How to decorate your home for autumn using seasonal flowers
As the season begins to change from late summer into early autumn I want to explore how you can create a cosy home and embrace this time of year using seasonal flowers. There are so many simple ways that you can transform your home by focusing on texture. natural elements and rich foliage, yet also bring in some key statement pieces that will really welcome autumn in style.
Autumn is the most amazing time of year, with so many people loving the golden light, cosier days and the chance to fish out your autumn boots and jackets. We often change our wardrobe style during this season change, so why not change how we style our home too? I love having an autumn equivalent of a spring clean at this time of year, and saying goodbye to my much loved summer items and beginning to incorporate the new season and all it has to offer.
Autumnal vase arrangements:
One of the most simple ways you can encorporate autumn into your home and begin to transform your space into a cosier, warmer atmosphere is to fill some beautiful vases and place them around well loved parts of your home. I always have a big vase on the lobby table in my hall, which changes throughout the season, It is the first thing I see as I walk in through my door and it always cheers me up, welcoming me inside. Use big foliage branches that are beginning to turn as autumn is the time of year when the leaves turn from green through to all kinds of gold, bronze, red, brown and plum shades. It is surprising how effective just a simple few branches of foliage can look. Again this works well with berries, I adore using railing rose hips at this time of year, so combine this with your foliage alongside hedgerow finds such as old man’s beard, you will have. a really unique and seasonal arrangement to brighten up your home. Switch up your clean summer glass, to more natural vessels like terracotta or stone, these will instantly add warmth to any interior.
how to style your autumn table:
Whereas the summer is full of entertaining outside, with bbqs and summer garden parties, we move inside in the autumn and so think about how you can dress your dining table full of autumnal blooms for your Sunday lunch or dinner party with guests. I love mixing up my linens at this time of year, going for more natural, earthy tones on the table and then filling with rich jewel toned blooms like dahlias throughout the centre. You can place flowers in bottles and votives at different heights, to create an effective dinner party tablescape. Dahlias, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and asters all work well, and do not forget your berries, foliage and any other texture elements you can find. Candles are crucial for this time of year, when the nights are drawing in so match your taper coloured candles to your flowers for a cohesive and stylish look.
Decorate your outside porch for autumn:
Ok, so we may be moving onto American territory here, but over in the US ‘Fall’ and particularly Halloween are huge occasions, where neighbourhoods really do go to town on creating a huge autumn statement outside. I have see this trend creep over here, with me being asked to create bespoke autumnal door installations for clients. If you are looking for a simpler way to do this, try gathering gourds and pumpkins of various sizes and arrange in a stylish way. An autumn door wreath is the perfect accent and nod to the season, without going full force! You can create your own autumn wreath with some very simple steps below.
How to make an Autumn Wreath:
You will need: a wire wreath ring, a reel wire or garden twine, autumn foliage alongside interesting elements such as berries, twigs, dried ingredients. Take a look in your garden at what is available or pop to your local florist shop to chose a few beautiful ingredients.
Moss a wire ring in exactly the same way you would begin the basis of a Christmas wreath. Purchase a wire ring from your local florist and bind on handfuls of moss to the wire frame unit you finish off with a solid, completely mossed wreath. Bind the wire over the wreath again until it is completely secure.
Now you will need to add your foliage. Cut into smaller bunches say 10cm long and place onto the mossed wreath ring diagnollay, you will need to bind the wire over the end of the foliage bunch securely onto the moss. Make another bunch and then place beneath the first one, binding on again. Keep going until you have a fully foliaged wreath. A top tip is to turn the wreath as you add on your bunches so you can stay on track and not let any of the stems show.
Add in your berries or twigs by poking in securely, you can wire in with stub wires to ensure they are safely secured, or add these to your foliage bunches as you go. Be as bold and creative as you like!
Finally add a loop of twine at the back to secure onto your door using more twine, ribbon or a wreath hook… stand back and enjoy you beautiful, hand made autumn wreath!
using dried flowers in autumn:
Autumn is the perfect time of year to utilise dried flowers. Hydrangeas are a great flower to buy in fresh and then watch them dry slowly, the colour mutes week by week and they are a great long lasting option. As a florist in North Devon I have great big hydrangea bushes in the garden and so am lucky enough to watch them turn from quite garish bright blue and purple that scream summer, through to the much more delicious, muted autumnal shades of green and brown. Grasses work well for a more structural look and branches of honesty are a beautiful pearlescent option. Helichrysum flowers are an easy to grow cut flower, so get ahead and order some seeds to grow next year so you will have your very own bountiful display of autumn dried blooms. These dainty little flowers are perfect additions to add into dried autumn wreaths, or by just adding in those tiny little pops of dried flowers on your tables capes.
Decorate your fireplace:
The beginning of autumn may not be cold enough to think about lighting the fire, but that doesn’t mean you can’t think about dressing the fireplace. I love to fill rustic baskets with logs, so they are ready to go for when the temperature does drop! The mantelpiece is a great way you can add an autumnal touch, bottles full of berries and twigs works well alongside a couple of seasonal gourds. Dried wreaths work well over the top of the fire, placed high above the wall to create a stylish nod to the new season. All these extra touches will really make your home feel super special and cosy, in time for the changing seasons!
extra ways to add the autumnal touch to your interiors:
Autumn is the time of year when I bring out extra candles, change up the scent to the more warmer, richer scents and move away from the more floral, fresher tones of summer. Go big on candlelight because the nights will be drawing in so the warm glow is super important in making us feel we still have an evening! Change up your fabrics and layer up your blankets more, extra softer cushions and warmer blankets are a great way to bring in that feeling of autumn. Dare I say it, you can even bring out the fairy lights again, light is your friend this season it is all about creating a warm, cosy glow!
the best flowers to use in autumn:
Hydrangeas: a stunning seasonal bloom that is incredibly long lasting. The colour suit this time of year perfectly as the summer bright flowers give way to the muted warm tones of blue, green, brown and red.
Berries: In any form, snowberries, rose hips, hypericum berries, viburnum berries are my absolute favourites to use, and again long lasting. Create a statement vase of all berries for maximum impact, or add sprigs to florals for a mixed look.
Foliage branches: from copper beech, through to oak leaves and rusty bracken, even a few simple foliage stems can elevate any space.
Chrysanthemums: ok don’t judge me here, but Chrysanthemums are having a comeback moment, with ‘copper vienna’ and ‘avignon’ being some of the most special autumn flowers you can use. They are super long lasting too and look great as single heads in bud vases, or as part of a larger display.
Rudbekia: I am saving the bets til last in my humble florist opinion! Rudbeckia are one of the most stunning autumn flowers, a daisy/dahlia shape bloom they come in a variety of muted brown, mocha, burgundy shades, which are perfecto to use in autumn weddings. Through to the brighter, more traditional yellow and orange tones.
As the season is beginning to slowly turn and we can feel autumn on the horizon I hope I have given you some easy to implement ideas that will allow you to decorate your home with autumn flowers, when the time is right! If you are looking for beautiful, bespoke autumn wreaths we can courier our stunning, popular designs throughout the country, so do get in touch if you would like a wreath for your door or inside your home!