As the seasons change and the conditions outside continues to get colder, we have a few winter design tips to make your home feel warmer.
While the weather outside may, in fact, be frightful, inside – with a little bit of work and a few clever design tricks – you can make your home feel delightful. As the seasons change and winter looms, there are a few simple things you can do around the house to make the most of the combat and even embrace the changing weather.
Before you get started on the interior, you should take a few days to prepare your house for the elements. This may require a contractor, or it could be as simple as a few quick fixes, but the longer you put it off the harder it will be. Once that is done, you should turn your focus to the interior design.
We have a few winter design tips to help you make your home feel warm and cozy even when the weather outside is anything but.
Bring the Green Inside
Although the outside may be turning more gray than green, there are plenty of ways to bring the green inside. To begin with, you can do the obvious thing and buy some plants and flowers to spread around your home. You’ll need to take care of them and make sure they have as much sunlight as possible, but the results will make up for the added chores and make your home feel like an oasis of green.
You can also consider simply bringing in some green materials, such as blankets and pillows. Green rugs can work in some environments too, just make sure it doesn’t clash with the rest of the décor.
Choose Warm and/or Darker Colors
During the summer, you might consider to going with brighter colors to give the impression that your living space is larger than it might otherwise appear, but in the winter you may want to do the opposite. Darker colors can give the impression of a cozy environment. You might feel like you are losing some space if you go from light to dark, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing in the winter. Creating a cozy environment can make things feel warmer than they actually are. Plus, the darker the colors, the more the room distracts from the barren exterior.
Colors like brown, for instance, feel deeply out of place in the summer, as do darker shades of blue – even purple. In the winter, however, they feel warm. You can paint the walls and introduce dark colored furniture, but an easier way to address this is with rugs, curtains, and blankets. And speaking of…
Supply the Room with Blankets
Blankets are obviously functional, but there are more reasons to keep them around your home. They offer a sense of warmth and can easily introduce color with very minimal effort. You can also find materials that match the rest of your living area’s look.
There are plenty of options when it comes to the type of blanket you choose, but heavy knits are a good thing to have around. They are often considered to be one of the most fashionable accents you can have during the winter. Paired with matching pillows, your room can feel much warmer and more inviting than before while the winds howl outside.
Wood is Timeless (and Season-less)
While this is potentially larger than a few quick decorating tips, wood floors can make a home feel warmer and cozier during the winter months, in part because they can be accented with multiple rugs that you can change out seasonally. Pair that with a fireplace, and you have a timeless look for your home that transcends seasons. Of course, that requires you to have both wood floors and a fireplace already.
If you are considering a remodel, you may want to think about adding both hardwood floors and a fireplace (although the fireplace is easier said than done as it requires the house to be able to accommodate it). If nothing else, it could help raise the value of your home. If you already have hardwood floors, make sure to keep them properly cleaned and waxed. Strategically placed rugs draw the eye to them, while the hardwood floors can help to frame the room.
Design by Ignoring Design
During the summer, a home can benefit by keeping things as far apart as possible. Guests won’t want to sit shoulder to shoulder if they can avoid it, and with the heat bearing down a cramped space can feel oppressive. Removing unused objects and pushing the existing furniture as far out as possible can also help with flow – both in the literal sense of air flow and the harder to define design flow.
In the winter, however, bringing the furniture in can help to bring people together. Select a focal point – a fireplace, a table, a TV, etc. – and point the furniture to it to give the impression that all guests are united in their focus. It brings people together and encourages the impression of warmth.
Patterns and Splashes
During the summer, it is recommended to keep the window as open to light as possible. Adding some form of privacy screen is natural, but full curtains tend to be a negative, especially dark ones – they make the room warmer and take up space. In the winter, however, they can be a necessary means of both controlling the heat and keeping the room feel cozier. On top of that, curtains can add a splash of color with minimal effort.
And speaking of a splash of color, wallpaper may not be as common as it once was, but during the winter a colorful pattern can help contrast the gray landscape beyond the walls. This will require more of a commitment, however, so make sure you choose a pattern you can live with year round
Contact a Professional
If you are looking for dome design tips big or small, or you are considering something even bigger, contact Fleschner Construction now to schedule an appointment.