After a long, hot summer, darker nights and cooler days provide a chance to layer up your space for the season ahead with an array of inviting, sensory textures. Interiors journalist Nicky Rampley-Clarke shows us how…

The crisp, cool days of autumn call for cosy jumpers and cardigans made from the softest wool and cashmere – layered with socks, hats and scarves, of course – so why wouldn’t you refresh your home in the same way? Sensory textures can be one of the simplest and chicest ways to envelop yourself in comfort and create a cocooning feel as the seasons change, from layering different materials and adding varying textiles to incorporating natural elements and contrasting distinctive finishes.

When it comes to creating a warm and inviting sanctuary, start by combining textiles in your bedroom. Think crisp sheets in fine cotton layered with cosy throws in soft wool or sumptuous velvet – bedding with a ribbed texture or throws with embroidered details and fringed trims add further tactility. Don’t be afraid of faux fur: the latest styles are made from recycled fibres without compromising on wonderful cosiness. Contrast is key to creating a sanctuary that’s conducive to early nights and late mornings – textures that truly make your skin tingle.

Elsewhere in the home, your sofa provides an opportunity for a seasonal refresh, too – #sofascaping is trending on social media and involves styling your seating with different textures to encourage quality rest and relaxation. Summery linen sofa? The same principles apply by adding luxurious textures in accessories like cushions and throws, while swapping a floor covering for something that’s warm and tactile underfoot is a simple but effective trick. A coffee table in a dark-coloured wood – mocha or espresso, for example – featuring a textured grain you can run your fingertips across makes for the perfect finishing touch.

Don’t forget your dining space, either. Linen tablecloths layered with wicker placements and stone or earthenware creates a sensory and welcoming scene, as do etched glasses that feel as good in the hand as they look on the table. The flicker of tealights? A given.

If you prefer to leave your surfaces bare – whether a dining table, sideboard or somewhere you work – contrast statement materials like veined marble in cool whites and greys with warmer accents such as wooden chairs, metallic lamps or stone accessories. Natural greenery, too – whether flowers or foliage – adds yet more colour and texture.

Remember: you don’t need to change an entire room to create a hygge effect – the Scandinavian concept of creating a cosy atmosphere at home – but can do just one thing that makes all the difference. My top tip? An accent chair in any space that’s beautifully upholstered in a soft and sumptuous fabric such as shearling – a type of sheepskin – or bouclé, a timeless but on-trend looped yarn. Perfect for a cosy reading nook.

Lastly, textures in whites, greys and beiges aren’t just for summer. Pair cooler shades with warmer neutrals like taupes, browns and pinks to balance your scheme and dial up the temperature this season – somewhere for curling up to relax with a good book or your next box-set binge, or simply a space for cosy dinner parties with friends and family. A feast for the senses, if you will.