Styling Our Ikea Daybed for Autumn

Remember when I said I regretted buying this daybed? Well, I’m still not over that. But you know what? If I’m stuck with it, I might as well make it look good for every season. And autumn is my favourite season to style for.

After working with Poster Store on the original gallery wall in this room (you can read about that here), I knew exactly what I wanted to do when the leaves started falling. Swap out some prints, add cosy autumn blankets, and pile on the cushions. Because if there’s one thing autumn needs, it’s ALL the cushions.

The Autumn Transformation

I kept some of the original prints from the gallery wall because they still worked with the autumn vibe – the neutral tones and minimalist style are perfect year-round. But I swapped out a few for some Halloween and autumn-themed prints to give the space that seasonal feel.

For textiles, I added:

Autumn colour blankets – Think burnt orange, deep burgundy, and warm mustard. The kind of colours that make you want to curl up with a hot chocolate and watch the rain outside. I layered a couple of different textures too – one chunky knit and one softer throw.

Brown and neutral cushions – I went heavy on the browns, tans, and creams. It grounds the whole look and makes everything feel warm and inviting. I mixed different sizes because who wants all their cushions to be the same size? Not me.

Autumn-themed cushions – I found some with leaf patterns and one with a little pumpkin motif. Nothing too over-the-top Halloween unless you count the one cushion with a cute pumpkin on it. But it’s a tasteful pumpkin, so it counts as autumn decor.

Why I Love Styling for the Seasons

I still wish this was a sofa bed. I haven’t changed my mind about that. But styling it for different seasons actually makes me appreciate it more. It’s become a project, you know? And it gives me an excuse to buy more cushions, which is always dangerous for my bank account. Although I’ve used these cushions in different areas of my home, so they are earning their keep!

The best part about seasonal styling is that you don’t need to do anything drastic. I didn’t repaint. I didn’t buy new furniture. I just swapped some prints, added some blankets and cushions, and suddenly this room feels like a completely different space. It’s cosy. It’s autumnal. It’s actually somewhere I want to be.

The Practical Side

Because this room still serves the same purpose as before – it’s my office, it has the bathroom with the shower, and it’s where we direct guests when they come over – I wanted to make sure it felt welcoming but not too cluttered.

The autumn styling actually helps with that. The warm colours make the space feel more inviting, which is ideal when someone’s popping in to use the loo. Much better than the empty walls we had when we first moved in.

Final Thoughts

Am I still throwing gallery walls and rugs at every problem in this house? Absolutely. Has it worked? Also yes. Will I be doing a winter styling post in a few months? Probably, if I can find enough cosy cushions.

For now, I’m happy with how this turned out. The room feels seasonal without being too themed, and most importantly, I can walk in here without immediately thinking “I should have bought a sofa bed.”

That’s progress, right?

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What are your favourite autumn colours to style with? Let me know in the comments!