Cosy Autumn Garden Ideas: Create a Warm and Inviting Outdoor Retreat

As the evenings turn cooler, your garden can still be a lovely place to unwind. Sheltered seating, soft throws and warm lighting make it inviting on dry autumn days, whether you’re enjoying a quiet cup of tea or spending time with family.

This Salwah Living look combines natural woven furniture with olive-green and toffee cushions, an ecru throw and trailing greenery. A fire pit with a cooking grill adds another way to enjoy the patio, positioned in an open area away from the timber shelter and soft furnishings.

Shop the Look

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Shop the Look: Pattaya Outdoor Seating Set

Shop the Look: Cast Iron Fire Pit & BBQ

Shop the Look: Lichen Cushion Cover - Select Lichen from the colour options. Cushion cover only; insert sold separately.

Shop the Look: Toffee Cushion Cover - Select Toffee from the colour options. Cushion cover only; insert sold separately.

Shop the Look: Ecru Bouclé Throw - Select Ecru from the colour options.

Shop the Look: Warm White Festoon Lights - 6.5m outdoor plug-in string lights.

Shop the Look: Charcoal Solar Lanterns - Set of two solar lanterns. Place where the solar panels receive daylight to charge.

Shop the Look: Artificial Olive Tree - Select the 50cm option for the 150cm-tall tree. Suitable for sheltered outdoor display; decorative planter sold separately.

Shop the Look: Beige Outdoor Rug - Select Beige and the 160 × 230cm size.

Shop the Look: Sahara Ambre Scented Candle

Shop the Look: Trailing Button Fern - 82cm artificial trailing fern, UV stabilised for outdoor use. Plant only; hanging planter sold separately. This look uses two.

Shop the Look: Seagrass Hanging Planter - Natural seagrass planter, 17cm wide, suitable for sheltered outdoor spaces. Sold individually; this look uses two. Plants sold separately.

Shop the Look: Stone Linn Planter - Stone-effect ceramic planter, 42cm high and wide. Olive tree sold separately.

1. Create a Comfortable Seating Area

Arrange a sofa at the back of your sheltered space, with two armchairs angled towards the coffee table. This creates a welcoming setting for conversation while keeping the entrance easy to move through.

The Pattaya set’s natural woven texture and sand-coloured cushions provide a soft base for our autumn colours. Lower its adjustable table for relaxed drinks and place the matching bench to one side when you want to keep the front open.

2. Layer Cosy Autumn Colours

Lichen-green and Toffee cushions bring earthy colour to the neutral seating. Place one of each on the sofa, then repeat the colours on the armchairs to tie the arrangement together.

Drape the Ecru bouclé throw over a sofa arm for texture and something to wrap around you on cooler evenings. These cushions and the throw are indoor furnishings, so bring them outside for dry-weather use and store them indoors afterwards.

3. Add Warm, Gentle Lighting

Warm-white festoon lights bring a welcoming glow to the seating area as daylight fades. Hang them along the shelter’s beams to highlight the timber and frame the space.

Place the charcoal solar lanterns beside the seating area, keeping walkways clear. Position their panels beyond the roof’s shade so they receive sunlight to charge; their glow will vary with the season and available daylight.

4. Soften the Space with Greenery

An olive tree adds height beside the sofa, while its soft green foliage complements the Lichen cushions. Place its original pot securely inside the Stone Linn planter for a rustic finish, keeping the tree in a sheltered position.

Hang a seagrass planter in each rear corner, with a trailing button fern arranged inside. Secure each bare-stem plant in a suitable insert pot, allowing the foliage to cascade naturally while keeping it clear of the seating.

5. Add Texture with an Outdoor Rug

A warm beige outdoor rug softens the paving and brings another layer of woven texture to the seating area. Its subtle pattern complements the furniture while allowing the olive and Toffee cushions to stand out.

Centre the 160 × 230cm rug beneath the coffee table, leaving surrounding paving visible. Keep the fire pit completely separate from the rug, on a suitable non-combustible surface.

6. Make Room for a Fire Pit and BBQ

A fire pit creates a welcoming focal point for cooler evenings. Our chosen cast-iron design also includes a cooking grill, giving you the option of enjoying a simple barbecue alongside your outdoor seating.

Position it outside the timber shelter in an open area, on a level, non-combustible surface. Follow the manufacturer’s clearance instructions and keep it well away from furniture, rugs, foliage and overhead structures. Let it cool completely before moving or covering it.

7. Finish with a Simple Table Detail

A scented candle adds a finishing touch to the coffee table without crowding the space. The Sahara Ambre candle complements the warm autumn mood alongside our woven furniture and soft textiles.

Bring it outside when you’re using the seating area and store it indoors afterwards. If lighting it, follow its care instructions, keep it away from foliage and fabrics, and never leave it burning unattended.

8. Enjoy Your Garden Through Autumn

You don’t need to fill every corner to make your garden feel cosy. Comfortable seating, earthy colours, gentle lighting and a few touches of greenery can create a welcoming place to pause on a dry autumn afternoon or evening.

Bring out your cushions and throw when you’re ready to settle in, make a warm drink and enjoy the changing season. Afterwards, take indoor accessories back inside and protect your outdoor furniture according to its care instructions.