Autumn lends itself to creating lots of decorative touches around the home. Here we show five simple ideas for you to try in your own home.
Use candlelight to add a warm glow as the nights draw in or even, if the sun rises late in the morning, have a candlelit breakfast to start your day – when I visited Stockholm one December, a time of year in that part of the world when there is very little daylight, the hotel placed lit candles on each breakfast table, making even a simple breakfast feel that bit more special.
Bring a glow to your home, whilst infusing the space with warming aromas, with this Hopscotch spiced apple candle, which smells delicious and, as it was hand-poured using soy wax, will burn cleaner and for longer than candles made from the more commonly used paraffin wax.
Wreaths are not just for Christmas: why not create a wonderful welcome at this colourful time of year by adding one to your front door or, even, an interior door. I've chosen one made from dried flowers and foliage (Hydrangea, Achillea, Rose hips, Berries, Maple-leaf roses, Thistles and Oak and Beech leaves) which can be delivered throughout the UK, and another simple, sculptural wreath, which has been created using pieces of Birch bark.
Don't let your fireplace miss out on the fun: festoon away with this pretty papercut garland.
When I set up dinner parties, for either private or commercial clients, I sometimes add a little object beside each place setting which can be taken away by the guests as a memory of the evening. For an autumnal dinner, I might tie one of these metallic leafy decorations onto a linen napkin (plum, deep orange or charcoal linen would work especially well by allowing the decoration to really dazzle). Come Christmas, if you haven't given them away, you could hang them from the tree with a mass of other richly-coloured decorations.
As a stylish alternative to a carved scary face, pumpkins can be transformed into containers used to display seasonal flowers and foliage: simply hollow one out, place a piece of pre-soaked florists' oasis inside the pumpkin, and then add your chosen flowers. If, like me, you enjoy making batches of soup, the flesh of the pumpkin could go straight into a big saucepan.