Dear Madelaine,
With temperatures dropping, how can I make my home extra cozy for winter?
I love this question!! I am not a warm weather girl, especially in NYC, and get so excited to break out the fall and winter gear: over-the-knee boots, wool and faux fur trimmed coats, and all the hot chocolate (you don’t want to imagine me with a PSL coffee, unlike Olivia, who is surgically attached to a cup at all times), so I get even more excited when it comes to doing the same thing for my apartment.
Keep reading for 3 strategies to easily make your home a cozy winter wonderland.
1. Rich Drapery
When the temperatures start to drop it’s time to switch out sheer gauzy linen curtains for richly colored and more substantial drapery. I love velvet for this and there are options available for every aesthetic and investment. Half priced drapes has some great basic options in solid colors, which you can hang as is, or add some fun trim at the edges for a more personal touch. If you’re looking for a little more drama, a room darkening print in luscious jewel tones is a great option, and places like Anthropologie have some really fun selections.
2. Warm Up, Tone Down, and Scatter Your Lighting
As the days get shorter, our bodies are naturally programmed to feel more comfortable with lower and warmer lighting; think living room fireplace rather than office fluorescents. A great way to achieve this without rewiring your whole home is adding lots of candles – specifically flameless LED ones. While burning candles are beautiful, for those of us who are clumsy and/or forgetful, LEDs offer a much safer option. Available in both wax pillar and votive styles, these can be scattered throughout your space to achieve the exact ambience you’re looking for, not to mention the fun you can have with different styles of candle holders, votives, and lanterns.
Additionally, if you haven’t already, swap your standard light bulbs for ones that can be dimmed and color adjusted. Personally, I am a huge fan of the Philips Hue system and use it on every project. The capacity of lighting to transform how a space feels cannot be underestimated.
3. Add window seat
Somehow seeing how cold it is outside makes it feel even warmer and cozier inside. If space allows, rearrange your current furniture so you have a view looking out, or if you can fit it, add a bench with lots of cushions under a window. It doesn’t have to be large; just big enough to fit one person curled up with a good book (or more realistically, a phone). Don’t worry if the window sill is higher than the seat; as long as you can see outside this will feel super cozy, and as a bonus, the window sill makes a great spot to set down a warming drink (or your phone – seriously, take a break and look outside!)
Want to discuss more specific strategies for your home?
Book a call and we can figure it out together!
Till next time…
Madelaine
PS – Do you have design questions? Send us an email at info@designbyadroit.com and we will answer it as quickly and completely as possible in an upcoming blog post!
