Interiors: Cosy up for autumn with these inspired design ideas

Autumn’s arrival calls for cosy interiors. Bury St Edmunds design expert Jane Cappleman talks palettes, patterns and artful accessorising

When summer is finally over and temperatures start to drop, it’s time to make our indoor spaces feel warm and inviting for the winter months ahead. Cosy, earthy tones and soft, tactile fabrics and materials are a great way to create the right atmosphere - however the wrong combination can achieve the opposite effect, becoming a little heavy, even a little drab.

To avoid this and turn your home into a true oasis, a top tip is to add some plants: they have been around forever, but a well-placed plant in an interesting container can lift and soften the mood of the room, especially in bathrooms where there are so many hard and angular surfaces.

Accessorise your home as much as possible. Add open shelves to display the treasures you’ve collected over the years like pottery, pictures, books or vintage collectables. Shelving in a kitchen is not only practical, but it can also help make it feel bigger and much more open. Large walls can look a bit stark, and finding ways of filling them can be expensive, so look for objects in recycling centres or charity shops. Collecting similar items like straw hats and displaying them together can look amazing.

Using green tones on walls or cupboards works particularly well in sitting rooms, kitchens and bathrooms, giving you the perfect backdrop to introduce natural materials and to display objects of every kind.

Surrounding yourself with sentimental objects you have collected or bought on holiday, or items which have been handed down or inherited, helps create a warm and cosy environment. These constant reminders are collected over time and have a history. It is not always necessary to surround yourself with objects that have a purpose, however make sure they are not just staged objects. You want to be able to pick them up for closer inspection and to discuss their reason for being there.

Autumn is the season where some of the top fabric and wallpaper manufacturers launch their latest collections. Updating your interior could not come at a better time, whether with a new rug, a pair of curtains, a cushion or even a splash of feature wallpaper. Geometric shapes seem to feature heavily in some of this year’s collections and this cushion from William Yeoward is a quick fix to update a tired chair or sofa.

Bringing nature into a scheme is also a great way to cosy up a room. To avoid it looking dull and dated, introduce a pop of colour. This new Rivera Collection from Jane Churchill is an Art Deco-inspired range of patterns and plains with lovely rich texture and bold use of colour.

If you are looking for a statement rug, there is a great selection from Designers Guild; they have beautiful florals, pictured, and a great selection of textured plains too.

Creating a cosy interior this autumn and winter is about having a relaxed approach to design. Use lots of patterns and textures with warm lights, soft fabrics and flooring - and don’t be tempted to make everything coordinate.

For more information: janecappleman.co.uk