When the weather gets colder, you’re more likely to spend your time indoors. Your home becomes all the more important in your life during those days!
So it’s not surprising that you may find yourself, sooner rather than later, wanting to change up your space for the season. Just a few small changes can take your home from a summer haven to a cozy winter nook that will make your time indoors so much more enjoyable.
Take a look at our six favorite suggestions for staying cozy at home this season!
1. Change up your fabrics
The fabrics that make up your home should be the first thing to change with the seasons. While summer is known for light linens and airy fabrications, soft fabrics and deep, cozy textures were made for winter.
Don’t be afraid to be a little heavy-handed with your decorating. When you make every corner of your home a cozy nook, that means there are just more spaces for you to snuggle up in. Keep it budget-friendly by draping throw blankets over your couches and chairs. Knitted pieces are also an obvious choice that look great piled up on the floor for an extra seating arrangement or pop of color.
Make cold mornings warmer by swapping out your summer curtains for rich fabrics and luxurious colors. Lined curtains can even insulate your room to up your warmth even more. Fleece bedding or neutral colors with a touch of plaid or velvet accent pieces will make leaving your bed in the morning feel even harder on wintry days.
One last touch you’ll never regret? Plush rugs. You don’t want to put your toes on those icy floors in the winter time!
2. Replace clutter with cozy
While it can be tempting to fill your space up with lots of pieces in order to make it feel cozy, this can quickly backfire and have the opposite effect.
This is especially true for you if you also decorate for the holiday season. Doing too much can make you feel crowded instead of warm and cozy. Especially when the days get shorter and the summer sunshine disappears, crowded spaces can feel overcast much sooner than they otherwise would.
One way to make sure you’re not overdoing it is by sticking to a few statement pieces instead of choosing to incorporate everything that catches your eye. A tapestry or wall hanging can be a great winter statement piece that adds texture and color to your space.
If you love candles, then make that a running theme throughout your space. Depending on your taste, pretty candles can look great on tabletops, mantels, and windowsills. Scented candles also give your home the added warmth of filling the air with pretty scents. Just know what you love and stick with it!
3. Bring nature indoors
Flowers may feel like decorations that are confined to Spring and Summer but winter flower arrangements are an underrated addition to your home.
The highlight of winter is often the holiday season, so bringing nature indoors is a great way to keep the festive spirit alive long after the new year. We love keeping it classic with garlands and wreaths! Festooning your space, from your entryways to your windows, makes every room in your home feel much more cozy.
But you can also make the most of winter greenery like holly, pinecones, snowdrops, winter roses, daffodils, and so much more. These will immediately brighten up your space, and make any room you place these arrangements in feel immediately more welcoming.
4. Keep it light
If you’re missing days spent in the sunshine then bring more light into your home, literally.
Cold weather can be a damper on your mood, so this is a great way to lift the look of your home and your mood at the same time. The presence of light in your space can make all the difference between a great day and one that makes you miss the sun more than ever.
It’s best to skip overhead lights and stick to lamps and candlelight for an ultra-cozy mood. Make sure you’re making the most of your lamps by choosing light-colored shades. This ensures that the light your lamps are giving you isn’t shadowed by dark-colored lampshades. You can also choose lamps that direct light against your wall to make sure your space gets all the benefits of evenly diffused light. This means you get a nice glowing light in your space, as opposed to harsh glares.
5. Take to the kitchen
A tried, tasted, and delicious way to keep cozy at home and make your home cozier at the same time? A home-cooked meal.
Whether you’re stirring up some soup, baking cookies, or roasting a chicken, nothing can beat how good your home will smell and feel.
Making a dish that you love is a great idea for many reasons. First, it’s a great way to pass the time on days when it’s just too cold to venture out. Secondly, you can experiment and recreate your favorite dishes to brush up on your cooking skills. And last but certainly not least, you get a delicious meal that you can share with your loved ones. What’s not to love about that?
6. Make it personal
The holiday season is all about family, but if you’re looking to keep the spirit going throughout winter, then personal touches scattered throughout your space can make all the difference.
This can be as easy as creating a picture wall filled with family, friends, and loved ones. Long after festive, extended family gatherings are behind you this wall will help you reminisce and keep them close.
If you love collecting trinkets and souvenirs on your travels, or even of meaningful events in your day-to-day, then display them in your home to show off your interests and tastes. Doing this is a great way to not only hold onto the memories of your travels, but also to make your home a truly unique space that only you could create.
Another great trick to add warmth to your space is to include a way for visitors to leave their mark on your home decoration. A vintage punch card clock, or even a little guest book for your loved ones to leave notes on works great.
Making your space personal should be a fun exercise that you don’t take too seriously. Remember that, especially on cold days when you’re enjoying some me time, if you love your space that’s really all that matters.
Which of our suggestions are you definitely trying out when the cold weather starts getting to you? Let us know in the comments below, and drop us your go-to activity or tip as well while you’re at it!