I’m Sonja, a lifestyle blogger, mother of a 2-year-old toddler and an 8-year-old dog, wife, and an adventurer who loves interior design and travel. Our family lives in a row house apartment in a new development in the Helsinki metropolitan area, and my favorite place at home is our glazed terrace and backyard. I also spend a lot of time at our vacation home in Northern Savonia. I blog on Termomatto’s pages and share about our terrace life through the different seasons: winter, spring, summer, and autumn.
Creating Atmosphere on the Terrace in Autumn with Beautiful Lights
I love the transition from late summer to autumn when the evenings start to darken and the cozy atmosphere with candles and seasonal lights can begin again. At the beginning of August, we set up seasonal lights with a dusk sensor along the edges of the outdoor terrace, which now illuminate it atmospherically and also create a sense of security in the otherwise pitch-dark yard.
Every year, I hang a string of lights on the glazed terrace side, which adds character to the decor and also provides very good lighting. For the lanterns, I put light strings powered by solar cells for early autumn, which look really beautiful when it gets dark. I often sit on the terrace just staring at the lights and enjoying the scent and atmosphere of autumn.
The plants we planted in spring (berry bushes, arborvitae, hops, herbs, and conifers) have grown very well, and even the hot and dry summer didn’t make them wilt, thanks to diligent watering. Now in autumn, I added a few small autumn plantings to bring an autumn vibe to our yard in terms of vegetation as well.
We still spend a lot of time on the open terrace in warm weather, but on rainy and cold days, it’s lovely to retreat to the warm shelter of the glazed terrace. Thanks to the thermal mat, the cold air radiating from the ground doesn’t cool the terrace, and my toes don’t get cold. Our dog Late also increasingly chooses to rest on the mat, even though he has his own bed on the terrace. By adding matching textiles and small decor, the thermal mat becomes a beautiful part of the home’s interior. In autumn, the autumn atmosphere is enhanced, for example, by beautiful dried leaves accompanying a candle arrangement on the terrace table.
I love inviting friends over for dinner and a glass of wine. Especially with neighbors, we often retreat to the shelter of the glazed terrace to socialize as the evening cools and darkens in autumn. Our guests have also noticed a clear difference compared to their own similar terraces when they compare the terrace temperature (thermal mat vs. a regular mat on the terrace). On bad weather days, it’s also convenient to bring the dining table inside the glazed terrace and enjoy meals outdoors while sitting on the sofa in shelter. Food and drinks often spill on the thermal mat during meals, but luckily the mat is easy to clean, and no big stains have remained even though it has sometimes gone a long time without cleaning. After cleaning, the mat also dries easily.
Cold autumn days are crowned by heating the sauna. Cooling off on the terrace after the sauna is pleasant when the thermal mat warms your feet. We packed away the inflatable hot tub at the end of August, but luckily you can still enjoy the terrace after bathing this way.
Protection from Autumn Rains
When the autumn rains came, we moved the child’s play area from the yard outside to the shelter of the outdoor storage. This way, the child can play in a dry space, the toys stay in good condition, and adults (and the dog) can comfortably supervise the play while sitting on the glazed terrace. During playtime, it’s nice for the child to come to the terrace for a moment to warm up, change clothes, grab a snack, or enjoy a cup of warm cocoa. We plan to use the storage as the child’s outdoor play area also this coming winter, when we will shovel a path through the terrace after the snow arrives. Snow carried onto the thermal mat by shoes is not a problem because it melts on the mat and doesn’t damage it in any way.
In my opinion, the most annoying part of autumn is the sand and mud tracked from outside onto the terrace (and inside). Sand is easy to shake off the lightweight thermal mat (we have four separate “mat strips”), or just lightly brush off with a yard broom. Vacuuming the mat with a regular vacuum cleaner is also part of our weekly cleaning. This keeps the space pleasant and cozy. It’s great not to have to worry if dirty mud suits and rubber boots are left on the mat for a long time. The mat dries, and then the sand can be shaken off, and stains can be rinsed off if needed, for example, under the shower. Muddy paw prints from the dog are just as easy to wipe off the mat.
This autumn, I’m thinking of moving some of the yard furniture inside the glazed terrace near the time the snow arrives.
The thermal mat also protects the furniture from scratches during storage if items need to be moved during the winter. The glazed terrace also extends the furniture’s lifespan since they are protected inside from weather changes and street dust.
Variety in Everyday Life with Themed Parties
I was born in autumn, and our autumn is marked by various themed parties. I like to decorate the yard and glazed terrace according to the holidays. I’m especially enthusiastic about Halloween, during which I add lighting and carve pumpkins to create a festive atmosphere already in early October.
In the midst of November rains and slush, it’s time to start looking forward to Christmas. I add more lighting to the outdoor terrace to create atmosphere and bring light to the dark days and evenings. I also decorate the terrace with conifers, wreaths, and closer to Christmas, with Christmas decorations. I’ve already been thinking about whether to put a small Christmas tree on the terrace at the beginning of December to create a Christmas atmosphere. No matter how cold the weather is, you can always go to the glazed terrace, for example, to light candles in just your socks, because the thermal mat keeps the space reasonably warm even if it’s freezing outside.
That has been our terrace’s year. So many wonderful memories and good moments. Thermal mat has completely increased the usage rate of our terrace. If you want to ask me more about the thermal mat privately, I’m happy to respond via message (instagram.com/livinglikesonja). You can follow our terrace updates on my Instagram account going forward.
If you got excited about the thermal mat, I warmly recommend Termomatti.fi. The service has been good and fast, and everything has always gone smoothly without surprises!
