Spencer Thorpe: Autumn Colours: Warm Browns for Cosy Living

Autumn is right around the corner and that means it’s time to add some warm, autumnal colours to your home design plans. One of the most versatile of these is brown, the colour of leaves, wood, the woodland ground and flowers at the end of their summer reign. Brown, with its earthiness and warmth, can add a cozy charm to any living space, whether you use it as an accent colour or opt to decorate the entire room in brown hues.

Autumn Design Plans: Use a rich deep brown

Brown comes in a wide range of hues, from tan to deep chocolate, with an entire palette of shades in between. Consider mocha, taupe, charcoal and sienna when selecting the browns you want to use in your home. In fact, there are more than 40 different shades of brown from which to choose.

Below are a few ideas to help you add brown to your autumnal design motif. Layer different shades of brown in a single room for a complex, yet rich and comfortable look.

The Quintessential Brown Sofa

This New England leather sofa from Furniture Village is the quintessential brown piece for your autumn colour motif and can be softened with pillows or throws as the seasons change. Available in a variety of brown hues, this three-seater sofa will last a lifetime with decent care. £ 1695

Modern Rug

This patterned, hand-woven, graphic rug from Heal’s will add a variety of brown hues to your room while adding interest and helping to define your living spaces. It’s available in a variety of sizes and would be perfect atop a parquet or wooden floor. £ 450

Warm Elegance

Adding brown to your rooms doesn’t have to just mean updating your furniture. Accessories, like this plaid, Douglas wool throw can be useful in layering the brown hues in your living space and helping to evoke the richness of an autumn evening, no matter the season. £ 95

Luxury Lighting

Good light is essential to any good design plan. Traditional design wisdom says that you need a minimum of three points of light in any given space. This walnut-stained modern table lamp from Habitat makes a good reading or accent lamp, while adding another layer of brown to your room. £ 70

Quirky Wall Art

Artwork, too, can add depth and complexity to your Autumn Colours room. It can also help accent your own individual taste and individuality. This print in sepia and brown tones of the rooftops of Oxford University by Claire Halifax from Art Republic can add interest to any room, while highlighting your quirky style and eclectic taste. £ 300

Display Your Best

This four-tiered California display unit not only adds warm brown tones to your room, but gives you an elegant place to display your collections, dinnerware, books or other collectables. £ 699

Be Bold and Bookish

Books are a great addition to an Autumn Colours theme. After all, what else is there to do on a cold, autumn night? This light-brown wooden bookcase from Feather & Black gives you a place to store those tomes while adding to your room’s overall look. £ 275

One of a Kind Accessory

If you’re looking for an accent piece that will tie your room together without resorting to the same tired ideas you’ve seen at your friends houses, then this small warp bowl is the perfect addition. It’s modern, stylish and sure to intrigue your friends. And it’s got the curious patina of a chestnut, which brings back memories of games of conkers in the playground. £ 65

Incorporating the colour brown into your home decor not only adds warmth and a natural charm, but can take your rooms from autumn through the rest of the year. With a little time and effort, your Autumn Colours look can give your home that rich, effortless British country house or Long Island estate look, no matter where in the world you live.

Spencer Thorpe

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Autumn Colours: Warm Browns for Cosy Living