"In a bramble wood, within a colossal, ancient beech tree, stood a charming little cottage. Above the doorway, on a hand-painted oak sign, was written: 'The Enchanted Burrow'. This was the home of Mother Hare. In the terracotta flower pots on the windowsills, and all around the tree, among the roots that emerged from the earth, wild strawberries grew. Tiny pearls of light, like stardust, shimmered in the air".
(La tana incantata, Luisa Castellina)
Just like the animals in fairy tales, especially in autumn and winter, we feel the need to create a warm and cozy shelter where we can feel safe, gather, and welcome others. We are approaching a magical and mysterious time: a time for rest, introspection, and the darkness that replaces the light. Our gaze shifts from the outside to the inside, and we discover a desire to slow down and listen to ourselves. Our home becomes a space where we surround ourselves with things that offer us comfort, tenderness, and sparks of happiness. These are special objects that protect, encourage, and simply, save us.
Here are 4 talismans that can guide us on this journey towards the new season
Even the word itself, so soft and round, rolls gently off the tongue. Its containment function is a symbol of welcome; when you hold it, your hands come together as in gratitude, and you immediately come into contact with the warmth and scent of what it holds. Sipping a steaming broth from a bowl is a meditative act, a gentle caress that engages all our senses. This autumn, our homes will see a proliferation of ceramic bowls with organic and essential shapes, handmade with imperfect finishes, decorated with natural glazes and earthy colors. Each piece tells a story, often linked to local traditions or artisanal techniques passed down through generations: consuming our meal in such a precious artifact is a gift we deserve.
The quintessential transitional object, providing warmth and comfort, the Linus blanket. My advice is not only to use it to dress the sofa in new colors, but to use it, crumple it, wrap yourself in it, carry it around the house from the bedroom to the living room as if it were a second skin, or spread it on the floor and cover it with cushions to create a cocoon corner where we can dedicate ourselves to ourselves. The plaid originates in the cold Scottish Highlands, and the checkered pattern we all know was the distinctive sign that indicated the clan or region of origin. For the Scots, the plaid still holds a strong symbolic and identity value today, and it is beautiful to recover this concept that generates such a powerful bond with the object-blanket that envelops, hides, protects, and defines. The iconic Scottish pattern shines again this autumn, confirming its versatility and timeless charm, and adorns blankets and plaids made with natural and precious raw materials: pure carded wool or mixed with cashmere and mohair, worked with sustainable methods, choosing organic dyes or giving a second life to the wool of endangered species. Even fashion in recent years has embraced coziness and has transformed the blanket that we put on the bed or sofa into cozy coats or wraps, reintroducing the tartan pattern on capes and oversized shawls.
The candle will be our ally in illuminating the winter darkness. Its flame is much more than just a source of light. It carries within itself deep symbols of life, transformation, spirituality, and purification. Focusing on the flame of a candle reminds us of the importance of living fully in the present moment, embracing change, cultivating our spiritual connection, and purifying the spaces around and within us. And it keeps us company: the dance of the flame marks time and does not leave us alone. Since we were children, we have relied on their magical power, every time we blow out birthday candles, making a wish. Lighting a candle in the places we love could become a new daily habit, a simple ritual at our fingertips, a moment of gathering and reflection with which to celebrate the beginning or end of a day. To choose which ones to introduce into our homes, we should orient ourselves towards products made of vegetable wax and with a 100% pure cotton wick, which guarantee a clean and uniform burn and a persistent and sustainable emission. Let's say goodbye to standard candles and welcome handmade artisanal creations, simple, with sober and balanced nuances and decorations reduced to a minimum to promote mental clarity and concentration.
It is part of what is defined as "invisible design", that is, all those intangible elements such as lighting and atmosphere that contribute to creating a unique emotional space, which speaks of us who inhabit it. Room fragrances are to be considered as a real furnishing accessory that helps to give our home a shape that resembles us, telling about our memories, our tastes, everything that seduces and enchants us. At this time of year, we tend towards deep and complex fragrances, just like the layers of clothes we wear to protect ourselves from the cold: vanilla, patchouli, pepper, pumpkin, spice, milk, cinnamon, honey... We all know the warm and enveloping olfactory notes of this season, but what I suggest is to find a fragrance for our home that recreates our personal idea of warmth. For example, my autumn smells of the flannel shirt I wore when I was a child in the countryside, of chestnuts roasted over a fire, and of rain-soaked earth. Have fun finding a fragrance that is only yours, perhaps by arranging different fragrances in various corners of the house, with a layering effect, which together create your unique olfactory story.
The rug is a magical object, which we also find in fairy tales. It speaks directly to our senses, giving us an immediate feeling of well-being: it dampens noise, warms the floor preventing heat dispersion, and our feet, which have infinite nerve endings, immediately benefit from its soft consistency. If well positioned, it can delimit new "spaces within spaces", making them more intimate and personal, safe places where you can feel good. After all, the rug has always defined a sacred perimeter in which to dedicate oneself to the care of one's spirit through prayer. The decorative rug can recover this secular function and transform itself into a private place where we can nourish our inner self. Every now and then, let's lie down on our rug instead of on the sofa or a chair: we will change the perspective from which we see the things that surround us in everyday life and we will experience the rich sensation of feeling grounded and connected. A nomadic object par excellence, this season we can also choose to move the rug from the floor and place it on our walls as if it were a special wallpaper or a precious tapestry, an effective and original way to increase the warmth and character of a room. For this new season, elements of nature, animal designs, landscapes or geometric patterns are combined with traditional techniques, precious and unusual materials and vibrant colors. Wool, jute, natural fibers, recycled polyester are declined following the seasonal palette: the softness of creamy shades and dusty blues, the depth and warmth of chocolate, beige, mustard and terracotta.
*The Things That Save Us is the title of a novel by Lorenza Gentile, published by Feltrinelli in 2023. It's a bright and delicate story, a caress for the soul that reminds us how salvation often doesn't come from extraordinary events, but rather from small gestures, from everyday objects that transform into real tools for healing and recovery.