The story below is from our November/December 2019 issue. For the full issue Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!
Beat winter’s chill with easy updates.
When the days grow shorter and cooler, we spend more time indoors. Make your home feel inviting this fall and winter, inspiring you to tackle those projects you shelved in favor of long pool days and cookouts on your deck (we don’t blame you).
A home that lifts your spirits will impact your winter mood for the better. Here’s how to add in warmth and appeal:
Layer on Textures
“Making a space feel cozier for the winter is as simple as layering up textures, especially natural materials that are inviting and soft to the touch,” says Dorian Clowers with Present Thyme Home, a furniture and accessories store.
Clowers suggests adding heavier linens to the dining room table, or draping a sheepskin throw over the back of a chair to add a “tangible element of warmth, comfort and sophistication.” Real sheepskin throws are pricey, but Clowers says faux sheepskin will do the trick, too.
Add throw blankets to backs of chairs and sofas for easy reach, and change out accent pillows for ones that feel ready-made for the cold, in fabrics like velvet, fur and chunky knits. If you’ve got natural fiber rugs in your living spaces, layer on smaller rugs in wool for added warmth. The more layers, the better.
Ready Your Fireplace
If you’ve got a fireplace, get it prepped for action in early November before the first cold snap. Emmalie Starr of Dixie Products says gas log fireplaces should be cleaned and serviced annually before the start of the season.
“If there is dust and debris, it can prevent the fireplace from working properly, and can be smelly,” says Starr.
If you have a wood burning fireplace or stove, it’s vital you have it checked as well. Ronnie Hall with Chimney
Works suggests an inspection every year on a wood stove, and every two years on a fireplace. It’s important, because blockages and build-up of soot and creosote could start a chimney fire.
“It’s also wise to have chimney caps, to keep out animals and water,” says Hall. “Next to a flu fire, water is your biggest enemy, causing erosion and damage. Most people don’t realize they are getting water in the chimney, and by the time you see it, it’s too late.”
Once your fireplace gets the thumbs up for use, it creates a real and visual warmth that is unmatched by anything else. If your hearth looks drab, spiff it up with a new screen or set of tools, and get your wood delivered now so you can enjoy it for the entire season.
Rethink Lighting
When the summer days stretch on until nine o’clock, we don’t have as much need for functional indoor illumination. When darkness falls at 5:30 p.m., you might find that your interiors need some brightening up with better lighting.
Walk through your home, and consider where you might add in some floor and table lamps, such as a reading corner, and swap out low-wattage bulbs with brighter, energy-efficient ones.
Candles are the best way to add warmth, because they can be placed anywhere (no outlets needed) and cast a shimmery, warm and flattering light. Change out summer scents for ones that feel fit for winter, like those with earthy patchouli, evergreen, ginger or myrrh, says Clowers.
“Candles have a naturally cozying effect while adding an uplifting little dance of light to your space,” she notes.
Dark corners can be brightened with decorative lanterns, and fairy lights (tiny LED strings of light) can be wrapped around candles for extra glow.
If you’ve got kids or pets, flameless candles have come a long way—it can be hard to detect real from fake, and you don’t have to worry about a fire hazard.
Bring the Outdoors In
As the leaves drop from the trees and the landscape turns barren, we miss the color of the warmer seasons. Consider adding more houseplants to your rooms, and savor the season with blooms made for this time of year. Mums are excellent for fall, and paperwhites, poinsettias and amaryllis can be part of indoor holiday decorations.
Living plants aren’t the only ways to bring organic interest to interiors. Think about the texture of your room—is everything hard angles? Organic shapes like irregular blown glass accessories, cowhide rugs, carved wood bowls or a round side table in rattan can soften a room.
The effort you put into making your home a cozy respite might make you savor indoor days like never before. Stock up on your favorite tea, coffee or hot chocolate, and make a list of the books you’ve been wanting to read. Your newly cozy abode will be the place you want to be this season.
... for the rest of this story and more from our November/December 2019 issue, Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!