I got a preview of the best bits from Dunelm's new autumn/winter collection – here's my shortlist of the stylish pieces you don't want to miss

One of the perks of this job is getting to see brands’ collections ahead of their release - and start making a mental shopping list that little bit early. That’s exactly what I did last week at Dunelm’s press preview of its autumn/winter 2024 collection – and I thought I'd let you in on my shortlist because there are some things you're not going to want to miss.

But don’t worry, you won’t have to wait long for these pieces of furniture and homeware to become available to shop. Dunelm is launching its autumn/winter offering early and some of the products are already on site now, while the others will be released over the next couple of weeks.

While some parts of the new range subscribe to the hottest home decor trends, others are as timeless as can be. But they’re all just as beautiful and I can’t wait to take some of them off my wishlist and add them into my home soon.

What to look forward to from Dunelm’s A/W 2024 range

Dunelm recently dropped the boldly striped Zoe Elements chair which was available to see (and sit in) at the preview. But the chair that took my breath away the most was the boucle Fallon accent chair (shown above) that’s just as comfortable.

In fact, the curved bolster back feels cocooning, much like a big hug. And given its high-end designer look, I think the £299 price point is reasonable.

Sticking with the chair theme, the Walcote dining chairs from the traditional and classic Churchgate line were not only very chic but also extremely practical. Priced at £229, each chair comes with a comfortable seat and back cushions, both of which are detachable if you want to go for a more pared back look. And you have the choice of either light grey cushions with a herringbone finish or thin olive green stripes on a cream background, both of which beautifully complement the light wood of the chair frame.

The last thing that I can barely wait to launch is this adorable mushroom-shaped salt and pepper shaker set. These petite ceramic pieces are perfect for autumnal tablescaping as mushroom and toadstool motifs are still clearly going to be everywhere just like last fall. My heart was melting when I was holding these shroom babies in my hands.

What to buy now from the new Dunelm collection

Apart from the Christmas offering (don’t worry, I won’t burden you with Christmas just yet) and autumn tablescaping range - which included those cute mushroom salt and pepper shakers - there were two main stories going through the collection – the traditional Churchgate filled with cosy autumnal hues and the vibrant Elements range that’s all about bright colours and funky shapes.

Texture is one of the most important factors when choosing expensive-looking curtains. And I was very happy to see lots of luxe and textured curtain finishes at the Dunelm show, from boucle to corduroy.

There were also lots of wonderful lighting options – something that’s important in the dark autumn and winter season more than any other time of the year. Dunelm had everything from cool and slightly retro floor lamps to glass mushroom table lamps and pretty much everything in between. Layering your sources of light in every room is the way to a cosy feel after all.

My top picks

Even though these products are technically from the autumn/winter collection, most of them will look just as great in your home all year round. So you don’t need to wait for autumn to come around – get your favourites now before it’s too late.