The art of mastering autumnal tones in the home
A palette of oranges, greens, rich browns and earthy hues is perfect for the mellow season, says Sam Wylie-Harris.
With warm, dappled sunlight, the beautiful golden glow autumn gifts us, and trees shedding their leaves, chances are you’re ready for a reshuffle with your interiors – to mimick the great outdoors.
“What we’re seeing is a real shift to those natural, earthy tones… so the mossy greens, earthy taupes, espresso browns and rusty oranges,” highlights Jade Denham, chief digital officer at Poltronesofà, where her role puts her at the centre of identifying emerging interior trends.
“Alongside natural-feeling textures – woven fabrics, bouclés, warm leathers, soft velvets and natural woods.”
Moreover, she says earthy taupes have almost become the new grey. “The cold, flat greys, we’re definitely seeing those taper off, and I think the shift in colour feels more connected with the mood.”
“The natural response to the seasonal shift, where we’re seeing the changes in light, the sunrise and sunset for the warmth, the autumn leaves, everything you see on your walks… bringing that into the home.
“So the biophilic interior design approach, which allows us to connect with nature by bringing the feeling of the outdoors in.”
So, thoughts are turning to how to style this season’s colour palette through your choice of furnishings and accessories.
“It’s the time of year,when getting your furniture or your sofa before Christmas is key because everybody wants that warm, inviting environment when they’ve got family around, or they’re entertaining,” highlights Denham.
And with the focus on stylish seating with more time spent indoors, bringing warmth to a room through a neutral tone is key. Denham suggests a sofa “in a warm taupe velvet base, it’s a versatile, grounding neutral that won’t date.
“Espresso-brown and rust-orange scatter cushions will help bring in the season’s colour story as an accent, not a full commitment. Or pair with a mix of soft velvet or woven cushions to add a natural feeling of texture and dimension.
“Style against warm wood tones, capturing that biophilic, bring-the-outdoors-in feel,” suggests Denham.
And if you’re looking at the bigger picture, the colour of your walls are as important as the soft furnishings and upholstery, helping to frame the room, and no longer an afterthought.
“Colour drenching is a really useful way to make the whole room feel like it’s well connected,” says the tastemaker.So rather than having white skirting, radiators and window frames, she suggests a full colour wash – from painting skirting and walls, to ceiling and doors, in a single colour.
Then adding those autumnal accent colours with artwork and accessories such as a vase of autumn foliage with sage greens to complement the mossy green tones.
Moreover, to make the whole space feel seamless, the right lighting not only shapes the ambience, but highlights all those lovely shades.
“I think lighting is really important, and to have different types of lighting,” says Denham, especially with the clocks going back and heading into the winter months.
“It’s really key to making sure you’re building that sanctuary at home,” she underlines.
Creating layers of visual depth, she says to remember the rule of three: “ambient, task and accent lighting,” and with the latter, “using accent lighting to highlight some artwork on the wall, creating a bit more of a dramatic feel.
“Some task lighting if it’s a reading nook or corner,” and ambient for the all-over glow with an overhead chandelier or pendants.
With this in mind, warm lighting complements a darker colour sofa such as “a rich Cognac leather in a contemporary, low-slung silhouette – done in a current, not traditional, way,” highlights Denham.
“It provides a grounding, calming presence rather than heavy or overpowering… that cocoon-like sanctuary feeling; these textures sit well against muted, patterned textiles and soft neutral walls.”
She continues. “Accessories, cushions, artwork, throws and rugs are an easy way to add pattern and colour accents, with rusty oranges, mossy greens and deep browns complementing statement sofas or chairs perfectly.”
Indeed, rather than choosing furniture that’s purely decorative, she says people are investing in pieces that encourage them to slow down, whether that’s curling up with a book, spending time with family, or simply unwinding at the end of the day.
“Sofas have become central to this new-found ‘cocooning’ trend, with generous proportions, curved silhouettes and tactile fabrics helping to create inviting spaces that support the way we actually live,” underlines Denham.
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