With the first official day of winter lurking just around the corner (December 21), you’re probably looking to cozy-up your indoor spaces.
Winter’s fierce, snowy winds and freezing temperatures, along with short, dark, hectic days, make it even more important for your home to serve as a warm and comfortable refuge. We especially want that warm, snug, nostalgic feeling when holiday celebrations kick into high gear and we start welcoming friends and family into our homes.
Here are nine easy things you can do to make your home feel more cozy and the season’s chill seem less harsh during the holiday season.
Change it up with colour
This is one of the easiest ways to warm up your space. You can go all-in and paint your walls, or just one wall, a rich shade of russet, charcoal or taupe, or do it the mega-easy way by adding throws and pillows to your rooms to change the colour scheme.
If you want to brighten your space, use sun-kissed gold and creamy shades, but if you want to go for that darker, more rustic flair, use brown, amber and red shades, and even black. Dark accents against light colours look especially bold and lively. But if you want to opt for a single, lighter shade, natural beiges and warm whites also work well. And it’s perfectly fine to add Christmas specific pillows and decorations.
Add soft textiles for coziness
Textiles add a soft, relaxed feeling to your space. Variety adds visual interest, so choose a throw blanket with an open weave, like chenille or one of those popular, oversized, chunky knits if your sofa has a tight, smooth weave. Throw pillows in faux fur or fuzzy wools paired with a cozy throw practically beg you to curl up with them. Replace sheer curtains with heavier drapes to help keep drafts at bay. Flannel sheets and pillowcases in the bedroom add extra warmth on frigid nights so you aren’t crawling into a cold bed.
Illuminate nostalgic objects
The right lighting chases away winter’s long nights, but it can also be used to highlight special objects that make you feel toasty inside when you see them. Try placing artful groupings of mementos and photographs beneath a lamp on an end table. Add a few seasonal sprigs of holly berries or pine to a vase plus a candle or two, and place them on a reflective metal tray or glass tabletop for a warm, seasonal glow. Place interesting bottles of perfume on a mirrored tray in the bathroom or bedroom, along with a few votive candles and sprigs of greenery for a seasonal touch.
Bring the outdoors inside
Plants and flowers in your home can offset that bleak, snowy landscape outside your window. If you have real plants, place them nearer the windows for a green contrast that harks back to summer. But don’t feel embarrassed to use artificial plants. Not everyone is good at keeping plants alive, and the bonus is that you can place them directly on a window sill and not worry about them being affected by cold drafts. This is an especially good idea if you like to add poinsettias to your decor, since even a hint of cold air will cause them to wilt. Natural wood and birch accents are also nice touches, especially wrapped in fairy lights.
Arrange furniture with care
The size and shape of your furniture is an important consideration. You probably have them placed in a specifc way, but at this time of year more than any other, the way you arrange those pieces is important.
If you’re hosting holiday gatherings, you need to be able to see and converse with your guests easily. To facilitate conversation and snug proximity, move your furniture closer together in various groupings. This is especially important if you’re serving finger foods and cocktails. You want a guest to be able to set their drink down on a surface next to them, not have to stand to do so while juggling a plate of treats.
Create a cozy nook for decompressing
An oversized, comfy chair is the ultimate escape from the icy world and holiday mayhem. An overstuffed chair with a tall back to rest your head against and upholstered armrests is the most comfortable. You want to feel like you’re being cocooned. Pick a chair with a soft texture, like velvet. Add a floor lamp that you can direct downwards, and a small end table for your mug of tea or a hot toddy. And don’t forget a fluffy pillow and soft blanket. Place this grouping in a cozy, dark, private corner, or near a window if you want to be able to look outside at the falling snow.
Add a warm layer to your flooring
Warm up bare floors with an area rug. There’s nothing cozier than feeling warm wool or fur or fluffy microfiber between your chilly toes. It’s an especially nice feeling if you have vinyl plank flooring rather than real wood. Unless you have in-floor heating, vinyl can feel cold. A large rug under your bed is welcome on chilly mornings so your bare feet aren’t touching a cold floor. A chenille mat in the bathroom in front of the sink achieves the same thing if you don’t like slippers. You can change the rug in your living room from a bright, summer shade to something darker and richer to really warm up the space. Just make sure that the legs of your bed or sofa and chairs are on top of the rug. An undersized rug makes a room look disjointed and unappealing.
Light some flickering flames
Flickering flames amp up the warmth and romance in any type of decor, and in any room, from living rooms to kitchens to bathrooms. A candle in a powder room (LED of course!) is an especially nice touch if you have guests over for the evening.
For even more design cachet, place the candles in votive holders or hurricane lamps made of amber-toned glass. Or choose holders that mimic woven vines, or metal tealight holders with interesting cut-outs, to create interesting shadows. Flickering candles set on reflective surfaces mimic firelight, an effect that instantly makes you feel warmer.
Add a special scent to your space
If you don’t have a real pine tree to scent the air, try using a colourful, multi-textured potpourri with a mix of scented leaves, nuts, dried orange slices, seedpods, star anise and pine cones instead. Arranging them in a favourite bowl not only creates an interesting focal point on any surface, but also enlivens a room with a pleasant aroma to lighten everyone’s spirits. You can also boil oranges, cloves and cinnamon sticks in an open pot on the stove to add a lovely, all-natural holiday scent to the air before guests arrive. Or bake a batch of cookies for an especially homey vibe.
Most importantly, enjoy the spirit of the season and stay warm both inside and out!