December is around the corner! The leaves have been changing from lush green to deep reds and oranges, but soon conker season will be over, and winter will take the reins. Lots of us are embracing the cooler weather by creating autumn wreaths or buying lots of pumpkin spice candles and fragrances, but how else can you prepare your home for the wintry weather?
Check out our top tips below and see what you could implement in your home this winter.
Key Points
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Swap out light summer linens for heavy, tactile fabrics like deep velvet, chunky knit wool, and high-quality faux fur to bring instant visual warmth to seating layouts.
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Introduce deep, grounding tones like rich amber, forest green, burnt terracotta, and deep chocolate brown to create a sophisticated, winter-inspired colour scheme.
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Counteract dark, gloomy afternoons by clustering warm ambient light sources, utilising table lamps, floor uplights, and real or LED candles at varying eye levels.
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Dress bare wood or tiled floors with plush, thick-pile wool rugs to add critical physical insulation and dampen acoustic echo during the colder months.
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Bring organic textures indoors by styling bowls of pinecones, dried seed pods, and structural evergreen branches on mantels, consoles, and dining tables.
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Rearrange furniture layouts slightly to draw seating arrangements inward, clustering chairs closer to fireplaces or central television zones for an intimate gathering feel.
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Pile on the layers
During summer you’re encouraged to strip back, so it only makes sense that this winter you bring back the layers of soft comforts that you have stashed away. Bring in the faux fur/sheepskin rugs and throws to give a rustic living room a soft and warm element, or just bring in some soft patterned rugs to help insulate your home.
If you’re looking forward to snuggling under a cosy blanket to read a good book by the fire or cosying up with the family for a movie night, then you need to bring out the blankets and soft pillows!
Refresh your colour palette
Image Credit: My Bespoke Room
As the seasons come and go, we love to change our colour schemes accordingly. You can do this in many small ways that can have a massive impact. For example, if you have coastal, tropical or summery framed prints, gallery walls or any other artwork in your home, you can swap them for prints and sculptures that represent the winter season. Think wintry forests covered in mist and fog, or snowy escapes, or even little wooden sculptures.
We also suggest swapping out your summer cushion covers for warmer and earthy colours, especially if they are currently sporting summery floral prints. You can then use them to layer in pattern and texture into your home. Try and keep a similar colour scheme with these patterns as this will help them complement each other but won’t look too busy.
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Often people like to use cooler colours in their homes during the winter, but this can leave you feeling like you’re living in Princess Elsa’s ice palace rather than a cosy and warm cabin.
We recommend using warm Autumnal colours in your home as the weather gets colder. Take your inspiration from the oranges in a crackling fire, the brown earthy tones of fallen leaves or the deep dark greens from evergreen pine trees.
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Bring the outside in
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Just because you’re spending more time inside than out these days doesn’t mean you should lock nature out! On the contrary, it’s all the more reason to bring outside elements into your home. After all, at Christmas, you bring in a big pine tree into your home, so why not decorate your home this season with more natural elements?
We have already seen many people creating autumnal wreaths for their front doors this year made from pine cones, fallen leaves and twigs, but have you ever considered putting up winter or autumn garlands on your staircase or fireplace? It is normally a tradition associated with Christmas, but hanging these deep green, luscious-smelling branches in your home can really connect you with the outdoors without having to suffer the cold.
One more way to bring in nature would be to display wooden logs in your home, as it will instantly give you the feel of a luxury chalet. You can either stack them somewhere near your fireplace, or if you have a faux fireplace, you can simply stack them in there to give the feel of the season.
Create cosiness with ambient lighting
Image Credit: My Bespoke Room
Shed new light on your home by implementing warm ambient lighting. It’s so important to think about what mood you want to create in each room and how you want to feel. With so many decisions to make when decorating a home, this is something that often gets forgotten until the last minute, but it really can make or break a scheme.
The overhead light can be abrasive, so it’s important to layer your lighting options for different purposes. For example, for spaces you would like to relax in, like bedrooms and living rooms, you need soft and gentle lighting that comes from lamps. Wall lamps, table lamps and standing lamps all provide an excellent cosy feel to any space as long as you make sure to get the right colour bulbs. We recommend using warm white bulbs as this will replicate a soft, calming atmosphere, similar to candlelight.
Watch our video with lighting pros house of for tips on creating a warm and cosy living room:
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New seasons, new scents
Do you know that your sense of smell is likely to trigger your memory more than any of your other senses?
Try out particular scents in different parts of your home. For example, in the bathroom you want a fresh, clean feel, so why not try popery that smells like pine needles? In your living room or bedroom, you may prefer a sweeter smell from cinnamon-flavoured candles, wax burners or incense. Test a few different scents until you find the right one for you.
Final Top tips
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Now, a lot of people love to make their homes look incredible but often forget the practical bits. For example, don’t forget to change your bedsheets to a higher tog so you can stay warm on bitterly cold nights.
Another aspect of winter that people forget is that you are now much more likely to entertain in your home rather than going outside, so make sure your home is well prepared for any guests who may wish to spend the night. Check out our recent guide on creating a 5* guest bedroom.
