With many of us worrying about the cost of living crisis, big DIY projects might be on hold but you don’t have to focus on major renovations – small inexpensive design upgrades can make all the difference to your home. Here are five more easy updates for the home.

Hang a raffia lampshade 

Natural materials are a huge trend for this autumn. Raffia is a natural material that is fabulous for lampshades that will give that boho Ibiza-vibe to your home this autumn.

Raffia comes from the raphia palm tree, which is native to tropical areas of Africa. The tree’s huge feather-like leaves are harvested and dried in the sun to make raffia. Raffia is durable and hard-wearing, but it’s also a very pliable material and it dyes extremely well – making it a great material for weaving into beautiful and unique lampshades. A lampshade like the Large Tiered Raffia Lampshade from Tine K Home makes a stylish eye-catching centre piece. In the evening the raffia lets a little light peek out bathing the wall in a lovely, gentle wash of colour and creating patterns on the walls.

Try a tiled mural

White metro tiles have had their day! Make a splash by installing a tiled mural into your bathroom. Decorative murals can add a much needed focal point to any room and a beautiful fresh floral design in peach and soft greens, like the Grain Leaves mural from The Bake Tile Company is printed on a timber effect porcelain base to give it depth. You can use murals on walls and floors and they are easy to lay. Each mural is 6 tiles wide x 6 tiles high and can be placed alongside additional murals to create a repeating pattern. You have to choose the colour of grout carefully so it blends into the design, but a mural creates a perfect blend of style and function in a bathroom. 

Invest in a piece of curved furniture

Softer shapes and angles in furniture are a big trend in 2022. After many years when straight lines inspired by 20th-century modernism have been in fashion, we are looking for furniture with soft edges. Curves are welcoming and they evoke a more feminine and gentle world. The autumn, you will see rounded corners, soft edges, and arched shapes on furniture everywhere from high-end luxury to high street brands. To embrace calm in your own home, choose a piece of curved furniture in a soothing neutral. The Lilli Sofa was created exclusively for Heal’s by Danish design studio Says Who and has a gently rounded silhouette, soft curves and foam cushioning. It’s recessed ash feet also create the appearance of the sofa floating.

Find space for larder cupboard

Larders used to be cool dark places to store perishable products before the advent of fridges. Nowadays, they are back in fashion as a practical and attractive way of adding storage to our kitchens. You can recycle an old flea market find, have a larder cupboard made bespoke to fit into an alcove or recess, or buy one from a specialist kitchen company. Have fun with colour – your pantry doesn’t have to match your kitchen!  Make it super functional with lots of adjustable shelves, spice racks, baskets you can move around, a wine rack and plenty of hooks. Use lots of pull-out baskets and glass jars so you can see everything easily. Get some chalk paint labels or an old Dynamo machine to make fun labels for your storage containers and you’ll be able to find everything quickly.

Invest in a cool new log burner

Fuel prices are at the front of all our minds. This autumn why not create a warming focal point with a stylish modern log burner? There really is nothing more relaxing than sitting in front of a warm fire when temperatures start to fall. Woodburners don’t have to be rustic nowadays – if you want a modern look there are woodburning fires that combine industrial-chic styling with contemporary format. Something like the Stovax Studio Air offers a high-efficiency Ecodesign burn, and loads of clever options to suit your home.

If you are looking to revamp your space this autumn, working with an interior designer will really help you use your budget wisely and create a look that feels cohesive, pulled together and will stand the test of time.