How to warm up for winter
So, you have your heating sorted and you've well and truly draught-proofed your home, but it's still feeling a little cold indoors? It's time to put on your interior stylist hat and layer up the warmth with colour, texture and lighting. Here's how.
Rug up!
Hard flooring such as timber or tiles is fabulous in the warmer months of the year, but come winter it can feel a little chilly underfoot. The quick fix to add warmth and colour is to purchase rugs for the rooms you need to cosy up a little — think living room, bedroom and perhaps the hallway, too. Before you hit the shops, jot down the measurements of the floor areas you plan to layer with rugs, taking your furniture arrangement into consideration as you measure. While you're out shopping, purchase special non-slip matting for the underside of floor rugs. Cut the matting slightly smaller than the dimensions of your chosen rug, lay it down first, then place your rug neatly on top. No more slippery rugs!
Hot hues
If you're after greater impact, pull out the painting tools, throw down a drop sheet and colour a feature wall (or two or three) in a warm shade of paint. Top tip: experiment with paint colours by taping paint swatches to your wall for a few days before you purchase test pots or the full quantity of paint. As for painting — it's easy! Use a paintbrush and good-quality painter's tape to neatly cut-in around the edges of walls, then fill the body of the wall using a paint roller.
Light the way
Enrich the warm tones of your living spaces in your home with a layer of low-level lighting — think table, floor, task, wall-mounted and ceiling-suspended pendant lighting. You can choose from a range of simple plug-in models, or opt for lighting that requires an electrician. You choose! Top tip: purchase lamps (or bulbs) in warm white for the ultimate warming glow come nighttime.
Accessorise, accessorise!
Tossed on your sofa and armchairs, a selection of cosy cushions and throws will bring instant warmth to chilly evenings at your place. For best effect, choose from winter-warming colours and textures that complement your existing interior decorating scheme.
