Creating a beautiful and inviting home during those colder winter months can make it all the more bearable. I for one dislike the cold and have a hard time understanding why people even holiday in places with snow!?! But, we live in a country which is cold (where I am anyway) for a large chunk of the year, and so we must toughen up and wait it out. Which is easier to do if your interior is gorgeous and winter ready. So here’s my top tips for giving your home a bit of a winter makeover-without going full winter wonderland style.

Gorgeous faux Furs from Adairs.

LAYERS | What do we do when the air starts to become cooler? We put the flannelette sheets on the beds and maybe pop a spare blanket on the end too. Do the same with your couch-add a blanket or two and also some extra cushions to snuggle into. You can tell your partner that they are for warmth when yes they are, but they are also making your living room or bedroom look fabulous! Don’t just choose cheaper, thinner blankets-go all out! Get an oversized chunky knit or faux fur blanket and make it a real statement piece! Choose something in a neutral colour so that you can keep using it year after year. White, cream, black, browns etc. With your cushions, mix it up a bit. Combine colour, pattern and texture to add interest. Again, chunky knits and faux Furs are great to give that winter look. Remember that you can mix and match to create your own unique style so play around with different ones until you find a happy combination for your interior. TIP: Use different sized cushions if you can on both beds and lounge chairs. It adds to the layering concept and gives a more luxe look.

MOOD LIGHTING | Warm blankets. A cup of hot chocolate. Back to back episodes of your favourite show on Netflix. All under the soft light of a gorgeous floor or table lamp. That’s an ideal night in during winter for me!! I love turning off the main lighting in my home and switching on a lamp or two. It just adds to that comfy winter feel. Current trends for lamps include metallic and timber finishes. Both tie in very well with the winter mood we are trying to create for in interior space. Brass is in and it’s gorgeous. A great way of adding a dulled back bit of bling to your space. A very warm metal which is perfect for winter styling. If you don’t want to be picking items too on trend, go with a timber finish lamp or something plain coloured (white/black/chrome etc) as they will be less likely to date and you’ll get your money’s worth out of your lamp for longer. Depending on your space, you can select either a table lamp, floor lamp or even a low hanging pendant. A lamp isn’t just for giving off light. It can be a key feature point in a room so select carefully so that it sits well in your interior space.

INDOOR PLANTS | First off, if you dont have a green thumb, buy artificial plants. There’s some half decent fake plants and flowers out there these days so don’t feel bad for not being able to keep a real one alive (I kill plants. Often. And I love gardening!). If you do love some greenery in your home-I love nothing more than indoor plants to complete a space-then make sure you do a little research and find some plants suitable for your interior. I was given some great tips by the lovely ladies at Polly And The Wren for keeping indoor plants happy during the cold winter months. Still buy indoor plants-don’t be scared to have them because of the change in temperature and lack of sun. Just move your plants into brighter spots so they can drink in that gorgeous sunlight. Also, water your plants less as they won’t need as much as they do in the warmer months. Be wary of indoor heating as they will dry out and even kill your plants. Move your plants away from fireplaces and reverse cycle heating and pop them in front of a window so they can get some sun instead.

SCENTS | Something some people might not think of when decorating their home, but something I believe goes hand in hand with a gorgeous interior. I always light a scented candles when I’m expecting comany (or even when I’m relaxing at home) is I think it creates an inviting mood. In summer I prefer fruity,sweet scents where as in winter I love woody, musky or vanilla based scents. Tip: Buy your candles from either a retailer who specialises in candles or a small business who loves to create beautiful, true scents. Some of the big retailers manufacture candles which are sickly sweet smelling or have no smell at all. You want a gorgeous candle or scented product which omits it’s perfume throughout your house and so it pays to spend a little more and get a gooder quality one.

Don’t think that you need to change your entire interior in order for it to be winter ready. Set yourself a budget and purchase a few key items to help pretty up your home and give it that extra warmth during the colder months. Concentrate on the living area and master bedroom as they are the spaces you want to be cosiest. And when you are done decorating, grab that cup of tea or glass of red wine, sit on the couch surrounded by your new throw blanket and cushions, and own winter. In style.

Keep warm!

Zoe xx