Winter is fast approaching so we wanted to share with you how best to turn your living space into a cosy, warm retreat. You can do this without sacrificing on style, by selecting modern house items and the right colour palette bringing true comfort to your space. 

Interior Colour Trends

Earthy, spicy tones are comforting and add warmth and depth to a room. These shades remind us of the natural world and give off a feeling of calm and ease. In fact, Dulux has chosen ‘Brave Ground’ – a warm, natural neutral that is said to help reconnect us and encourage a sense of community and harmony into the home –  as their Colour of the Year 2021. This is a fantastic segway for people to choose autumnal colours such as burnt oranges, saffron yellows plus the more conventional grey-greens and soft browns to bring their spaces down to earth. These hues are hugely adaptable and can work in both a contemporary home or something more traditional. They are a timeless backdrop to a multitude of furniture combinations. 

Complementing natural shades

A great way of complementing the kind of colours we’re talking about is to set them against brass, metallic finishes. The new Maison François Brasserie in London is a great example of this. The stunning dark mahogany wood and walnut shades create a cosy private atmosphere and are beautifully contrasted against the brass light fixtures.

The new A/W20 collection from Aromas lighting has some great options for trying to recreate this look, including the elegant Erto pendant light designed by AC Studios. This contemporary lamp has a gorgeous texture to it and is available in three different finishes including metal, matt brass and matt black. The muted light bounces from the inside reflective surface giving a toasted glow to your living space. 

For a sleeker choice, another great lighting option from this collection is the Delie wall lamp designed by JF Sevilla. This design incorporates a rounded marble element alongside the option of either matt black or the old gold finish. 

Matching timeless tones 

Modern sofas are perfect for framing your room and can be showcased against more neutral backdrops, sands and coppers look great mixed with bold sitting room furniture. This can also be used the other way round by choosing the brighter colours as the backdrop and selecting more neutral finishes for your sitting area, giving a similar effect.  

When it comes to sofa choices Bolia has a wide variety of options that fit perfectly with this type of scheme. Our first selection is the Lomi sofa designed by Meike Harde. This lounge piece is of typical Scandinavian design (archetypal of Bolia) and has cushions positioned closely to provide exceptional comfort. Plus the set includes a matching pouffe to rest your tired feet on, on these wintery nights. 

The Cosy modular sofa by Bolia is a great option for flexibility, as this design is available in several different layout combinations. We particularly like the voluminous cushions that are combined with the narrow frame in the pictured Sea Green finish, and the visible stitching on this design is a lovely touch which really emphasizes the craftsmanship that’s gone into the piece. 

Italian sofa manufacturers Saba Italia have also taken inspiration from the burnt orange trend with this setup. The Avant-Après sofa is a rigid yet lightweight seat that looks divine in this setting. It has taken a backseat behind the bold, bright colours but still invites you to fall into its unique detachable arm/backrests offering full flexibility once again. 

For something a bit different, consider the Bonaldo Tirella armchair. We love the contrasting combination of the earthy orange and the deep blue pictured here. The back and armrests look like you could almost melt into them, and the hanging cushion design is quite unique. 

Underfoot warmth

Adding a rug can make a big difference to the temperature in your room, especially if it’s being put down on a wooden or tiled floor. It is also an easy way to add another layer of comfort and style. Picking the right size, colour and shape rug for your room can be a challenge, although there are options out there for every room.  

Armadillo has recently expanded their colour offering in three of their bestselling rugs – Braid, Malawi and Sherpa. They have chosen a calming yet playful palette using natural tones including a blush, a naturalistic kelp and a bright maize yellow. These earthy designs are made from a range of different materials. 

• Malawi is made from ribbed wool pile which is framed by soft tassels that oozes barefoot comfort.
• Sherpa is textured weave made from a lush wool blend. 
• For a circular option Braid is hand-plaited out of a luxurious wool blend that is coiled into a circular form.

Earthy Accessories

Recently featured on our Instagram ‘New Editions’ story highlight is the arrival of the new Lo de Manuela cushions. We took delivery of a beautiful selection of heavy velvet fabrics in colours that would look quite at home plumped up on any of the sofas selected above. We stock a variety of Lo de Manuela cushions including linen, cotton, velvet and patterned designs.

AYTM also have a wide selection of soft furnishings and accessories to make for a cosier home. The Arcus cushions come in unique shapes of luxurious velvet and are available in either deep black, Amber or Bordeaux red. 
Accessories are important in bringing everything together and can truly make a space. When creating a comforting, nature-inspired home, handmade ceramics by Rina Menardi could be just what you’re looking for. Coming in a range of organic shapes and colours, they are a fusion of art, craftsmanship and function. You can check out a selection of her amazing vases, plates and other works at our home furniture store in Shoreditch, or our online homeware store here.