I was lucky enough to travel to Austria this summer, and it was an amazing place to be, both for architecture and interiors. I had the opportunity to look at the varied styles around Salzburg and it was such a wonderful feast of traditional architecture, some dating back to 1200’s mixed with some very contemporary buildings.

Having travelled out of the main town by bike it was amazing to see how nature provides such an amazing back drop for the all the building styles so beautifully. The homes were painted in yellows, pinks, greens and neutrals. It was so refreshing to see these colours used on such a large scale.

Something not so much seen in our little corner of the world!

I then took a long road trip back towards Vienna and was amazed by the natural colour of the lakes, the blue water contrasting so well with the lush green of the mountains.

The homes were traditional ski chalet style for the most part. From time to time there were stark modern buildings that really felt very Nordic.

On to Vienna. Travelling through the outskirts of the city it is much like any other with large estates, and offices mixed with transport hubs. But on getting to the central part of the city know as the 1st district the spectacular buildings were surrounding me. There were richly carved figures on many building combined with gilded features and magnificent door ways. The combination of green parks and squares gave the buildings the perfect settings. The style was mostly traditional here, but the interiors were often very contemporary. The materials used were  silks, and plush patterned velvets. But the colours were neutral with the occasional accent colour, aubergine being my personal favourite and also pale lime green. The use of textures and well shaped furniture was very apparent in the interiors, with the homes feeling warm and relaxed with a defined style.

I am hoping to bring the aubergines and greens into homes this year and to add a touch of glamour with brushed gold accessories. Piped cushions and luxuriously soft neatly folded throws add a wonderful touch to this and can be found in any home store.

Side lighting and floor lamps are a vital ingredient in these schemes to allow pools of light to enhance the subdued colours. These schemes are easy to live with, and are more relaxed than some of the previous seasons.

I hope my journey has inspired some of you to visit Austria and how the autumn days can be brightened with the use of colours and light.