How to Make Your Home Warm and Cozy This Winter
How to Make Your Home Warm and Cozy This Winter
Your home is more than just a place to live; it’s your refuge from the outside world, especially in the wintertime. A cozy home environment creates visual appeal and can greatly improve your overall well-being during the cold and dreary months.
By surrounding yourself with warm colors, soft textures, and inviting winter decor, you can create an atmosphere that promotes peace and tranquility. There is also a tangible benefit as well to these design tips, as many of them can tangibly warm up your spaces. Cranking up the thermostat isn’t the only way to heat up your home!
10 Ways to Keep Your House Warm in the Winter
Layers. Lighting. Textures. These are just some of the design elements to consider when looking to cozy up your spaces this winter. Several small design decisions can make a considerable impact. A cozy home benefits everyone who lives in it, creating a comfortable environment where you can bond, gather, and create memories.
Warm up your home this winter with the following tips.
1. Place Area Rugs on Bare Floors
If you have hardwood, laminate, or tile flooring, throw down an area rug to warm up your feet. In the winter, the lusher the rug, the better! A high-pile rug is a bit more difficult to clean, but it produces a cozy feel that is ideal for those chilly mornings.
Area rugs offer more than warmth — they can add style and texture to any room in the house. Unlike wall-to-wall carpeting, area rugs can be easily replaced or swapped out. Lay down a shag rug in the fall and winter, then rotate in a shorter, low-pile rug for the spring and summer.
2. Let Sunlight in During the Day
While we recommend switching to thicker curtains in the winter, you’ll want to throw those open on clear days to allow as much natural light into your home as possible. Days are shorter this time of year, so take advantage of sunlight whenever you can. Natural light makes your home brighter and cozier, while also warming your home on even the coldest days.
The vitamin D that natural light delivers helps us in many other ways, including increased productivity, better sleep, and improved moods. It’s not easy to get outside on those chilly winter days, but you should still find ways to seek out the sun inside your home whenever you can.
When the sun sets, close your curtains to help trap the heat inside your home.
3. Create cozy seating areas
A cozy home is incomplete without comfortable seating areas, especially during the winter season. Arrange your furniture in a way that promotes relaxation and encourages socializing. Make sure you have sofas or chairs you can sink into around a fireplace.
Pair plush sofas and armchairs with a coffee table and soft lighting, which can create a cozy nook for reading or lounging. Arrange furniture in a way that encourages conversation, especially if you’re expecting guests over for the holidays.
4. Change to Winter Bedding
Trade in those linen sheets for wool or flannel sheets when it gets colder. You can also add additional layers to your bed — try an extra blanket or quilt to ensure you stay extra cozy at night when the temperatures really dip.
Despite the differences between duvets and comforters, both can provide plenty of warmth. If you’re looking for flexibility, a duvet can be as warm or as breathable as you choose, as a thicker insert can be swapped in for the winter months.
5. Incorporate Winter Touches
To create a warm and inviting atmosphere, consider adding personal winter touches that reflect your style and personality. Bring in decorative accents in wintery colors like deep blues and warm burgundies. Consider placing a soft, faux fur rug beside your bed for an extra dose of comfort. You can also incorporate scented candles with soothing winter scents like cinnamon or vanilla to create a calming ambiance in either your living room or bedroom.
You can also incorporate seasonal elements of winter throughout your home. Add winter-themed decor such as pinecones and evergreen branches to a fireplace mantel or as a dining table centerpiece. Bringing a touch of the outdoors inside can help create a cozy ambiance.
6. Layer Up
You’ve already added layers of warmth to your bedroom, but don’t forget to provide extra layers for your living room, too! Add a few throw blankets to the room by draping them over a sofa, sectional, or armchair. Bring in some additional throw pillows — in warmer fabrics like velvet or faux fur — to add texture to the space.
Layering up your clothes is also advised if you’re trying to stay warm. Sweaters, fuzzy socks, fleece pants — insulate your body this winter and you’ll be less tempted to crank up the thermostat.
7. Invest in Furniture That Literally Warms You Up
Some recliners and sectionals feature heated lumbar support or heated seats. Heated furniture can be used for pain relief, to keep muscles loose, or to stay warm and cozy on a chilly day. This type of furniture often features a massage function as well and is just as comfortable with the heat turned off. If a room is cold or you just want to feel extra snuggly while lounging in a recliner, flip on the heat and sink in.
8. Switch to Warm Colors and Lighting
Warm color shades, such as orange and yellow, paired with warm-colored lighting, can offset the winter chill. Natural wood tones can also complement warm winter colors.
Multiple light sources in a room are recommended as well. This type of layering allows you to easily adjust the brightness of a room to add texture.
Layering your lighting and adding warm accent colors won’t tangibly make a room warmer, but it can add a level of coziness to a space. Create a winter ambiance indoors that is sure to thaw even the frostiest of environs.
9. Throw a Log on the (Electric) Fire
If you have an existing fireplace, we presume you’re already using it to economically heat your house. But if you don’t have one, an electric fireplace is a worthy alternative that is cheaper than turning up the heat a few degrees.
One of the benefits of an electric fireplace is its versatility. They can be placed in any room of the house, not just a living room or family room. So if your bedroom is chillier than other rooms during the winter, add a stylish fireplace with a remote-controlled flame.
Some electric fireplaces also double as a TV stand. This furniture piece will immediately become the focal point of any room and can warm a small space quickly.
10. Provide comfy seating for the entrance to your home
Make a warm and cozy first impression with comfortable entryway seating. Guests will need a spot to remove their boots and winter jackets, so give them a plush armchair or cushioned bench where they can sit comfortably after coming in from the cold.
You’ll also want to invest in a coat rack and maybe some basket storage for hats, gloves, and coats. Some benches also have built-in storage which is perfect for housing winter accessories.
