How to Cozy Your Home For Cold Weather

Finally, the cold weather is upon us, and night is falling sooner. It’s the season when certain animals begin to hibernate, and we humans feel the urge to cocoon in our abodes.

With the cooler temperatures, as we begin to layer our clothing, we should also layer our homes. I’m not referring to winterizing the house structure, rather, I’m suggesting layering the inside of the home to evoke emotion by way of creating a comfortable, cozy haven

As a Stager and Redesigner, I can assure you that this is beneficial for home sellers and home dwellers alike.

Here are some ideas to “Cozy your Home”:

• Add texture in the form of a knitted or faux fur throw blanket draped over the sofa, a reading chair, or the end of a bed.
• Layer a sheepskin rug atop an existing rug in the living room or bedroom, or drape sheepskin over an entry bench or a couple of dining room chairs.
• Swap out your living room and bedroom throw pillows for velvet, furry, knitted, or quilted ones. Consider deepening the color saturation of throw pillows to jewel tones such as eggplant purple, emerald green, magenta, pumpkin orange, mustard yellow, or gold.
• Switch out curtains for velvet ones. How luxuriously cozy! Bonus: When closed, they act as insulation against the cold emanating from the windows.
• Add a touch of leather in the form of a throw pillow, table runner, placemats, or footstool.
• If you have light-colored fabric dining chairs, consider adding slipcovers in a darker shade.
• Have throw blankets rolled in a basket in the living room or hung over a blanket ladder.
• Use flannel sheets and add a down-filled (or down-alternative) comforter to the foot of the bed. If you use a duvet on the comforter, consider a dark color for the drama and visual warmth.
• Add jarred candles around the house for a warm glow and a seasonal aroma.
• Add a vintage runner in the foyer, bathroom, or hallway. The worn patina exudes warmth!
• Swap out bathroom towels for deep, rich colored ones such as jewel tones (mentioned above), dark grey, or black.
• On the kitchen counter, place a tray with hot cocoa and/or an assortment of tea packets. A suggested setup would be hot cocoa packets in a basket or decanted into a jar, with another jar filled with marshmallows and a tea kettle either on the tray or parked on the stovetop. This is not only nice to look at, but it encourages cozy moments.

Overall, the idea is to embrace the season by creating a scene to be enjoyed – one that inspires you and all who enter the home to nest, cocoon, relax, breathe, and feel warm, cozy, and at peace.