How To Keep Your House Cozy When the Holiday Decor Comes Down
The weeks following the holiday season can feel a little bleak and never ending, especially for those of us in the Midwest who still have four months of cold and gray weather ahead of us. But, just because the holiday decorations have been put away doesn’t mean your house has to feel bare and cold. Our New Year’s resolution this year is to ditch the winter blues and lean into the concept of coziness and comfortable conviviality to get through the winter.
Here are some tips to keep your home feeling warm and layered throughout the colder months.
CREATE WARMTH WITH THROW PILLOWS & BLANKETS
One of the easiest ways to add warmth to your house is adding warm throws and textured pillows to your living areas. Wool blankets add instant warmth and luxury to your space, and should always be within arms reach. If your living area already has throw pillows, consider swapping out your usual pillow cases for something thick and textured. Boucle, wool, velvet, and mohair are all great options for textured pillow cases.
SWAP OUT LINENS
During the colder months, we recommend swapping out your bedding and bathroom linens for warmer options. In your bedrooms, normal cotton sheets can be replaced with sateen or flannel sheets. You can also consider adding in a quilt for an extra layer of warmth. If you’re still feeling chilly, you can swap out your duvet for a warmer one with heavier weight.
In your bathrooms, you can opt for thicker towels to keep you warm and a soft rug in front of the tub. If you’re renovating, don’t forget to add heated floors underneath your tile and schedule the heat so it’s always warm when you’re using the space.
ADD MOOD LIGHTING
Our clients are often shocked by how something as simple as lighting can completely transform a space. If you’re looking to create a cozier feeling, find a lighting scheme that pairs well with short, dark winter days. Add soft, low lighting throughout your home and be sure to use soft white bulbs in your living and sleeping spaces for a relaxing ambience.
Simple additions like battery-operated candles are the perfect way to warm up the mood in any room. Be sure to find candles that operate on a timer so you never have to worry about turning them off every night.
UTILIZE SCENTS & SMELLS
While we love leaning into all five senses when we design – playing with smell by adding in seasonal scents and fragrances throughout a space takes a design to an entirely new level. Heavier scents like mahogany teakwood, cashmere, pine, and cinnamon are perfect for a cozy winter setup. Candles, wax melters, and diffusers are perfect for living areas and bedrooms, while seasonally scented lotions and soaps are great for the bathroom and the kitchen sink.
DESIGNATE COZY AREAS
Winter inevitably means spending more time inside, so why not embrace it? We love creating designated cozy areas for our clients that are perfect for reading, puzzles, and family game nights. Using board games as decor and adding more coffee table books to your living areas encourages rest and reflection. Centering gathering areas around wood-burning fireplaces and bringing in branches and real greenery can transform your space into one you don’t want to leave. No cabin fever here!
We hope these simple tips will help transform your home into an oasis that supports rest and rejuvenation through the winter months. And, if you're already daydreaming about warmer days, click here to get in touch about your project. Our spring and summer calendar is filling up fast!
