5 simple ways I make my home feel cosier in autumn

Woman holding mug in kitchen with candle burning — (Image credit: Lara Winter)

Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.

I'm a firm believer that cosiness is a feeling, not a decorating style. And while the shops would have us believe we need an entirely new collection of cushions, throws and decorative pumpkins every September, I've found that the things that make our home feel cosiest are usually the simplest.

Although I should probably admit that I buy candles in bulk. Apparently, I do have my exceptions.

1. Candles are non-negotiable

Rattan tray holding wireless lamp, candle and reed diffuser in front of orange sofa with cat

I buy candles in bulk because I genuinely cannot imagine getting through autumn and winter without lighting at least one every evening. Or afternoon, if it's particularly gloomy outside. Which, let's face it, in England could be any day of the year.

I'm also a big believer in a good-quality reed diffuser. My personal favourite is Skandinavisk. Scent is such an underrated part of cosiness. You can have the most beautifully decorated room in the world, but if it smells like last night's fish fingers, the atmosphere is somewhat ruined.

2. Little lamps, big difference

Corner of kitchen with wooden countertops, small lamp, several wooden chopping boards as well as mugs hanging from brass rail

I've recently moved a small lamp into our kitchen and honestly, I don't know why I didn't do it sooner. I now leave it on in the evenings and it makes the whole room feel so much softer and more welcoming.

I'm famously opposed to the big light, so little pools of indirect lighting are my absolute favourite. Table lamps, wall lights, anything that doesn't make the living room resemble a dentist's waiting room.

My latest discovery? Smart plugs. I've finally invested in some so that our lamps can switch themselves on and off automatically. Because while I love having lots of lamps, walking around the house turning them all on individually every evening was becoming a part-time job.

Now the house gets cosy all by itself. Technology at its finest.

3. Shop your garden, not the shops

Wooden kitchen table with vase of fresh flowers underneath linen shaded pendant light

One of my favourite ways to make our home feel seasonal is to bring a little of the outdoors inside.

And no, you don't need a garden overflowing with beautiful flowers. A few branches, interesting stems, some greenery or whatever is still hanging on for dear life in the flowerbeds will do nicely.

I love putting them in a favourite vase and letting them be a little imperfect. In fact, the wonkier the better sometimes.

It's free, it changes with the seasons and there's something rather lovely about having a little piece of your garden on the kitchen table.

4. The annual blanket migration

Living room with neutral walls, wooden floors, patterned rug and orange sofa facing sage green sofa

When the temperatures start dropping, out come the fleece blankets for the boys. They go on top of their normal duvets and somehow make bedtime feel approximately 300% cosier.

It's such a small thing, but I love these little seasonal rituals. The same blankets come out every year, and there's something comforting about that familiarity.

And really, that's what cosiness is about, isn't it? Not necessarily having the prettiest blanket artfully draped over a chair, but actually using it. Preferably while watching a film with a cup of tea and absolutely no plans to leave the sofa.

5. The biscuit jar comes out of retirement

Person using ice cream scooper to put balls of cookie dough onto parchment paper

There's something about autumn that makes me want to bake approximately three times a week. Whether it's cookies, cinnamon buns or something involving an unreasonable amount of butter, the kitchen becomes a much busier place once the evenings draw in.

We have a favourite biscuit jar that comes out every autumn, and I love keeping it filled with homemade treats. Although 'keeping it filled' is perhaps a bit ambitious in a house with two children and a husband.

And I think that's another part of making a home feel cosy that we often forget. It's not just about what a room looks like, but what happens in it. The smell of something baking, a slightly flour-covered kitchen and everyone appearing the moment the oven door opens.

No new decorations required. Just a decent biscuit recipe and a family with absolutely no self-control.

Making a home feel cosy isn't about adding more and more things. It's about noticing what makes you feel good, using what you already have and creating little moments to look forward to.

Although if anyone knows where I can buy candles by the pallet, do let me know.

Lara is originally from Germany, where she studied Special Educational Needs before moving to England in 2016. She now runs the instagram account What A View Cottage which has over 240,000 followers, who tune in to be inspired by her modern take on rustic style.

Lara has always had a creative streak and the urge to experiment with colours and different layouts made her rearrange the furniture of her childhood bedroom constantly. These days she lives with her husband, their two sons and their fluffy, ginger cat Gizmo in a modern cottage in Wiltshire. She loves to create cosy, lived in spaces with lots of texture and the use of colour. Her specialty is to give rooms that cottage feel with a modern and sometimes unexpected twist and she's not afraid to mix interior styles.