Symbols of Autumn in Design

The season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’ is approaching. Falling leaves remind us of autumn’s beauty and now is the perfect time to transition your home into a cosy space. Join us as we share some symbols of the season which we have incorporated into our designs. We hope these examples will inspire you to refresh your home for autumn.

A more contemporary example of branch inspired furniture is seen in the entrance lobby at Dorset Square Hotel. Here, the rich copper tones of the velvet covered walls also evoke autumnal impressions.

2. Fireplaces

The large fireplace and wood panelled walls in Covent Garden Hotel’s Drawing Room reminds us of the joy of feeling cosy indoors during colder months. A fireplace can make any space feel like home and the best way to enjoy the warming glow of a fire is to install a club fender. See how we use club fenders here.

You could also put some branch clippings in a vase to make an autumn inspired arrangement. Simple but so effective!

3. Leaves

You couldn’t think about autumn without envisioning brown and golden leaves falling beneath the trees. Leaves symbolise hope, growth, peace and rebirth. In this bedroom scheme, a brightly embroidered fabric on the headboard and bed cushions celebrates the beauty of the season. In autumnal hues, the centre bed cushion also portrays a ceremony. With schemes like these you can go wild by including organic shapes, leaf symbols and artworks.

Some of our favourite autumn fabrics can be found at Charlotte Street Hotel. In a bedroom we have used an animated fabric for our signature Firmdale mannequin. On the armchair we added a border of fun piping to enhance the pops of autumn colours.

In this leafy bedroom at Covent Garden Hotel, a hand embroidered design with cutout leaves adorns the headboard and embodies the joy of nature.

Mushrooms are one of our favourite ways to incorporate what we have fondly nicknamed ‘Smalls’. See Smalls: Our Styling Handbook to find out more!

7. Deer

Deer are found often during the autumn. They shift their migration patterns and symbolise mindfulness. Nestled in birch trees is this Heather Jansch deer sculpture made with driftwood, metal and even car filler! The sculpture makes you have a good look around and appreciate the changing season.

Thank you for exploring these schemes with us and if you’d like to fall deeper into autumn, find our ideas to bring warmth and comfort to your living spaces with our blog post: How to Refresh Your Home for Autumn.

5. Baskets

Baskets have been used for centuries as harvest containers. It’s for this reason that they represent abundance and wealth. Speaking about abundance and baskets, we had a lot of fun when collecting these 52 historic baskets to display here at The Whitby Bar.

6. Mushrooms

Autumn is the peak season for mushrooms to sprout. Although they are fungi, they do make great objects to add layer and character into a space. Mushrooms are mysterious and they symbolise transformation.

8. Palette

Lastly, symbolism can be found within colour. Schemes with warm tones and rich hues of burnt oranges, deep reds, bold browns and mustard yellows all help to create a space that evokes autumn. Adding floral headboards can mimic the story of nature’s transition. In these bedrooms, we have added pops of colour by including patterned curtains. Whilst these schemes are autumnal, these colour palettes instil a sense of calm whatever the season is.

4. Oak Trees and their Acorns

Acorns produce the mightiest of trees – the oak tree. Representing the repeated processes of nature, oak trees symbolise strength and unlimited possibility. At Ham Yard Hotel, our Oak Leaf Suite overlooks a 30 foot oak tree in the hotel’s courtyard. This suite pays homage to this with a headboard that fashions hand embroidered leaves in bold and striking colours.