Vintage wicker shopping basket filled with straw hats beside an antique wooden chair, floral wallpaper, and fresh hydrangeas in a cozy cottage-style interior.

Feathering The Autumn Nest with Interior Design Enthusiast Linda from Stone Cottage

Autumn decorating: Fall home décor, cozy autumn interiors, seasonal decorating ideas
Vintage textiles: Antique quilts, Jacquard patterns, Suzani textiles, vintage blankets and coverlets
Cottage style: Cozy cottage interiors, New England cottage style, historic home decorating

Autumn home decorating tips from Linda Harbrecht of Stone Cottage, featuring cozy woolen throws, vintage baskets, quilts, and seasonal colors.

With the first whispers of a new season floating in on autumn breezes, thoughts understandably turn toward cool and quiet mornings and crisp moonlit evenings. Now is the time to feather the fall nest with layers of warmth, pattern and color by pulling out blankets, throws and quilts that have been tucked away during the warmer months.

Consider the following ways to embrace this season of calm, peace and comfort in and around your home:

1. Use the complementary colors of the season to create a striking display of woolen throws and blankets. Consider stacking them in a taller basket, such as a vintage wicker shopping cart, to create a warm welcome to the autumn home.

Cozy cottage-style bedroom featuring layered patterned quilts, an antique wooden dresser, exposed ceiling beams, and a window seat with green pillows.

Fall decorating ideas for layering quilts at the foot of a bed and displaying warm blankets and shawls on chairs and sofas.

2. Layer quilts at the foot of your bed for a little more warmth, pattern and textural interest. They could also be draped over the backs of chairs and sofas, used as tablecloths or openly stored in baskets or cupboards that allow their appealing patterns to show.

3. Stock up on reasonably priced shawls and small blankets when you’re out and about so that they can be placed on the backs of your guests’ chairs for cool-weather dinners or over the backs of chairs gathered around a firepit. They can also serve as a favor when guests depart.

Elegant autumn dining table with vintage patterned dinnerware, green glass goblets, decorative pumpkins, pears, candles, and a colorful floral centerpiece.

Creative ways to repurpose vintage quilts and blankets into decorative pillows, tablecloths, lavender sachets, ornaments, and other cottage-style accents.

4. When collecting quilts and blankets, don’t overlook the imperfect specimens that are available at lower prices since they can be easily repurposed. Undamaged sections can be sewn into pillows, smaller throws or tablecloths. Scraps can be wrapped around the base of a Christmas tree, sewn into small squares or hearts that can be stuffed with lavender for a sweet sachet. Other ideas include a one-of-a-kind tea cozy or a charming ornament or gift tie-on, which can also be artfully displayed in a simple frame.

Cozy cottage-style armchair with a botanical patterned pillow beside a wooden table displaying pink hydrangeas, framed artwork, and vintage accessories.

Decorating inspiration using vintage Jacquard textiles and patterned fabrics to add rich texture and decorative interest to cottage-style interiors.

5. Look for striking Jacquard patterns, named after Joseph-Marie Jacquard, a French weaver who developed the loom that revolutionized the way patterned cloth was woven. As a result, patterns that were once available only to the affluent became more accessible to a broader market. Even mass-produced vintage or antique patterns are considered highly desirable and can add a dramatic layer to a tabletop or sofa.

Charming cottage reading corner with a gingham upholstered chair, floral embroidered cushions, antique wooden door, framed artwork, and built-in bookshelves.

Interior decorating ideas featuring colorful Suzani embroidered textiles, decorative pillows, wall hangings, and luxurious cashmere throws.

6. For those whose tastes tend toward the more contemporary, consider the impact a bold Suzani can add to a room through pillows, throws, drapes or wall-hangings. Historically crafted as part of a wedding dowry, these embroidered decorative textiles have become a popular home accent. Those that are hand-embroidered cloths are highly desirable (and priced accordingly), but lower-cost versions are also widely available through outlets such as Etsy. Even a small Suzani in a simple frame can be an arresting focal point in homes that embrace bolder design styles.

7. Invest in a good cashmere wrap that could perform double duty as both a throw for the home and a shawl for nights out. Late-season sales are always a good way to find one at a reasonable price point and many good quality options are available through online vendors as well.

Inviting cottage-style living room with a traditional fireplace, white slipcovered sofas, botanical patterned pillows, antique wooden coffee table, and fresh hydrangeas.

Vintage textile collecting ideas featuring woven coverlets, antique quilts, New England camp blankets, Woolrich blankets, and granny-square afghans.

8. Consider starting a vintage textile collection while the market is filled with many different types and styles that reflect different regional traditions. Perfect specimens are readily available through antique and vintage dealers, and could be prohibitively expensive. But eagle-eyed shoppers can still spot them at flea markets, yard sales, thrift store and through online auctions. Items that are considered “on-trend” include woven coverlets, Native American blankets, New England camp blankets, fringed Woolrich blankets and even the granny-square afghans that evoke warm familial memories.

Cozy cottage window seat with botanical patterned pillows, a plaid blanket, woven window shade, framed botanical print, and an open book.

About Linda Harbrecht, home and design writer and creator of Stone Cottage, known for vintage interiors, seasonal decorating, and cottage-style living.

Linda Harbrecht is an award-winning former journalist and communications professional who now focuses on freelance writing and editing, primarily for home and design publications. Through her Instagram account at @stonecottage2250, Linda indulges her passion for interiors, gardens, food and historic homes. She has a particular fondness for cottage style, artful living and a nature-inspired seasonal approach.

Traditional cottage living room corner with a white upholstered armchair, patterned cushion, antique landscape paintings, green hydrangeas, and a vintage wooden chest.

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