As the leaves are falling from the trees and we head into the colder months, it is a great time to start preparing your home for winter.
With the nights drawing in, we’re likely to start spending more time indoors, so you might want to consider how to make your home warm and inviting. It’s also the perfect time to think about the term ‘Hygge’, which has grown in popularity and become a buzzword in recent years. But if you haven’t come across it before, the Danish word, pronounced ‘hoo-gah’, loosely translates to cosiness; creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people.
In this blog, we look at some essential ways you can create a cosy atmosphere to relax in before the Christmas rush and practical ways to prepare your home for the winter season.
Opt for warm lighting
One of the best ways to achieve hygge in your home is through soft lighting, in particular the warm glow of candlelight. Swapping your bright LED light bulbs for warmer tones, or using side lamps instead of the main lights, all help to create a cosy feel.
It’s also a perfect excuse to light a roaring fire, which will fill your room with warmth and a lovely warm glow.
With Christmas nearly here, twinkling fairy lights will also add a special subtle lighting. Solar panel fairy lights are a great eco-friendly way to add a bit of sparkle to your garden all year round.
Inject some warmth with layered textures
With one of the major trends this winter season being ‘cosy comfort’, you can easily add character to your home by adding layers of soft textures.
From cushions, throws and rugs, to wallpaper and curtains, having different fabrics and textures will create a homely feel. Swapping out brighter colours for darker shades, will create the right mood as the seasons change. Shades of rust, charcoal and brown, that have been popular on the catwalk, are also making their way into many homes.
Things like getting a darker bedspread, or dressing your sofa or bed, by adding cushions and throws, or even swapping your duvet for a warmer tog rating, will help you cosy up this season.
Set the atmosphere with scents
Candles and diffusers create the perfect cosy setting for a relaxing night in, with plenty of scented and unscented varieties to choose from. Create the right mood by placing a few tea lights or large pillar candles around. Or for that extra cosy feeling, choose candles that make a crackling sound like an open fire. With Christmas coming up, festive scents are a great way to inject some festive spirit into your home.
Add a fresh coat of paint
As we’re likely to spend more time indoors over winter, it’s a good idea to give your rooms a fresh coat of paint. Whether it’s your home office or bedroom, giving your walls a new lease of life will help to create the right atmosphere and be much more pleasing to the eye.
Carry out home maintenance
There are many quick home maintenance jobs that can be done to prevent issues over winter – from getting your boiler serviced, to getting your chimney swept ready for warming open fires.
Things like clearing leaves from your guttering and drainpipes will prevent leaks into your roof and sides of your house, that would be caused by a build-up of water that would go back into the guttering.
Get your garden ready
It’s also important not to forget your garden.
Pruning your trees before winter really kicks in will limit the amount of leaves falling into your guttering. It can also prevent rotten branches breaking and damaging your property.
Fixing broken gates and fences will prevent any further damage during freezing winter conditions and help to secure your property against burglaries.
Insulate your home
By insulating your loft space and making sure your doors and windows are draught proof, it will make your home more efficient and lower your energy costs.
It’s also best to avoid loft conversions and roofing projects during the winter months, to protect your home from rain and heat loss.
We hope this blog gives you lots of inspiration for creating a cosy home and will help you to avoid any preventable issues this winter.