I refuse to redecorate my home for autumn – these are the 7 changes I make instead

Home decorator and content creator Grace H is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design, mixing vintage pieces with new and making personality-filled spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

Now that summer is over and the sun has officially taken his hat off, we inevitably start seeing Halloween and Christmas popping up left, right and centre.

One minute you're buying a bunch of flowers and pretending summer might last forever, and the next you're being greeted by velvet pumpkins, skeletons and enough glittery Christmas decorations to sink a small ship.

Then, of course, the Instagram reels begin. Mariah starts calling. Mini pumpkins take over the feed. Everyone suddenly seems to have transformed their homes into an autumnal wonderland overnight. And honestly? I’m not here for it.

Bah humbug? Maybe.

But I’d much rather invest in my home slowly, filling it with quality pieces I genuinely love and will use for years, rather than buying things that will probably be deemed so last season by next autumn.

I don't want to feel like my home needs a complete personality change every three months. That said, I do love marking the change of seasons.

As autumn comes knocking, there are a few simple tweaks I make every year to help our home feel warmer, cosier and ready for the darker evenings ahead. Nothing dramatic. Nothing that needs storing in the loft for eleven months of the year. Just a few little rituals and additions that can be wheeled out year after year.

1. Scent

The first thing I do is start leaning into heavier, woodier fragrances. Think candles, diffusers and incense if that's your thing.

There's something about lighting a candle after work that signals to your brain that the day is done. It's time to slow down, relax and hunker down for the evening.

During summer, I tend to gravitate towards fresher scents, but come autumn, give me all the woody, spices and smoky notes. Tobacco as a scent base is a firm favourite and my Autumnal candle of choice will always be the 3-wick candle Rubus from Charles Farris or Diptyque’s Baies. So boujee but so worth it.

Think about adding in diffusers too – I’m still undecided on my favourite for Autumn so let me know if anyone has any recommendations.

It’s such a small thing, but scent can completely change how a room feels.

2. Layers

My cushions stay the same all year round as I try to invest in quality pieces, and I want to get my money’s worth out of them.

What does come out every autumn, though, are the blankets and heavier patchwork quilts. I add them to our bed, the guest bedroom and, of course, the sofa.

There's something incredibly comforting about the weight of a heavier blanket when you're tucked up in bed or catching up on your favourite box set.

I also drape blankets over the back of the sofa so they're there for the taking as soon as Jack Frost comes nipping at your toes.

No perfectly styled autumn cushion collection required. Just good blankets.

3. Layered lighting

Now is when lighting really gets its moment.

As the evenings get darker, I become slightly obsessed with lamps.

Adding lamps at different heights throughout the same space can completely transform a room and make it feel instantly warmer. We have most of ours on smart plugs, so they come on automatically as the sun goes down. There is something lovely about coming home in the evening and being greeted by soft lamp light.

Pay particular attention to hallways and kitchens, too. There's nothing quite like carefully creating a lovely cosy atmosphere and then ruining it by flicking on the big light.

A lamp tucked away in the corner can give you just enough glow to move from room to room without breaking the ambience.

4. Crockery

Dust off those casserole dishes because comfort food season is upon us and, personally, stodge is my favourite food group.

If, like me, you spend even more time at home during the winter months, why not make the everyday feel a little more special? Lay the table with gorgeous textured linens. Use your favourite crockery. Make a moment of an ordinary Tuesday evening.

Romanticise your life a little. Light the tapered candles. Because really, why are we saving all the nice things for a special occasion?

Let's make the occasion feel special instead.

5. Umbrella stands

A very simple one, but I love the idea of adding a stylish umbrella stand to an entranceway during the winter. It's one of those everyday practical things that can actually look really lovely.

And I'm always looking for ways to make the practical stuff prettier. Veere Grenney for The Lacquer Company’s Round Umbrella Stand in Dark Olive will forever be top of my wish list. Effortless, chic and it would work across many different interior design styles.

Wet umbrellas need somewhere to live, after all. They may as well live somewhere beautiful.

6. The door curtain

If, like me, you live in an old house that seems determined to steal every last bit of heat, can I introduce you to the humble door curtain? Honestly, it’s a no-brainer.

We had ours custom-made with thermal lining, and I would definitely recommend allowing it to pool slightly at the bottom to help trap the heat in. I cannot impress upon you just how much of a difference it makes.

Our once-draughty hallway now feels genuinely cosy, and it was such a simple fix.

Not necessarily the most glamorous addition to a home, perhaps - but warmth is glamorous when your energy bills are involved.

If you’re looking for something ready-made and beautiful, Tori Murphy has the most gorgeous options. I particularly love the flop-over frill – it adds a lovely softness to a space, proving that practical doesn’t have to mean boring.

7. The dehumidifier

Not the prettiest or chicest recommendation, I'll admit but since introducing a dehumidifier into our lives, it has become one of those household things I wouldn't want to be without.

As soon as the weather gets colder, our washing seems to take over the entire house. And for those of us not blessed with a utility room (one day!), drying clothes can take forever.

I swear our dehumidifier halves the drying time. We've tried heated airers. Rubbish. We've tried drying pods. Too faffy. But the humble dehumidifier? It outperforms them all. Sometimes the least glamorous things are the ones that make the biggest difference.

And I suppose that's exactly how I feel about seasonal decorating in general. You don't need to completely reinvent your home every time the calendar changes. You don't need to buy a new collection of cushions, pumpkins, or ornaments just because Instagram says it's autumn.

For me, it's about making small changes that help your home work with the season you're in. A heavier blanket.

A warmer scent.

Soft lighting.

Comfort food bubbling away in the oven.

The things that make you want to stay home a little longer.

And the best part? You can enjoy them all again next year.