I got an early look at the autumn 2026 homeware collections – mark my words, these colours are going to dominate our homes come September

A living room with a powder blue John Lewis sofa and a cushion and a rug with a graphic pattern.

Even though we’re still in the middle of summer and most of us are bracing for another heatwave ahead of next week, my email inbox is already filling with autumn lookbooks. I got an early look at the upcoming collections from the likes of John Lewis, Habitat, Very and Dunelm – and there is a clear autumn 2026 colour palette all of them have in common.

As Ideal Home’s Room Decor Editor, it’s part of my job to identify new home decor and colour trends. While there are usually commonalities I can spot across different collections, the lookbooks that have landed in my inbox thus far and the collections I’ve seen IRL have had a very similar look - colour-loving Scandi meets 70s with pattern aplenty - as well as a consistent colour scheme. So much so that I wouldn’t blame anyone for thinking all the images here came from the same brand and the same collection.

(Image credit: John Lewis)

The 6 main colours that are sure to make their way into your (and my) home come this September are light blue, burgundy, rust, caramel, dark green and yellow. If you’re thinking that you’ve been seeing these colour trends for the past couple of seasons already, you’re not wrong – this is really the first time that home decor trends are not rapidly changing with every single season, but rather they’re being evolved and built upon. And that’s exactly what I’m predicting for autumn 2026.

(Image credit: Habitat)

What’s the autumn 2026 colour palette?

• Light blue – blue’s been one of the biggest colour trends of this year and it’s not going anywhere. But for autumn, soft, powdery blues are being favoured over other shades.
• Burgundy – deep cherry red and burgundy have been trending ever since the start of last year. This year, we’ve been seeing them paired with soft blues which is how brands are using them for autumn 2026, too. But a combination of burgundy and dark green is also super chic.

(Image credit: Very)

• Rust – earthy terracotta shades just make sense for the autumn season. So I’m not at all surprised to see them represented so prominently. But it’s also a colour trend that’s been favoured for a few seasons now. For a cosy, earthy colour scheme, pair it with brown and caramel.
• Caramel – brown is another major colour trend that’s not going anywhere anytime soon. But while dark chocolate brown is still a thing, I’ve been seeing lighter caramel shades pop up so much more across the new collections. And I’m here for it.

(Image credit: Very)

• Dark green – is there ever a time when green is not a thing?! I don’t think so. This autumn, dark, earthy moss and olive green shades are taking over, being paired with everything from caramel to rust and even yellow.
• Yellow – butter yellow is another colour trend that shows no signs of slowing down, even for autumn 2026. It's paired with soft blues, as well as different shades of brown. But aside from buttery shades, deeper ochre tones are also popping up and they look great with everything from blues to greens.

(Image credit: Habitat)

Even though most of the autumn 2026 collections are not fully launching till next month, a few pieces from the John Lewis and Dunelm autumn ranges are already dropping here and there. And if you’re into any of these shades or even the entire colour palette, you can invest in pieces available now. Here are some of my top picks to get the look now.

Get the autumn 2026 look

For autumn 2026, 60% of John Lewis' lighting range is going to be brand new (that's alot of new in the homes decor world). This butter-yellow table lamp is one of the few that are already available now.

This Scandi-coded rug was one of the highlights for me when I got to see the new Dunelm autumn/winter range in person earlier this month. And it comes in a light blue colourway, too.

A bed dressed in soft blue looks and sounds like heaven. And this set from Very will also add some texture to your bedroom.

This super chic yet super affordable bowl comes either in this butterscotch colourway or in dark green, both of which are very on theme. And they are perfect for mixing and matching.

The textured treatment and pattern of this chair instantly caught my attention at the John Lewis autumn/winter 2026 collection press preview. Plus it's super comfortable, too.

I've been seeing pieces that bring several of the colour trends together in a graphic pattern or a patchwork across all of the collections. And season after season, M&S has some of my favourite patchwork cushions.

This chair is very Scandi midcentury modern. It's available in several different colourways but this rusty brown velvet upholstery is my favourite.

Glossy and lacquered burgundy pieces are still going to be very popular this autumn. This Habitat side table ticks all the boxes and it's currently on clearance available for the lowest price it's ever been.

Amber lamps are one of the biggest lighting trends of the year. This rechargeable style from H&M Home is more caramel in my eyes. And it looks delicious!

If this is what this autumn has in store for us, I’m genuinely excited. I will mourn the end of the summer, but cosy season has its charm, too.

John Lewis Nora Glass Table Lamp in Buttermilk Dunelm Awen Check Wool Blend Rug Pineapple Elephant Waffle Textured Seersucker Duvet Cover Set Dunelm Salvage Enamel Large Nibble Bowl in Butterscotch John Lewis Bolo Armchair in Green Geo M&S Velvet Patchwork Cushion Next Hampton High Back High Back Wooden Accent Chair in Soft Velvet Rust Brown Habitat Totley Round Side Table in Red H&M Home Rechargeable table lamp in Amber