Countdown To Christmas

Sheepskin or faux fur rugs offer instant warmth and texture and look fantastic draped over sofas and armchairs as an alternative to a traditional blanket or throw. Or lay over dining chairs for a rustic Scandi look that makes even the dinner table a cosy place to be.

Pile high duvets, bedding, throws, pillows and bedspreads in the bedroom to create a sumptuous cocoon. A well-dressed bed is a focal point as well as a cosy haven. You spend a lot of time in your bedroom so make it your own – more is definitely more here!

Trip the ‘Light Fantastic’

When the nights start drawing in and the days get shorter and darker, lighting solutions become much more important. There’s nothing better than coming in from a cold gloomy winter evening to welcoming, twinkling lights that give your home a warm and comforting glow.

Great lighting can play a big part in making your home cosier. Group a cluster of pendant shades together for a localised pool of light; choose an elegant floor lamp to softly light up a dim corner, or go for an adjustable table lamp that can be angled to suit your needs – perfect if you love curling up on the sofa with a good book.

Embrace the Danish concept of Hygge by using different candle holders and candles to create a relaxing and homely environment – it’s all down to personal choice. We love filling a room with lanterns and tea lights for a soft ambient glow. Flameless candles create the same flickering effect but are a safer and more cost-effective choice.

Cosy curtains and warm windows

Traditionally one of the places where the most heat escapes from homes (especially if you have an old house and no double glazing), windows can be easily insulated with clever window dressing solutions.

We love the current trend for double dressing windows with both blinds and curtains. Not only is it a design statement, it’s also perfect for adding extra insulation. Choose contrasting patterns and colours for dramatic decadence or cleverly co-ordinate for elegant style – the choice is yours.

Our top tip? In particularly cold rooms, layer co-ordinating curtains over double pleated blinds, which are designed for heat retention on windows in the winter and to reduce heat absorption in the warmer summer months. 

Hot spots

We love log burners, which make great focal points in a room and are cleaner and more energy efficient than an open fire. They’re also a great way to bring the comfort of a real fire into your home even when you don’t have a lot of space. Some exciting new easy home update products, as an alternative to installing a fixed log burner, are portable indoor electric log burners. These can be brought into a room just in the colder months and will add warmth at the touch of a button. (Image credit Amazon).

Warm feet = happy feet!    

We love rugs almost as much as we love curtains and blinds! There are so many great designs out there and ways to experiment with colours, patterns and textures. But of course, it’s also the cosy foot feel that winter rugs provide that get our hearts racing.

Adding a shaggy – or to use it’s proper term ‘plush’ – rug to a room in winter months instantly adds a cosy update. Your feet will thank you for it too.