Autumn at The Attic with Olivia Gündüz-Willemin

Indulging in our favorite months of the year — the golden leaves, the crisp air, the food, the smells, the comforting memories and sources of warmth and coziness — we open our own doors and welcome you into our homes, as members of The Attic On Eighth share their favorite methods, items, and rituals to welcome the season. To kick off the series as always, our Editor-in-Chief Olivia Gündüz-Willemin shares what autumn means to her.

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All photos courtesy of Olivia Gündüz-Willemin.

Autumn has always been my favorite time of year… the time of year the world somehow becomes more accessible – at least, to me. Cooler temperatures. Crisper air. (Have I mentioned the crisp air enough times on enough Attic pieces lately? No? Good. Because I love that crisp air. The way it fills up your lungs and shocks a little life into everything.) A light that’s a little less likely to trigger migraines and a little more likely to spark creativity and coziness. And that’s just the thing with autumn. Everything becomes cozier, familiar, nostalgic. I feel most connected with myself in the autumn, more happily aware of the past and excitedly expectant of the future. 

Family photo of the author.

Growing up, autumn was the one time of year where I felt most connected with nature. Quite small, my grandfather and I used to go out into my grandparents’ massive backyard in Illinois to pick perfectly formed leaves off the ground. Bright yellows, oranges, reds. Colors that I don’t see as frequently in Europe. We’d take them and analyze them and talk about different types of trees as we’d walk through the woods and then I’d glue the perfect leaves onto white sheets of paper and write what I knew about them next to them on the page. Where those sheets are now, I don’t know, but picking leaves was one of my favorite activities, especially afterward when the sun would set and then we’d sit around a bonfire making smores and telling stories. Childhood bliss.

Otherwise, autumn for me meant driving to Michigan with my mom, singing along to Sade in the car, and looking out for the increasingly beautiful foliage along the roads. (Maybe because I was born in the state and have a bias, but like Lauren, I believe there are few things as beautiful as a Michigan autumn.) Late nights by the fireplace. Flannel pajamas. Boots. Horses. Running absolutely free. 

I chase that perfection every autumn now, wanting to enjoy every moment of the season and make the absolute best of it. I want to breathe in the crisp air and work on my life to make it better. I’m happier in the autumn. More motivated. More acceptant. 

Here are a few of the things I consciously do at this time of year. 

HOME

The first changes I make to embrace the autumn season are at home. Midway through September, I like to swap out the clothes in my closet – pack away my summer things and welcome in my beautiful knits. I’ve spent half my life collecting sweaters, normally buying one nice new sweater a year to add to my mix of old and new. Then, I like to swap out my linens. I exchange my quilt for a duvet, switch to my more darkly accented sheets (think: leaves and moody florals), and switch from a blue tartan to a dark green throw. Candles quickly come out and change to more autumnal tones – spices, woods, and nuts. 

Fashion & Beauty 

With clothes as with makeup, autumn is the time of year I embrace darker, warmer colors. Deep reds and greens are my favorites always, but this is the season where I wear them the most. My nails are never not a deep burgundy, and my lipsticks go from cool pinks to warm reds. My biggest and best change this year has been to embrace tans. Tan ankle boots. Tan bags. Camel coats. All instead of black. Usually black is my go-to in the autumn and winter, but this year that’s changing as I crave warmth and color. 

FOOD

Food in autumn is always a treat. Warm drinks, warm, rich foods. Before I sat down to write this section, I finished chopping up a butternut squash, a kilo of brussel sprouts, a bunch of baby potatoes, and a head of cauliflower and tossed it all with olive oil and spices to make my favorite vegetable mix. Being able to use the oven again after the long summer is the best, and the vegetables the season has to offer are incredible. I love squash, I love sweet potatoes. I love brussel sprouts. Broccoli. Cranberries. Pomegranates. All of it.

And I love soup. I make a lot of soup in autumn, and it just feeds my soul. My favorite this year as in last is an Indian-spiced cauliflower soup that I serve with freshly squeezed lime and yogurt. 

BOOKS & CULTURE 

That I like to turn my bookstacks and Netflix queues at this time of year towards the season should come as no surprise. I always try to read for the season – at least with half the books I pick up – as I find that it augments the experience and connection to the time of year, but never more so than in autumn. Campus novels, ghost stories, family dramas on the East Coast (obviously, the new Ann Patchett is at the top of my list right now.) All of it speaks to me and fills me with joy. The same goes for my consumption of films and television. My husband and I are binging Outlander at the moment – off of Lauren’s cozy autumn television list from last year – started almost jokingly in preparation for an autumn trip to Scotland, and I’m engaging in my almost annual rewatch of Gilmore Girls. Films from Zoë’s autumn list are being watched, and I’m slowly starting to think of Halloween. 

OUTDOORS 

Finally, the element of the season that makes it what it is. I’ve never been a very outdoorsy type of person, but autumn is my favorite time of year to be outside. Whether walking around the city or sitting outside in front of my favorite café, I like to watch the leaves turn and just quietly take it all in. I also try to take in as many outdoor events as I can. Apple orchards and pumpkin patches aren’t really a thing for the public here in Switzerland, but the country has its own seasonal traditions, not the least of which is the Désalpe. At the end of September every year, they guide the cows down from pasture at the tops of the mountains down into the valleys, and as they do so, they parade them in flower crowns and their very best bells. Festivals form around this, and I’ve grown to love them. You eat rösti (basically, hash browns) and raclette, you drink mulled wine, you visit little stands, and you watch the cows (and sometimes sheep and dogs, too) go by. It’s a delight. Next up: autumn walks through the woods. 

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Olivia Gündüz-Willemin is Editor-in-Chief of The Attic on Eighth. She is dedicated to reading her way through the world and trying to stay as calm as possible.