white neutral background surrounded by brown autumn leaves, an orange decorative pumpkin, decorative brown pine cones and a dark blue wool shawl

How to create an autumnal colour scheme

By Emily Harnasz on

As the leaves turn brown and the air gets crisp, the undeniable urge to autumn-ify everything kicks in and all we want is a cosy night in, huddled under a blanket. 

So, with your pumpkin spiced latte in hand, let us share a few of our tips on how to bring the unmistakable colours of autumn into your home and interior.

 

six paint sample pot jars in bright colours stacked on top of each other and photographed on a neutral background next to a slim paint brush

 

Did you know we love autumn so much that we've dedicated an entire paint colour edit to its cosy colours? 'Autumn Winter Berries' is part of our YesColours inspirational paint edits and it's the epitome of all things autumn. You can find it as a swatch bundle or paint sample pot bundle.

 

Start with the basics.

What typically defines an autumnal palette is nature-inspired earthy tones, usually warmer and darker colours with a lower saturation (lots of grey and black added). Think paint colours like our Loving Orange, Mellow Yellow, Loving Green and Loving Pink paint shades.

Now, you can go all in and colour drench your space with these rich, luscious shades, especially in cooler, north facing spaces as they will adore a little warming up. But we know this isn’t for everyone, so consider using these bolder tones in smaller quantities to zone a corner, upcycle old furniture or add to woodwork and doors to bring in the essence of autumn without feeling overwhelmed.

 

spacious hallway with dark orange walls, decorated with a low shoe cabinet, round mirror and surrounded by wellie boots and umbrellas in muted autumnal colours

 

Very few paint colours scream 'autumn' quite like our bronzy, burnt orange, deep clay terracotta-like Loving Orange paint. With its gorgeous red undertones, this paint colour can warm up any space and room — something we all need in the cold months (and beyond).

Bring in the neutrals.

Balance out these earthy hues by pairing them with warm neutrals like our YesColours Loving Neutral, Graceful Neutral and Calming Neutral paint colours. They will provide a welcome lightness in the gradually darker days and their sunny undertones will mean you'll always feel comforted and uplifted.

The power of a warm neutral hue should never be underestimated when washed on walls and ceilings, it's the warm hug you’ve been after all these years and is the perfect backdrop for those autumnal accents to shine. If you’ve colour drenched those bold autumnal tones, consider adding warm neutrals in your smaller touches around your room or home decor. It’s all about balance, darling.

 

a leafy green branch placed on top of a short stack of books and photographed on a neutral background 

Our Calming Neutral paint colour is a creamy neutral shade with a warm golden undertone, which makes it perfect for balancing out cocooning autumn hues such as oranges, yellows and dark greens.


Layer with contrast.

Now, you could absolutely leave things here, but if you’re a little rebellious like us, bring some extra drama by adding teals, greens or blues to this colour scheme; the woolly hat of your autumnal outfit if you will. Shades similar to our Loving Teal and Mellow Teal paint colours cheekily popped in a space through artwork, lamps or rugs will bring visual interest and depth that will pull the entire scheme together and make you feel all content and fuzzy inside.

 

living room corner with green plants in various heights and sizes and deep teal-green walls, surrounded by a tall mirror and a rattan chair 

Our Mellow Teal paint colour is a versatile neighbourly sea green hue with an extra shot of cyan blue. It's perfect for rooms where you'd like to feel energised, comfortable and content. A real game changer, if you ask us.


Go back to nature.

It wouldn't be an autumnal aesthetic if we didn’t have actual touches of nature now, would it? Use natural elements like wooden furniture, real plants, rattan, wool and candles to layer up those autumnal hues and bring cosy texture by the bucket load. Their presence will ground and inspire, and, of course, complete your autumnal colour scheme to perfection. Just don't blame us if your guests refuse to leave or you never make it to work because of all the cosiness…

 

We hope these easy colour tips have inspired you to introduce an autumnal, yet timeless colour palette into your home.

And if you need any help with choosing the colours for your space, simply book a colour consultation with us and we'll sort your colour puzzle in no time. It's easy, it's fun... and there's a free option available too.

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