How To 'Winterise' A Room

When the temperature drops and it gets dark quite early, you look for cosy spaces in your home. Senior Writer for Houzz Australia, Georgia Madden, provides 9 ways to add some cosiness to your open spaces in winter, below.

Winter is officially here, which means it’s time to bring out the woollens and prepare for long, cosy nights in. If your interior leans more towards summer cool than cosy and cocooning, don’t despair. Here are some simple ways you can dial up the warmth factor.

1. Add A Grounding, Wintry Rug
Never underestimate the power of a great rug. It’s a sure-fire way to add instant texture and warmth to a summery room – plus it feels wonderful underfoot.

2. Introduce A Wild & Whimsical Wallpaper

Bold, patterned wallpaper is having a moment – just in time for winter. Line the wall behind your bed, on the back of shelves, or use it across the walls of a tiny powder room – it works just about anywhere you can think of. Choose wintry tones of ink and olive to add a cocooning feel to the space.

3. Up The Texture

Looking for a fast way to add comfort and warmth to your living room? Texture is your best friend. Pile the sofa high with cushions of different shapes and sizes, introduce some soft throws and drape a sheepskin rug or two over armchairs.

This season it’s all about natural, touch-me textures. Think bouclé, felt, velvet and linen – the more you add to the mix, the merrier.

4. Hang Curtains

Uncovered windows can leak as much as 40 percent of your home’s warmth, according to the CSIRO. So now’s the time to swap out those lightweight sheers for thick curtains in an insulating fabric to keep the warmth in.

For maximum heat retention, choose specialist thermal fabrics and ensure curtains hang right to the floor, with no gaps around the edges. Adding a pelmet helps prevent even more heat from escaping, which can save you a serious amount on heating bills.

While you’re at it, look at sealing all those gaps around doors and windows – according to Energy Australia they can up add up to a whopping 25 percent to your power bills.

5. Add Texture To Your Walls

If you haven’t received the memo, feature walls are officially back – and they’re a great way to add depth and a snug feel to rooms where you want to relax, such as your bedroom and living area. This season, just about anything goes for feature walls, including escapist, scenic-print wallpapers and large-scale murals.

But if it’s an unmistakably wintry feel you’re after, nothing beats a textural, linen-look wallpaper in one of this season’s rich, earth-drawn hues.

6. Set Up A Snug Spot

The chilly months are all about slowing the pace and hunkering down indoors. Make it a pleasure by setting up a cosy little spot where you can read, enjoy a mug of hot chocolate or simply daydream.

Bring in an armchair or chaise longue from another room and position it by the fire or overlooking a gorgeous view; add in cushions, a snuggly throw, a lamp and somewhere to pop a book.

7. Add Cocooning Colours

Warm colours drawn from the natural world are trending at the moment – and they’re perfect for setting a winter-ready tone in your home. Think earthy greens, oceanic blues, caramel and rust.

Try colour blocking across two or three walls in a room. To avoid visual overload, choose a palette of no more than three colours. Then, pick up the same colours elsewhere in the room, such as in artwork, rugs and soft furnishings to create a cohesive and curated feel.

8. Winterise Your Bedding

Swap out your plain white cotton bed linen for layers of colour and texture during the cooler months. Add an extra quilt or duvet, replace cotton sheets with ones in warmer fabrics such as flannel or heavy linen, and bring in a woollen throw or blanket to drape across the end of the bed.

Seek out duvet covers and cushions in colours on the warmer end of the spectrum, such as turmeric, terracotta and slubby brown. And don’t be afraid to mix different fabrics on your bed, such as wool, linen, cotton and velvet – it adds a cosy and eclectic feel.

9. Pop In A Pouf

Finish off your wintry living room scheme with a curvy ottoman or pouf – it adds a cosy, casual feel and makes a handy spot to rest a book, glass of wine or prop your feet up when you come in from the cold.

Whether you want to go with on trend colours, or a timeless classic finish, our team at Hurst Homes guide your through the entire process including your selections to ensure you create your dream home. Just another reason why we are considered Waggas best builder. With over 30 years in the industry as a Wagga Builder you can trust Hurst Homes with your dream home. For a free no-obligation preliminary estimate contact us today on 0438 692 962 or fill out the contact us page on our website.

For more tips from the Houzz experts visit Houzz.com.au