7 easy ways to warm up your home for winter

It is January which means days are shorter and colder
and gray winter skies can seem to be on repeat.

And when it comes to home-
 beautiful light from the sunshine dancing across the floor
 and flooding the house with all that warmth
makes such a difference in making it feel cozy.

And while I love rain – and it definitely energizes me-
 I crave that warmth and the sunshine.
So in winter- when it comes to decorating-
I love to add cozy touches to the house
and make it feel more welcoming-
even with less of that warm sunlight coming in.

And my number one key with January decor-  it needs to be easy to do.
Because after all that holiday busy-
we all need a bit of a break in the crazy running around, right?

So today it is all about 7 easy simple ways to warm up the house-
and you probably have some of these things on hand right now.

#1. Chunky pillows & throws

One of my favorite ways to change the look of a room anytime of the year is to bring in new accents like pillows and throws.
And in winter- those chunky knits are a feel good thing to snuggle up with
and they bring that same feeling to your room.
For throws and pillows for winter
 think bold and beautiful- thick yarn and big textures for the most impact.

I love some of the new ‘rug’ style pillows they have-
 or the ones that feel like it took 5 lbs of yarn to create.
The chunkier the better.

#2. Candles galore

It goes without saying that candlelight is inviting and romantic- and it also warms up your room in early mornings and evenings any time of the year.
After Christmas- the house can feel a bit bare and boring without those twinkle lights adding ambiance.
But just grab those candles and light them up.
 I love to group about a dozen or so in the same container
and enjoy instant warmth on the coffee table.
Think frosted whites for the most light and mercury glass for more flicker.

A tip for these- these are candle holders- meaning you can fill them with a chunky little votive
or use a tea light. I use tea-lights so that I don’t have to constantly battle the wax when re-filling.

#3. Bring in some softer colors

Barely blushing blush, buttery yellows, and warm naturals like ivory and gray are perfect for bringing in during winter.
Those softer colors feel like sunshine in a room and instantly add some cozy
wherever you sprinkle them.

#4. More Mirrors

Even though we have an abundance of windows and french doors in our home-
 lighting is scarce in some areas of the house in winter.
With the sun lower in the sky-and those shorter winter days- there are definitely
more dark areas appearing here and there.
 One easy and beautiful way to remedy that is to bring in a few mirrors to reflect the light.
They can do wonders if placed in the right spot.
And who doesn’t love a good reason to add another gorgeous mirror to a room?
I know I do. I am shopping as we speak.
🙂

#5. Cozy rug

Always a favorite way to warm up a room instantly- a cozy rug underfoot.
 I am a bare wood floor kind of girl truth be told. I like the texture and feeling of wood underfoot
and living in the country- rugs have been harder to keep clean with
kids and animals going in and out. And to be honest- a lot of my design choices when the kids were small were based off of ease of living with with and keeping clean.
So, I have kind of gotten used to the bare floors in most room look.
But I do have some smaller rugs that I bring in and place here and there -especially in winter.

#6. Fresh greens or flowers

One of my favorites goes without saying-
a bouquet of fresh flowers or greens adds instant warmth and oomph.
Try a bunch of silver dollar eucalyptus for fresh greens-
and for a pop of color in florals-
you can use any florals that speak your language for creating a simple bouquet.
 And if you don’t have access to an abundance of fresh flowers-
 a beautiful faux floral arrangement does the same thing.

Side note:
About that tip- I have a fun post coming your way all about florals
and creating amazing arrangements easily and inexpensively.

#7. A new coat of paint

Something I always think of doing in winter- and pretty much every year.
 I think because we are indoors more and I notice how dingy the paint can look sometimes.
I love to freshen the walls and ceilings with a new coat of white paint and watch the room seem to be filled with an abundance of warm sunshine bouncing everywhere.

My favorite go- to shade of white currently?
Benjamin Moore Simply White
It is warm and crips and clean at the same time.
No yellow coming through- and no blue either.
Which means – it is literally- simply white.

I might have a couple gallons of paint and be tackling some of these changes in the next week or two-
and will share the way I am warming up our home this winter soon.

Thanks for all your notes and feedback about what you would like to see here!
And noted on the projects, recipes and room views.
January is one of those months where the busy of the season catches up with you
and it definitely seems like a bit of a pause in blogland.
But… behind the scenes over here-
 there is a whole lot of planning and dreaming and doing going on
that will be coming your way.

I realized that in the busy of last year with the renovations
the book
and tackling the ‘renovation’ of Romantic Homes Magazine alllllll swirling around
I did not share several room reveals and renovations along the way.
My bad.
So keep an eye out for those reveals.
As well, I am weighing in on the state of the marble after several years
answering questions about my Lacanche range
sharing that new island and how it came to be
 something pretty exciting
and much more.

Happy Monday everyone!!