Embrace warm décor for the cold season

With the cold season many people will be spending a lot more time indoors compared to the warmer seasons.

This is a natural human response to beating the cold and with the right furniture and décor, your home can be warmer and more inviting.

It’s important to come home to a welcoming environment after braving the chill outside. And as we get into July, already the cold season is rearing its head with temperatures dropping to as low as 12 degrees on some mornings and evenings.

To give your home a warm feel and make it cosier, you need to rearrange stuff; change the décor and perhaps even the furniture to adapt to the changing temperatures.

The good news is that it won’t be difficult to give your home a new look and feel. All you need are warm colours when it comes to soft furnishings such as throws and cushions and rugs. Take advantage of ongoing sales at shops like Tile and Carpet to shop for fabrics and carpets at reduced prices.

If you have two sets of curtains for your rooms, this is the time to bring out the heavier ones to keep away the chilling cold.

Warm colours

A comfortable couch in the cold season is non-negotiable. It is where you will be spending most of your evenings.

The choice of upholstery depends on what your personal taste is, though current trends all point to texture that can be mixed and matched.

Leather can be matched with many fabrics for added textural interest. Since leather tends to be cold, get throws and scatter cushions in warm earthy colours to give your room that much-needed warmth.

For example, warm jewel tones such as burnt oranges, amber, scarlet, emerald and garnet, can trick your mind and body into feeling warmer.

Choosing leather seats has the advantage of keeping the larger pieces of furniture neutral – either white, black or brown.
This means you can easily change the tone of a room by updating soft accessories and wall colour. And it’s not just your furniture fabric.

Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise

Rugs, throws and scatter cushions can go a long way in adding comfort, colour and texture to your home which can be done without blowing your budget.

Rather than cooler hues such as blues, greens and white add a cosy atmosphere with pieces that have warm and inviting colours.

Fluffy rugs are an all-year-round feature. They make your house warmer in the cold months and when it is hot, they make for a soft and comfortable underfoot.

Tricks like playing with your home’s lighting can also change its ambience.

Throws come in handy especially when you are watching television on the couch and can be brought out as needed. Currently, supermarkets and upholstery shops are selling beautiful fluffy throws at great prices. Even online shops are doing well with their offerings

Make sure you have lots of extra throws on hand to keep house guests warm.

Glaring lighting makes a room seem colder while dimmer lighting, such as that provided by table lamps, seems more inviting and cosier.

Decor

This applies not only to soft décor, but also to wall colour.

The colour of a room is very important in giving it ambience. If possible, homeowners should think about having their sitting room or bedroom repainted in a warm colour that will stand out during the cold months. Sometimes, all it takes is a wall picture or hanging in colours that come alive.

Using warm tones such as purple, burnt orange and scarlet on the walls of your living space can trick your mind and body into thinking it’s warm and adds a cosy feel to the room.

Sit back and relax

Nobody wants to come home at the end of the day and flop down into a hard chair or couch. Nowadays, the contemporary way of thinking about furniture is that it’s all about comfort without compromising on style. As the quest for comfort increases, so does the rise in the popularity of motion furniture.

Furniture like La-Z-Boy chairs are great as you can position the chair the way you like for your comfort.

The bedroom also takes high priority during the cold season as no one wants to get into a freezing bed at the end of the day. You need to ensure that the bed and mattress are as comfortable as possible since you will be spending more time there.

Change your blankets and duvet to warmer ones and the covers from the cooler pastel colours of the warm season to bolder, warmer colours.

Ultimately you may need to spend more on heating, whether it is an in-built fireplace or space heaters, in order to combat a cold house this season.