As the evenings draw in and we start spending more time indoors, September is a great time to give your home an autumn refresh.
From soft furnishings and houseplants to candles, kitchenware and those all-important finishing touches, Chichester city centre is full of inspiration. And you don’t need a complete interiors overhaul – a few carefully chosen additions can make all the difference.
Here are some of our favourite ways to get your home ready for autumn – and where to find them within Chichester’s city walls.
1. Add warmth with cushions, throws and textiles
One of the simplest ways to make your home feel ready for autumn is to add another layer or two. Think tactile cushions, a throw over the sofa, warmer textures and a little more colour as the evenings begin to draw in.
Oliver Bonas on East Street is a great place to start. Much of its eclectic homeware collection is designed in-house, with colourful soft furnishings, creative lighting, patterned mirrors, ceramic plant pots and hand-painted ceramics all bringing plenty of personality to a room. If you like your interiors to feel individual rather than overly coordinated, there’s lots of inspiration here for an autumn update.
For something distinctly independent, Winter’s Moon on North Street deserves a browse of its own. Its carefully curated collection champions well-made pieces that offer something different from the mass-produced, with colourful lamps and shades, textiles and home accessories alongside products from small businesses and local artisans. It’s a shop made for discovering something you hadn’t necessarily gone in looking for.
For softer, more understated autumn styling, The White Company is another destination for throws, cushions and timeless home accessories, while M&S and TK Maxx is always worth a browse for an ever-changing selection of soft furnishings and homeware at a range of price points.
If you’re thinking bigger, BoConcept on Baffins Lane is the place to explore contemporary furniture and interior design, while Chairchester at Voke offers upholstery and handmade lampshades.
For those who prefer to make their own, Cross & Hamblin, Haberdashery & Fabrics and Clothkits offer fabrics and inspiration for everything from cushions and curtains to creative home projects.
2. Bring the outside in
As the garden settles into autumn and we retreat indoors, bringing greenery into our homes is an easy way to keep a little of the outdoors alive and breathe new life into our spaces.
The Little Botanical specialises in stylish houseplants, from smaller plants for shelves and desks to larger statement greenery, all paired with pots or belly baskets. You can find its collection in Chichester at Fernleigh and The Bazaar.
For fresh flowers and seasonal foliage, Flower and Hedge Rose are also worth a visit, whether you’re looking for a ready-made arrangement or a few stems to bring some autumn colour indoors.
3. Find the little things that make a home
Not every autumn update needs to be a big one. Sometimes it’s the smaller things – a new vase on the table, a colourful piece of ceramics, a candle, picture frame or decorative object – that make a familiar room feel different.
Winter’s Moon, Between The Lines and Vinegar Hill on North Street are full of those finishing touches, with a constantly changing collection of gifts and home accessories.
The Barn on East Street is another place to seek out individual pieces for your home, while The Bazaar brings together an eclectic mix of products and makers under one roof.
On South Street, Jaba Yard is also worth exploring for homeware and gifts with plenty of personality.
And if it’s time to finally frame that favourite print, photograph or piece of artwork, Whitby’s and Bond-a-Frame can help with the finishing touch.
4. Set the mood with scent and light
Making home feel cosy isn’t only about how it looks.
As the evenings get darker and windows are closed against the chill, candles, gentle fragrance and the glow of softer lighting can transform a room, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Jo Malone London is an obvious destination for luxurious candles and home fragrance, while The White Company offers its own collection of seasonal scents, candles and diffusers.
Clintons is another stop for affordable candles and diffusers, making it easy to introduce a new scent for the season.
Elsewhere, keep an eye out for candles, lamps and smaller lighting finds as you browse Chichester’s independent homeware shops. Sometimes changing the light – or simply finding a scent you love – is all it takes to make a room feel ready for the season ahead.
5. Give the kitchen an autumn refresh
Autumn has a habit of drawing us back into the kitchen too. Salads and barbecues give way to soups, Sunday lunches, baking and the first thoughts of entertaining as we head towards Christmas.
ProCook on North Street is a destination for everything from cookware and bakeware to kitchen tools, knives and tableware, while Lakeland is packed with practical kitchen equipment, baking essentials, storage solutions and those clever little gadgets you didn’t know you needed.
But an autumn kitchen refresh needn’t involve investing in a new set of pans. A few colourful mugs, new serving dishes, glassware or tableware can be enough to make the kitchen and dining table feel different for the new season. Oliver Bonas is particularly well known for its colourful mugs – one of its bestselling homeware lines – alongside hand-painted ceramics, glassware and statement serveware.
6. Hunt for second-hand treasures
For something larger, New to You on East Street offers both new and pre-loved furniture, giving you another way to refresh a room while extending the life of existing pieces.
For a home with a little more character, don’t overlook Chichester’s charity shops. They can be brilliant places to find second-hand homeware, from vintage ceramics and glassware to picture frames, vases and decorative pieces – often for just a few pounds.
The joy is in the hunt, with stock changing regularly and unexpected finds appearing alongside the clothes and books. Explore pre-loved pieces at St Wilfrid’s, British Red Cross, Chestnut Tree House, Oxfam and Cat and Rabbit Rescue and many more (link to charity shops section of the business directory).