenty of texture will feel warmer than one packed with decorative objects. A chunky knitted throw against a smooth sofa. A wool rug against timber flooring. Even the grain of an oak door adds another texture to the room before you've introduced a single accessory.
Make Your Home Ready for Cosy Season
Autumn is one of the best times of year to rediscover your home. Whether it's the natural warmth of oak internal doors, the additional daylight offered by glazed internal doors, the flexibility of double and sliding doors, or a stronger splash of colour from the DirectDoors Eco-Urban® collection, the right door can help shape the atmosphere of the entire room.
