How to warm and cosy up your home this winter
Whilst for many of us in this part of the world winter is relatively mild and short, there is still something lovely about updating your home to help you keep warm and cosy over these colder months. Here are a few tips to help you warm up your home …
Rugs
Image: Armadillo & Co
Nothing says cosy like a soft, warm layer underfoot, so rugs are the best place to start when looking to warm up your home (both physically and emotionally). Rugs also ground a room and infuse it with character and style. They can be one of the more expensive pieces you buy for your home, so it is important to both choose wisely, and to know the best ways to position a rug in your space.
Here are a couple of tips on how to find the right rug for your space...
Whether it’s an oversized room that needs a rug to match, or a smaller room that needs to look bigger, rug size matters. From making a statement to defining a zone, a rug is the ultimate style tool. A larger rug will make a smaller room appear bigger. It can also help define functional zones and anchor furniture. In a larger room, it will help to balance the scale of the room and make it a cosier, softer space.
Colour, texture and feel are all things you can expect your rug to bring to your room so in order to create a cohesive space, you need to consider each element in the room. By placing similar style and coloured rugs in connecting spaces, you unify and create a visual connection and flow between the two rooms.
Cosy underfoot and appealing to the eye...you should never underestimate the simple pleasure a beautiful rug can bring.
Cushions
Image: Canvas + Sasson
Cushions are an inexpensive and simple way to update your room and are a great way to add colour and interest to your sofa. The clever selection and arrangement of your sofa cushions can make or break a room. But with so many different fabrics, shapes, sizes and colours out there, it can be hard to choose!
Here’s a simple guide to help you pick cushions to give your room a lift…
Colour - If you have a neutral colour scheme in your living room, select two or three colours to inject depth into the space. In autumn and winter consider earthier, muted tones that will make your room more intimate and cosier.
Texture - Don't be shy with fabric textures! Combine multiple textures, the selection is endless, from linen, to faux fur, to velvet, to silk. In winter, velvets and wools encourage you to snuggle up and get comfy, while linens and cottons are ideal as lighter summer fabrics.
Shape and size - Having all your cushions in the same regimented size can look a bit dull and boring. A diverse range of sizes and shapes (why not add a round cushion to the mix?) will create an interesting and welcoming look. Combine harmonious hues and patterns to your cushion selection and you will have yourself a stylish and cohesive setting.
Lighting
Image: Milk & Sugar
There are generally recognised to be three key light categories when it comes to your home... however I will argue there are four!
Ambient Lighting - This is generally the background light used in a space, allowing you to navigate around without stubbing your toe. Examples of ambient lighting are big windows creating natural light or ceiling lights that illuminate the whole room.
Task Lighting - Illuminates a particular space where you would normally carry out a task. This type of lighting is very important to most areas in your home, for example, downlights that shine onto the kitchen bench where you prepare food or wall sconces in the bathroom to light your skin care routine.
Accent Lighting - Accent lighting is used to highlight certain features of your room, and is usually brighter than the ambient lighting so it will draw the eye. The use of accent lighting is to illuminate a specific object like a piece of artwork or shelving.
Decorative Lighting – The fourth and final type of lighting is decorative lighting which is used for just that… decorating. Statement pieces that capture attention.
If you’d like some hands-on help with updating and cosying up your home, please drop me an email or enquire about working together here.