While the end of summer is a disappointing time for many, with the mind turning from holidays and towards school (for the kids) and the pre-Christmas rush, it’s hard not to love Fall. Few times of year are quite as atmospheric, as the evenings get longer and trees change colors, and while not everyone loves the chillier temperatures, we all appreciate the excuse to drink more hot chocolate!
Autumn also offers the chance to make a few changes in the home – nothing that needs to involve long days of back-breaking work, you’ll be pleased to hear. The kind of modifications we’re talking about here are simple improvements that make a home cozy and warm – and best of all, welcoming – as your house becomes a hearth for the colder months of the year.
String Lights EVERYWHERE You Can
With the evenings getting darker, it will become all the more important to have some light around the place. Firstly, because it illuminates spaces, and secondly because a bit of warm light here and there has been shown to have beneficial effects on mood and comfort. It’s not necessary to go around swapping out lightbulbs or even installing a smart lighting system (unless you want to); a better idea may be to string fairy lights wherever they might look good. Curtain rails are a good spot, as are door frames and coat racks.
If you do have a smart lighting system, then adding a light strip that can go from brilliant crisp white to a more golden tone that suits the season – and any other color you fancy – is worth a try. Frankly, the more lighting you have the better because warm light always makes a home feel more welcoming.
Clear Out Your Gutters, Rake Your Lawn
As Fall starts up, the amount of leaf fall may be fairly minimal to begin with, especially as summer seems to just keep rolling these days. However, don’t worry, before long your lawn will be covered with crunchy brown and golden leaves. Leaves, once cleaned and dried out, can be beautifully garlanded as decorations in the home, and the mulch they create can be useful in the garden, but get them off the lawn – they will trap water and can begin to develop mold all too easily.
It’s also essential to clear out your roof gutters, as they can become blocked and fill with rainwater. Left too long, that can start to pull against the roof and cause problems that become chronic. In fact, it’s been a while since you’ve had reason to check, so have a look at the slates on your roof and the general structure up there. Now is a good time to call out the certified roofing experts if you need them; they’ll be a lot busier before too long, so jump ahead of the crowd in time for the weather getting colder. Warmth is a key part of a cozy home.
Autumnal Textiles in Family Areas
Your kitchen is the heart of the home, and it will benefit from the addition of seasonal curtains – look for colors such as burnt orange, warm reds, and light browns. If you can get a leaf motif, then, by all means, go for it, but if there’s nothing in that category that suits you, just look for something that evokes bonfires, embers, and warmth. Along with the wholesome meals cooked up in the kitchen, it’s a great way to bring the Fall into the family areas of the house.
An appropriate tablecloth on the dining table is also worthwhile, especially if you can get it to match the curtains. You can take this part of the makeover as far as you wish, including adding rustic napkins and placemats which fit the vibe. This is also a worthwhile time to fire up the slow cooker if you have one – good, hearty meals that warm you up from the inside will become a favorite quickly at this time of year, and they’re easy to cook.
As Autumn begins, it’s hard to get away from the sense that it will be Christmas before you know it – and that’s a wonderful time of year which merits its own celebrations, but there is a whole, delightful season to come before that, so don’t miss out on making your home a perfect hearth for Fall. This can become a tradition, and it will be one that nobody in the family can resist playing a full part in.
