Inspiration

“Autumn is the perfect time to start getting cosy before winter hits. One of the most simple yet effective ways of doing this is by adding texture, in any way you can, to your space. Tasselled woollen throws such as Bailey and Melford (I’ve been known to throw the windows open in October just as an excuse to get under one!) and cushions such as Grace in heavy velvet Isla Kingfisher or Swallow, or in our new British bouclé are easy wins. 

“Cushions and soft textiles also work particularly well if you don’t want your seasonal colour palette to require any painting. By layering wool, velvet and heavyweight linen textures, your room will feel so much warmer and suited to the season.” Jess

“Our Chestnut paint is the obvious autumnal choice with its russet, autumn leaf character, but Olive and Walnut are my other favourites for this season. They’re both so warm and inviting, making you desperate to curl up in front of the fire with a good book. If you’re up for a spot of decorating, I’d certainly look at adding one of these to your walls. At Neptune HQ, we have a key wall that we repaint with our new seasonal colour, so you could do the same at home so that you needn’t face redecorating the entire room. Or even just repaint your front door – that’s a lovely way to channel the change of season.” Jess

“Just as Jess suggests, a change of paint colour is an update that will have the greatest impact, and the kitchen can certainly be a part of that. A Neptune kitchen is all about lasting a lifetime, but that doesn’t mean to say it has to remain looking the same as the day you had it fitted. Changing the colour of your cabinets is such a wonderful way to breathe new life into the room and to feel as though you have a brand new kitchen, but it’s a huge undertaking to commit to every season. Instead, consider concentrating on one element of the kitchen, like an island or a dresser, or the wall colour which is much less fiddly to paint than cabinetry.

“For something fresher to evoke those crisp autumn days, try Lily; picking two colours from the same family, be it Fossil, Timber, Plant and so on, will always work together as they share the same undertones. Otherwise, I really love Juniper and Snow together, which has a hint more of a winter character to it.” Annie

“Adding our autumnal stems to a room immediately makes the space feel of the season, particularly those with juniper berries and rust-tinted leaves. If you’re crafty, you can even use them to create an autumnal wreath for the door – wreaths aren’t just for Christmas.

“I’m a big believer too in changing up your artwork to suit the season – something that’s much easier to do if you have a print ledge like Buckland. If I had to pick one series for autumn, it’d be our Caledonia Prints by Daisy Sims-Hilditch. I love the idea of them being used as a set in the entrance hall to immediately set the tone for the rest of the house.” Jess

“This is a really impactful way to make sure all of your rooms are singing from the same hymn sheet. Scent unifies your whole home and taps into another of the senses, because decorating is about so much more than simply look and feel. Diffusers in every room, from kitchen and utility room to hallway and bedroom are what’s required here. I’m a big fan of our Fig fragrance. It makes me want to snuggle up in fresh sheets, which is how I tend to feel all autumn long!” Annie

“On trend, forever useful, not too expensive, and worthy in every room of the home, a basket is one of the best accessories a home can have – which is why I’m an advocator of having more than just a few. Our Somerton baskets are perfect for holding all those extra throws and blankets that you’re going to want in every room but maybe don’t want to have draped over furniture at all times. Nothing beats entering a bedroom, sitting room or snug and seeing a cosy pile in the corner that’s there when you need it. But one of the most comforting elements to a basket that’s often overlooked is how the weave mirrors that of the chunky knits – just what you need all autumn long.” Jess

“After colour, the second most striking update to make to cabinetry in a kitchen or laundry room is replacing any hardware. In autumn and winter months, I suggest swapping chrome for antiqued brass or bronze to lend your room little dots of warmth all the way through it. Brass handles and hinges work very well indeed with the colour palettes suggested earlier too and they come together to tell a very convincing, comforting autumn story.” Annie

“Ceilings are so often left out of the decorating equation, but when they’re involved in the room’s aesthetic, the result can be transformational. I really enjoy using our Cranbrook rough timber boarding on the ceiling in a kitchen or boot room. It gives such a lovely sense of shelter and security. You can use it in any room for that matter – the bedroom is another of my favourite spots to use it, giving it a cabin-like quality in which you can hunker down and hibernate.” Annie

“When designing a lighting plan for a kitchen or laundry room, I always include table lamps. Too often, the focus is on architectural or task lighting in these rooms, and so soft, ambient lighting falls by the wayside. By bringing in a lamp with a dark shade (try Oliver in Angus Flint) to a kitchen’s empty nook, perhaps in the corner of an L-shaped run, your kitchen will straight away feel so much more like a living space and so much cosier in autumn. In a smaller utility room for this time of year, I’d go for the Olney lamp with its pretty patterned base. Having that lit while doing the laundry would certainly make the task in hand feel a little less dull and the space in question a lot more cocooning.” Annie

“Having a piece of freestanding furniture in the kitchen really breaks up the room, and again, helps it to feel like another living space – something that is so key to helping a kitchen feel like a cosy, familial room. If you can, pick out a piece like the Darkened Oak Blenheim console table or our Shepton glazed cabinet that you could load up with glassware, a drinks collection or various kitchen bits and bobs. Both of these have rich finishes, suiting autumn of course, and giving you free rein to add some seasonal artistry and interest to the room (and are also ideal for resting the odd Christmas decoration when the time comes too…)” Annie