This month, we’re looking at the changing season, the soft furnishing ideas inspiring us, ways to prepare your home for the months ahead, and why, if you have exciting plans for 2027, now is a very good time to start talking to us.

One of the most welcome shifts in interiors is the continued move away from rooms that look as though everything was bought on the same afternoon.

Instead, there’s a real appetite for character, craftsmanship and individuality.

Pattern is being layered with pattern. Traditional stripes are sitting alongside florals. Textured plains are being used to calm busier designs, while trims, piping, pelmets and beautifully made window treatments are bringing detail back into our rooms.

We’re also seeing continued enthusiasm for warmer, earthier palettes. Think tobacco, ochre, olive, russet, burgundy and chocolate alongside softer shades of stone, oatmeal and cream.

The overall feeling is less about following one particular trend and more about creating a home that looks as though it has evolved naturally over time.

And, frankly, we’re rather pleased about that.

You don’t need to completely redecorate because autumn has arrived.

September is the perfect time to begin layering back in some of the warmth that was stripped away during spring and summer.

Bring out the cushions with a little more texture. Introduce deeper colours alongside your existing neutrals. Add a throw to an armchair. Start drawing the curtains earlier and notice how different fabrics change the atmosphere of a room once the lamps are switched on.

Even one or two small additions can make a summer room feel instantly more appropriate for autumn.

NPSF Tip: If your room has a neutral base, choose one autumnal accent colour and repeat it two or three times through cushions, accessories or a patterned fabric. It will feel intentional without becoming overly coordinated.

Loved a fabric but can’t imagine it covering an entire pair of curtains?

Spotted a wallpaper but aren’t sure whether the pattern will overwhelm your room?

Send us a photograph of your space.

Tell us which fabric or wallpaper you’re considering, and we can help you visualise how it could look in your own home.

It’s a simple way to experiment with colour and pattern before committing, particularly if you’re choosing something a little outside your usual comfort zone.

Sometimes you need to see it before you can fall in love with it.

September is also a very sensible time to look at your windows.

We spend much of summer thinking about keeping sunlight out, but before long we’ll be thinking about keeping warmth in.

Beautifully made curtains and blinds aren’t simply decorative. The choice of fabric, lining, fit and finish can all influence how comfortable a room feels as temperatures begin to fall.

If your curtains have seen better days, you’ve been meaning to dress an awkward window, or you’ve spent the last three winters saying, “We really must do something about that draught…”, this might finally be the year.

Getting started in September also gives you far more time to make considered choices before the pre-Christmas rush begins.

Our online wallpaper shop is still very much open for business, with our Beautiful Walls collection offering plenty of inspiration for an autumn refresh.

As we spend more time indoors, wallpaper comes into its own. It can completely change the atmosphere of a room without requiring a full redesign.

We’re particularly loving wallpaper in:

Entrance halls and stairways

Cosy snugs

Bedrooms

Dining rooms

Downstairs cloakrooms

Home offices

Feature alcoves and chimney breasts

And remember, wallpaper doesn’t necessarily need to be the loudest element in the room. A subtle texture or gentle pattern can provide the backdrop that makes your curtains, upholstery and artwork suddenly make sense together.

This is something we’d really like more interior designers, property professionals and specifiers to know about.

NPSF can work alongside you.

If you’re creating schemes for clients but need a trusted soft furnishings partner to help bring those ideas to life, we’d love to talk.

We can help with sourcing fabrics, discussing suitable materials, bespoke curtains and blinds, cushions, upholstery and those all-important finishing details.

You bring the vision. We can help with the practical expertise, fabric knowledge and craftsmanship needed to turn it into reality.

And because we have access to an extensive range of fabric houses and collections, working with NPSF also gives you somewhere local to see, touch and compare fabrics rather than making decisions from a screen.

Whether you’re working on one room, a complete home, a holiday property or a commercial scheme, we’re very happy working collaboratively.

Interior designers, architects, developers, property stylists and commercial designers are all welcome.

Yes, we know. We’re only just putting summer behind us and we’re already mentioning 2027.

But hear us out.

If next year includes a renovation, extension, new home, major refurbishment or complete interior update, the best schemes rarely begin with choosing a cushion six weeks before completion.

Starting early gives you time to properly consider:

Window treatments
Where will curtains sit? Do you need blinds as well? Are there unusually shaped or particularly large windows?

Fabric schemes
Choosing fabrics across several rooms together creates flow without making every space look identical.

Furniture
Before replacing existing pieces, could a much-loved chair or sofa be reupholstered or given a bespoke loose cover?

Practical requirements
Privacy, light control, insulation, durability and how a room will actually be used all need consideration alongside aesthetics.

Budget
Planning ahead allows you to prioritise where to invest and where simpler solutions will work perfectly well.

If you have architectural plans, moodboards, Pinterest boards or simply a head full of ideas, bring them along.

We’d much rather be involved at the beginning and help you make good decisions than meet you at the end when someone has just realised there isn’t enough room beside the window for the curtains they wanted!

As people become more thoughtful about what they bring into their homes, we’re seeing renewed appreciation for furniture that already has a story.

A beautifully made chair with tired upholstery doesn’t necessarily need replacing. Neither does a sofa that still fits your room perfectly but no longer suits your colour scheme.

Reupholstery and bespoke loose covers give good furniture another chapter while allowing you to choose exactly the fabric, colour and finish you want.

It’s sustainable, personal and often results in something far more interesting than buying another identical piece from a showroom floor.

If you have a piece you’re unsure about, send us a photograph and have a chat with us before you consign it to history.

Check your curtain linings. Before temperatures fall properly, inspect existing linings for wear and think about whether greater insulation would benefit the room.

Look at your home after dark. A scheme that works beautifully in July sunshine can feel very different under artificial light. Check how your fabrics and colours behave once the lamps go on.

Don’t pack away every summer colour. Autumn doesn’t require everything to become brown overnight. Pale blues, greens and soft florals can look wonderful alongside richer seasonal shades.

Think texture before buying more ‘stuff’. Wool, velvet, brushed weaves and textured cushions can create warmth without filling a room with autumn decorations.

Start Christmas projects sooner than you think. If you’re hoping to have a room transformed before visitors arrive, talk to us sooner rather than later. Bespoke work and December panic are not natural friends.

Thank you for spending another month with us.

Whether you’re choosing one roll of wallpaper, rescuing a much-loved armchair, specifying furnishings for a client’s project or planning an entire home for 2027, no project needs to begin with all the answers.

Sometimes it starts with a fabric you’ve fallen in love with. Sometimes it’s a photograph of a room that isn’t quite working. And sometimes it’s simply, “We’ve no idea what to do with this window.”

That’s what we’re here for.

Pop in, bring your ideas, send us your photographs and let’s see what we can create.

Warm wishes,
The NPSF Team