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Fashion a Fall Cocoon With Fabulous Textiles
Tucked up with plush sheepskins, snuggly blankets and layers of scarves, you can feel right at home in every room this autumn
The leaves may not yet be falling, since it's only early September, but if you are anything like me, the craving for more warmth at home has already begun. Textiles — encompassing everything from rugs, blankets and quilts to cushions, table linens and even aprons and robes — offer one of the easiest and most affordable ways to update your space. Indulge your wish for a cozier home with these fresh ideas for using textiles in nearly every room in the house.
Bedroom: Add faux fur for instant warmth. Toss a fluffy faux fur throw on the foot of the bed or nestle in a plush pillow. It will feel heavenly on that first chilly night to curl up here with a good book.
Bedroom: Think layers. Weather can be unpredictable during the transition from summer to fall. Layer your bed with sheets, a thin quilt or coverlet and an extra blanket folded at the foot of the bed for chilly nights. Dusky colors in linen, velvet and hand knits combine for a cozy feel.
Anywhere: Extra textiles make for a useful display. Stacks of soft textiles look warm and welcoming on a shelf, on a spare stool or piled into a basket. Think about what you have lying around the house or in storage: kilim rugs, kimonos, fringed towels, suzani bedspreads, linen sheets or tablecloths, quilts and throws are all good candidates for display.
Kitchen: Hang up those aprons. Whether yours leans toward cute vintage aprons or elegantly simple linen numbers, they will look great on hooks near the stove.
Bedroom: Add a superfluffy accent rug. Ultraplush sheepskin does have a tendency to pick up dirt and dust like nobody's business. One placed in the bedroom will stay protected and give your feet something wonderful to sink into first thing in the morning.
Living room: Ground your space with rich color. Beachy sea grass and sisal are great in the summer, but come fall I crave something with more softness and depth of color underfoot. If you do have a natural fiber rug already in place, simply layer a smaller, plush area rug on top. Floors that have been kept bare all summer can be covered with an extra-large rug (big enough that all of your furniture will fit on top of it if possible). Try plum, wine or chocolate — all classic fall colors that work with a range of other hues.
Dining room: Use a scarf as a table covering. Before you splurge on a new tablecloth, take a look in your closet — shawls, scarves and wraps can all make fabulous (and really unique) runners or tablecloths. Just be sure that whatever you use can be laundered, and don't use anything too precious.
Dining room: Keep your table set between meals. Around this time of year I begin craving a little more oomph to my table setting, even between meals. Rather than concoct some elaborate tablescape, I prefer to keep a runner and a stack of folded napkins on the table at all times, with a changing array of seasonal fruit and/or flowers from the garden. Simple and chic.
Anywhere: Use sheepskins to cozy up chairs and benches. Ultrasoft and warm, sheepskin is unbeatable for comfort and warmth. Use one on your desk chair or cover an entire seating area; anywhere you put it is bound to become the best seat in the house. Gray sheepskins (as shown here) look slightly unusual and therefore more luxurious.
Study or office: Mix textures for a handsome look. Traditional menswear fabrics like tweed and wool flannel pair especially well with perennial fall favorites like felt, leather and hide (real or faux) for a cultivated look. Furniture in modern shapes and quirky bookish wallpaper keep the space featured here from veering into hunting-lodge territory.