Now that autumn is in full swing and winter is drawing near, it’s time to start thinking about adjusting our lived spaces to accommodate this seasonal change. From a complete interior design rethink to subtle additions and rearrangements, there are things we can all do to make our homes more suitable for the colder, shorter days – regardless of budget. If you are wanting to get ahead of the coming chill but aren’t sure where to start, here’s some winter interior inspiration to get the ball rolling…
Wood Warmth
Evocative of country cottages and mountain cabins, furnishings with exposed wooden features have an innate homely and cosy feeling. Oak, pine, and ash are perennially popular choices for this effect. A wooden coffee table would make an inviting and warming centrepiece, and timber shelving is a good way to add contrast and texture to an otherwise bare and cold wall or alcove. For seating, look to furnish the room with chairs and sofas that have at least some of their wooden frames visible.
Comfort is the Key
While the looks of a space are obviously important, the winter months tend to be when we spend more of our time indoors and make the most of our homely comforts. For this reason, any piece of furniture should be as pleasurable to sit or lounge on as it is to look at. The ethos of ‘try before you buy’ is always a good idea if at all possible. If you can’t see yourself on it for extended periods, wrapped up with a blanket in the dead of winter, then it may need a rethink.
Storage
‘A place for everything and everything in its place’. This saying has been around for a long time and never loses its relevance, but during the winter months, it takes on a whole new layer of truth. Jackets; hats; scarves; suitable footwear; umbrella; gloves… The list of things we need during the colder months is fairly substantial, but clutter is the natural enemy of relaxation. Make sure to have plenty of storage so that you have somewhere to keep all these things without them getting in the way and clogging up the space with their reminder of how cold it is outside. Cupboards, drawers, and shelving are all good ways to create counterpoint and texture whilst clearing the room of clutter. If you were on the lookout for new pieces of furniture, items with built-in storage compartments will go a long way to address the issue.
Throws, Rugs, and Covers
Nothing says ‘snug’ like a luxuriously soft woollen throw. Draping them over the seating of your living space not only provides perfect snuggle-up material, they’re great for softening some of the harder, colder lines of the décor too. An economical way to bring some of this shaggy comfort into your space is to invest in some covers for your pre-existing cushions and pillows. A set for the seasonal change keeps them looking fresher for longer and can transform the colour palette of the room with very little time or money spent. A well-chosen rug is another multi-functional item. Firstly, they’re another great way of bringing colours, patterns, and textures to the design scheme without having to permanently alter the space. They are also really good draught-excluders, particularly for those who have older properties with gaps between floorboards. A third plus is that they act as floor protectors, reducing the risk of heavy furniture leaving unsightly dents on your floorboards or main carpet. Oh, and they’re great for keeping your feet warm too!
Fireplace
For those who have the benefit of a fireplace, arrange the furniture with it as the centrepiece. It needn’t be lit either. A candle would do the same trick, or even just an arrangement of soft lights or a warm-glow lamp. The idea is to create a psychological focal point that gives the illusion of warmth and cosiness – you’d be surprised how effective this trick can be.
Book Cases and Shelving
Snuggling up with a book on a dark, cold day is the very picture of winter to many. Lining a wall or an alcove with shelving for books allows you to display your reading interests fairly obviously – a great point of conversation for any budding guests – but it also provides a potential for variety and colour on a wall that might otherwise be cold and bare. And, to top it off, shelves full of books are actually great insulators too, locking the warmth inside in winter and keeping it cool in the summer. Developing a reading habit to reduce the heating bills might be a bit of a stretch, but for those who are worried about how their library might fit into their winter scheme, we say: embrace the warmth of words.
Lighting
Speaking of words, apricity is a great one. It means the heat of the sun in the winter sky. Making the most of the crisp and clear seasonal sunshine is obviously a fairly good idea for electricity usage, but it has the added bonus of filling the space with a glow that is warming just to look at. As the days grow shorter, however, this window of opportunity shrinks and the need for artificial lighting grows. A few well-placed lamps offer greater control over the ambience than a single overhead bulb. Tilting lamps allow you to cast light on a particular surface and amplify any warm colours there may be in the room, and lampshades are a tried and tested way to create a cosy lighting setup.
All Set!
With energy prices still worryingly high and the climate making us more and more aware of the ecological cost of keeping our homes warm during winter, it’s important that we do what we can to lighten the load – on our wallets and on the planet. Luckily, as we’ve seen, there’s plenty to be done – without necessarily making any drastic changes or investments. Follow these simple pointers and you’ll be ready for the winter months in no time – and you can chill, without the chill.
