With just a few short weeks left of the summer soon autumn will be drawing in- bringing the excitement of changing leaves, bonfires and cool crisp weather. And while the change of weather is often welcomed after a warm summer, it does mean you have to start considering keeping your home warm again. Here are a few of the ways you can prepare for the upcoming chilly weather, keep your family warm and snug and make your home look fantastic.
Stock Up on Cozy Throws
Soft and cozy throws are reasonably cheap to buy, but make your seating areas much warmer and more comfortable over the colder months (especially if your sofas are leather which can be chilly to sit on!) Invest in a big blanket box to keep in your sitting room so they can easily be stored away when they’re not in use, then in the evenings you can pull them out and get the room extra comfy.
Change Your Duvets
At the end of the summer you will need to look into updating your duvet for one with a more seasonally appropriate tog rating. A 10.5 tog is perfect for spring and autumn, although if you’re only looking to buy one duvet for the cold weather, go with a tog rating over 13.5 to stay extra toasty. Due to the amount of dust mites and bacteria that duvets can harbour, it’s recommended that you change them every five years anyway. And so if yours is getting on a bit, just bin it and buy a brand new one.
Prepare Your Fireplace
An essential feature in any home, especially come autumn and winter. Wood burning stoves are cheaper to run than regular gas and electric, and mean you have a real fire to sit around during the colder months bringing character to your home. Pellet stove inserts are great, because you can replace your current fire without having to rip out the mantlepiece or do any major renovations. Either way, you’ll want to make sure your current fireplace is in working order, chances are you’ve not used it much (if at all) since right at the start of the year.
Buy Scented Candles
There are few things nicer than lighting scented candles and relaxing in the evening on a chilly autumn night. It gives such a cosy ambience to the room, and if you buy seasonal scents for the colder weather such as spiced fruits and warming vanilla it can really get you feeling excited about the changing season.
Decorate
To really get in the spirit you could decorate your home with gorgeous autumnal decorative pieces. For example an autumn wreath on your front door, homemade potpourri with seasonal dried fruits and pinecones. You could even switch out your cushion covers: tartans, autumn themed animals and autumn colours such as reds and oranges work well and will bring in colourful warmth into your home.
How do you keep your home cosy and looking festive for the autumn?