How to Cosify Your Home for the Colder Season

 

 

 

 

Whether you call it autumn or fall, it’s definitely here to stay. With the days getting colder and the nights drawing in, all we want to do is snuggle down in our homes. Of course, this year, we have an added challenge to contend with. The current cost-of-living crisis and potentially sky-high winter energy bills facing the UK economy, are only further incentives to make some seasonal interior design updates to ensure your home is both comfy and warm to see you through the coldest time of the year. Here are our recommendations on how to go about it.

Windows fit for winter

Let’s start with your windows (and doors) to see if we can achieve the double whammy of keeping draughts at bay while creating a cosy winter interiors vibe. Did you know that in Victorian times it was the done thing to change window dressings with the seasons? Back in the day, it made complete sense to have thick, thermal curtains to provide extra insulation for heat-inefficient single-glazed sash windows. And even with our modern UPVC windows, it’s a good idea to change lightweight drapes for heavier, lined curtains when it gets colder. For added protection, fit energy-saving blinds such as these Duette blinds, which provide the ultimate in thermal and climate control. For doors, thick, interlined door curtains can work wonders to keep the heat in.

The warm glow of a real flame

Nothing says ‘cosy home’ quite like the warm glow of a real fire from an open fireplace or woodburning stove. All you need now is a comfy chair to curl up in with a good book and a nice glass of red wine. Before it gets too cold, make an appointment with your local chimney sweep to ensure your appliances are ready to use. Solid fuel fires are also an excellent way to winterproof your home against high gas and electricity costs, not to mention the threat of power cuts. Stock up on firewood and display logs in rustic baskets or stack them by the fireside, to make a seasonal decorative feature of them. If you don’t have a fireplace, a gas-fired stove is the next best thing in terms of a real flame, but make sure you get a glass-fronted 100% efficient flueless gas fire, for obvious reasons.

Cosy up with soft furnishings

Autumn may be the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, but winter is definitely the season of cushions, blankets and throws. When it’s cold and miserable outside, snuggling up on the sofa is one the best ways to enjoy a cosy home. Consider layering contrasting textures and textiles to make the room feel extra plush. Add throws and cushions to chairs, ottomans and benches for added winter warmth and a cosy vibe. In the bedroom, why not transform a cold wooden headboard with upholstery and a luxurious fabric? No need to spend a lot of money – making your own upholstered headboard is easier than you might think. Learn to harness the power of soft furnishings and completely change the mood of a room.

Touchy feely textiles

If summer interiors are all about the airy qualities of sheer voiles and floaty fabrics, winter textiles are soft, warm, tactile and grounding. Did you know that the power of touch is scientifically proven to have tangible health benefits including lowering your blood pressure and heart rate, improving the immune system and reducing stress and depression? To get the maximum benefit, choose sumptuous winter fabrics such as thick wools, tweed, faux fur and suede to update your home and make it extra touchy-feely. Add interest with contrasting textures – plush velvet against gossamer silk, fluffy mohair and raw linen, smooth leather and sheepskin – for an instant boost in cosiness.

Cosify from the bottom up

Cosiness through beautiful textiles and soft furnishings starts on the floor. If you have a hard floor in your home – wooden flooring, ceramic tiles or vinyl – one of the easiest ways to add instant luxury and comfort underfoot is with the addition of a large, soft rug. Any rug will make your floor warmer and cosier, but deep pile or long shagpile rugs have the most transformative effect. Choose a thick Berber rug or shaggy Greek Flokati rug made from 100% pure wool as an investment piece for your home, or cut your coat according to your cloth and go for inexpensive synthetic rugs that can be equally effective. All you need now is a ‘no shoes indoors’ policy to fully appreciate your new cosy flooring upgrades.

Go over to the dark side

Dark colour schemes have become all the rage ever since interiors guru Abigail Ahern started embracing moody hues on walls, ceilings and floors, accessorised with deep toned furniture and textural accessories. Winter is the obvious time of year to discover and embrace darker hues in your home. Think inky blues and forest greens, sludgy browns and nearly blacks as a way to warm up the space and make rooms feel more intimate. Whether you choose to use rich paint colours in your living area, kitchen or bedroom, you’ll find that it’s the perfect statement backdrop for decorative objects, mirrors, pictures and wall art, making anything displayed against it visually pop.

Let there be light

As the days are getting shorter (and the nights are getting longer), lighting is a key element in creating that cosy and welcoming home ambience. The best way to achieve the desired result is to use a layered lighting design, as every interior designer and lighting specialist will tell you. Review all the lamps and light fixtures in your home to check that you have included solutions for general lighting, task lighting and accent lighting. Consider using decorative filament LED bulbs that emit a soft glow while adding the wow factor and place them liberally around the home – in pendant light fittings above the kitchen island, in wall sconces in the dining room or even in bedside lamps.