Readying your home for autumnBy Lorna Sixsmith

Cosy up with quilts and cushions as the winter evenings come in: Greengate Valery quilt and Naomi cushion at www.garrendennylane.ie

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The evenings are drawing in and it is time to make our homes cosy for winter. Judging by many of the new trends I saw at the Maison Objet show in September, it is all about adding texture

and warmth through accessories this season.

CushionsCushions for the bedroom and living room are a great and relatively inexpensive way to mark the change in seasons. Put away your light coloured ones and invest in comfortable cushions with lots of texture for the winter. They can be embellished with buttons, bobbles, lace, embroidered flowers, tassles, faux fur, raised velvet, piping or faux flowers. Hand knitted cushions are also very much back in vogue with patterns ranging from simple plain/purl stitching to Aran designs. If you don’t feel up to taking out a pair of knitting needles yourself, you will be able to find a wide array of knitted cushions in the shops and the softer the wool, the better. It is all about being tactile this season.

Get out those knitting needles!Indeed, such is the enthusiasm for wool in interiors this season that woollen products are not just limited to cushions and throws. Candles have an Aran pattern on the outside, clocks can be finished with a knitting pattern and even pouffees can be purchased in a cable knit. Lampshades in knitted patterns are available too, as well as embellished with knitted flowers or even coloured goose feathers! The choice is endless as are the challenges if you want to take up your knitting needles again.

ColourDon’t forget colour - bring some warm autumnal shades to those cushions and other accessories…reds, oranges, purples, browns and aubergines. Decide in advance what the dominant colours for your Christmas decorating will be so they will compliment your autumnal decorating.

Sticks and StonesNatural products, such as wooden logs, were very apparent at the show this year – they ranged from slices of log used as place mats to bathroom walls created from thin slivers of log. Open fires are what really makes a house a home, but don’t hide the wood logs away in a box - put them on display. If your fire is gas or electric, why not have some ‘perfectly shaped’ logs as an accessory?

Hallowe'en decoratingDoor wreaths aren’t necessarily just for Christmas. Create an autumnal Hallowe'en one to welcome those trick or treaters – buy a simple plain wreath and add nuts, dried oranges, small apples, berries - whatever you like. Don’t forget the decorated pumpkins either - it is possible now to purchase a variety of different shaped and coloured squashes, pumpkins and gourds from the shops. Have fun with the children by

carving out different faces and put the various pumpkins and squashes on display in the hall or on the steps.

Above all - have fun, stay safe with matches and candles and remember that cosiness is key this winter.

Lorna Sixsmith owns Garrendenny Lane Interiors, a online store that supplies home accessories and gifts. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Garrendennylane.

Bring autumnal shades into your home to make it even more cosy. Orange patterned buttoned armchair from George Smith.

‘Knitted’ clocks were very much evident at the shows this season. This is by Diamantini & Domeniconi - available to order from Garrendenny Lane Interiors.

Create a colourful and dramtic entrance with tall candles and a variety of carved pumpkins. Image: Dremel

Think Ralph Lauren and cosy Canadian mountain living with this

selection of cushions. Note the faux fur trimming on the middle cushion,

the perfect stack of logs in the background and the faux fur throw.

Selection of cushions will be available to purchase online at

www.garrendennylane.ie