Are you ready to cozy up your home for the winter season?
As temperatures drop in the Adelaide Hills, preparing your space to feel warm and inviting becomes essential. Whether you're tackling the chilly season with a crackling fire or layering up on soft textures, here are some simple styling tips to make your home feel snug and welcoming.
An example of rug layering to create more warmth and texture on top of hard flooring. Design by Chloe Dominik
1. Embrace the Power of Rugs.
Cold floors can quickly make a room feel unwelcoming. Combat this by layering rugs for added warmth and texture. Here’s how to make the most of rugs in your home:
Layer with rugs to create more softness underfoot. Where you might only use one rug for most of the year, you can introduce a bigger sized rug underneath to help combat cold floors.
If you are purchasing a rug, look for one that is plush and soft while still durable. Also consider the size, as a rug that’s the right proportion for your space feels luxurious and grounding – perfect for the chilly season.
Move rugs around for winter. If you’d love a rug next to your bed, move a rug from one area of your home into your bedroom just for winter.
Remember to use rugs to create zones in your home. Zones make spaces feel cosier and can help to enhance the feeling of warmth in your living spaces. Using a rug in a room with wall to wall carpet is a great way to do this.
Floor lamps and table lamps are a must for your living spaces during winter. Design by Toby Perryman-Payne.
2. Enhance Ambience with Layered Lighting.
Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood during winter. Instead of harsh overhead lights, focus on creating a soft, warm glow with:
Keep ceiling lights off once your kitchen and cleaning tasks have been done for the day.
Focus on using floor and table lamps (with a warm globe) in numerous spots in your room.
Choose lighting with textural and warm tones for extra warm vibes.
Using lots of throws on armchairs and sofas are an easy way to inject some winter styling. Design by Studio McGee.
3. Cozy Up with Textural Throws.
Introduce throws and blankets in rich textures like velvet and cable knit to instantly warm up your living spaces:
Swap out any light weight throws for thicker, heavier ones. Wash and store your thinner throws ready for the warmer months.
Look for thick cable knit patterns, the thicker the better.
Use baskets to fill with throws in your living spaces, this allows guests to grab an extra blanket easily to stay warm.
Drap throws across your sofa arms or the back of a sofa to help keep the chill off.
Adding an extra throw or a quilted blanket are great ways to add warmth to your bedroom in winter. Design by Amber Lewis Interiors.
4. Update Bedding for Winter Comfort.
Transform your bedroom into a sanctuary of warmth with these bedding updates:
Replace cotton sheets with flannelette ones. Swap out your summer quilt for a heavier winter one.
Change your quilt cover to suit the vibe and mood you want to create in your home for winter - this can be a nice ritual to welcome in winter.
Layer up your quilts. If you don’t have a quilt specifically for winter, you can layer two lighter quilts together which adds plushness and a cosy vibe for your bedroom.
Candles bring both a scent and seasonal lighting for the darker winter months. Styling by Danica Gadeken.
5. Embrace Seasonal Scents and Decor.
Enhance the atmosphere with scented candles and seasonal decor elements:
Group smaller candles together on a table as a centrepiece for real impact.
Place a few candles at different heights, such as on top of a console or on a dining table to really create a welcoming space.
Use scented candles with lavender, pine needles or anything that reminds you of winter to tickle all the senses.
For home with young children, use a scent diffusor instead of candles for a similar effect.
A perfect example of a reading nook that would be perfect in a warm corner of your home in winter. Design by Dwell and Oak.
6. Create Intimate Winter Nooks.
Designate cozy corners in your home for relaxation and reflection:
A comfortable chair, something soft underfoot, a small side table and a lamp is all you need to create a cosy corner.
Consider bringing your living room furniture closer together to create a more intimate zone that can easily be cocooning with candles and soft lamps.
If you have a combustion or gas fire this is one of the best ‘cosiness’ features so set up a conversation zone around this focal point.
Bringing foliage inside brings an instant lift to your spaces in winter. Interior Design by Cedar and Suede.
7. Bring Nature Inside.
Integrate natural elements like foliage and foraged branches to add life and freshness indoors:
If you have indoor plants they may need more sunlight in winter, so consider moving them to keep them healthy.
Do some foraging outside for foliage. I often bring in some small branches from my deciduous trees, and hardy natives and wattles look lively and interesting inside too.
Don’t underestimate a small arrangement of foliage in your bathroom or second toilet. These little touches make us smile and help our homes feel cared for when all is dreary outside.
A warm colour palette is a must to warm up your space in winter. A stunning example by Fabrikate Interior Design.
8. Consider a Warm Colour Palette.
Opt for warmer hues in your decor to create a cozy atmosphere:
Swap out artworks that don’t seem to suit the season. Artworks of a beach scene in the height of summer, whilst a great distraction from the cold will seem out of place in your home during winter.
Choose more subdued, simple artworks that echos the season like line drawings and winter nature prints.
Replace bright, cool tone-coloured cushions with warmer alternatives. Tones such as gold, mustard, burgundy, cream, beige and taupe work a treat to warm up a space.
Stay Warm and Cozy in Your Adelaide Hills Home
Preparing your home for winter is not just about staying warm; it’s about creating a sanctuary where you can embrace the season with comfort and style. I hope these tips will help you to do just that – let me know what you try in your home.
Let’s make this winter your cosiest one yet!
If you need more individualised help with the interior design of your home then feel free to reach out to me here. We can jump on a phone call and I can learn more about what you need - I’d love to help.
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