5 Easy (and Free) Ways To Make Your Bedroom Cosy for Autumn

After a long summer, suddenly a cool chill is in the air and we're starting to see jeans for the first time in many months. Autumn marks the start of what we like to call "bed-friendly weather", during which it is perfectly acceptable to spend whole days entwined in your doona, leaving the sanctuary of your room only to collect Uber Eats deliveries. And since we're all gearing up to spend more time in bed, it makes sense to consider boosting the cosiness levels of our bedrooms.

But before you decide you don't have a big enough budget to invest in fluffy high pile rugs and velvet armchairs, consider this—sometimes the only thing you need to create a cosy atmosphere is a little imagination. From borrowing items from elsewhere in your home in deep, dark shades like autumnal rust, to tricking up your bedside lamp, these tips are either completely, or mostly, free.

Tip #1: Refresh Your Bedding

As the mercury drops you'll likely want to consider switching up your summer bedding to suit. (Note: If you've already got Bed Threads' flax linens on your bed you won't have to change them out—unlike cotton, linen adjusts to your body temperature insulating you against the cold accordingly.) Even then, adding extra warmth before the weather dips is always a good idea. It means you'll never be caught out shivering yourself to sleep if a particularly icy chill arrives out of nowhere. To prepare, try layering a couple of wool blankets over your sheets and swapping your summer quilt for a plush winter one.

Tip #2: Deepen the Colour Palette

There's something about using a cocktail of dark, dusky tones that can make any room feel significantly cosier. Since your bed is probably the focal point of your bedroom, adding rich shades by way of linens and pillows is an easy way to make a huge difference to the overall feel of the space. If you don't have a stash of different coloured linens to play with, there are other simple ways to get amongst. (Because we're trying to do this for free, remember.) Look for inky cushions, art, candles or even books elsewhere in your home that can be styled in central areas of your bedroom as moody accents.

Tip #3: Soften Up the Lighting

This one is as easy as adding a lamp to your bedside table, if you haven't already, to give you the option of mellowing out the light when appropriate. If you're willing to shell out a couple of extra clams you might also like to fit a smart bulb to your lamp or overhead light. These generally work via an app (Philips Hue is one such brand) allowing you to dim and change the colour of the light. This sounds very extra (and it kind of is) but softening the light to a warmer shade can be extremely relaxing. Studies have suggested red is the best colour light for sleep due to its purported ability to stimulate melatonin.

Tip #4: Add In Wood Accents

Rooms that feel all warm and inviting tend to have one thing in common—the use of either wood furniture or decor objects. Darker woods, like rosewood, create this effect best but even blonde woods will do at a stretch. If you don't already have anything woody in your bedroom have a think about what can be moved there to live for the season. Smaller pieces like timeless sculptures (think Gunnar Florning-esque sparrows) can be placed bedside, but failing everything else you can always repurpose a small wooden spice bowl to keep your jewellery in. Wooden photo frames are another easy fix.

Tip #5: Make Time to Tidy Up

Hate to get all Marie Kondo on you but living in a messy space can affect you mentally and emotionally. If you feel unsettled when there is clutter everywhere, dedicate a weekend to ridding yourself of all the things that are weighing you down. Implementing quick-fix storage strategies, whether that's coralling your collection of eyeliners in an empty candle vessel or using 3M hooks to hang all your spare handbags on the back of the wardrobe door, can have a significant effect. A few days of cleaning and organising is worth the effort when feeling cosy and comfortable is the name of the game.

Still reading? This is how to cleanse your home of negativity, once and for all.