Warm Ways to Cozy Up Your Home for Winter

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Over the past couple days the entire country has been blasted with colder temperatures, so much so that even our go-to-outdoor activities might be off limits. So as you retreat into your home for a warm cup of hot cocoa or a good book we have some warm ways to cozy up your home for the winter months ahead. Whether you take an architectural or aesthetic approach to warming up your home, these ideas will definitely give you some inspiration.

Update your Colors and Textures

When you decorated for spring and summer you focused on lighter, brighter colors, and smooth linens to keep your spaces cool. Now that you move into the colder winter months it is time to bring out the wool, velvet, faux fur and cashmere, “it is one of the easiest ways to make a home feel cozy…change the fabrics”, according to the Washington Post. And when it comes to color, gray is always popular; opt for neutral cream colors or natural earth tones…all of which you can dress up or dress down, no matter what the season is.

Midcentury Living Room featuring Prefinished Oak Flooring by Wide Plank Floors

It doesn’t make sense to reupholster your sofas and chairs for one season, but you can invest in some lush velvet drapes, textures throw blankets and accent pillows with ease.

Door Draft Stoppers

Most homes today feature modern insulation which makes it hard for cold air to get in, and warm air to get out. But if you live in an older home, especially a restoration quality home, leaky windows and doors could be cooling things down for you. Invest in a door draft stopper to keep in the heat.

Contemporary Home Decor

If you are have prefinished hardwood flooring make sure the door draft stopper is made from soft material so it won’t scratch your wood flooring. Restyle the Sofa & Bedding Winter is a great time to cozy up your sofa and your bedding. Soft textures like velvet, fluffy faux fur, warm cashmere, and traditional flannel sheets, are your go to fabrics.

Transitional Bedroom by Chicago Architects & Building Designers roomTEN design featuring Carlisle Eastern White Pine Flooring

With all the extra bedding and pillows you might be piling on to keep things cozy, you’ll need a place to keep them all, so your rooms don’t get cluttered. A wicker basket is a great storage solution, and it looks good too.

Transitional Living Room by St. John’s Photographers Becki Peckham

Storage ottomans are a great addition to any room, and can serve a dual purpose to keep your spaces organized, plus you get the bonus of additional seating space.

Contemporary Footstools And Ottomans by Los Angeles Furniture & Accessories Great Deal Furniture

Area Rugs

A beautiful wood floor is a common design element in any style home, as is tile and stone, but unless you have radiant heat, you might find your hard surface flooring gets a little cooler as the temperature drops. This is the one time of year where you have permission to cover up your beautiful hardwood flooring, with small, sectional rugs.

Transitional Entry by Toronto Interior Designers & Decorators Steffanie Gareau Interior Design featuring Carlisle Hickory Distressed Wood Flooring

When it comes to selecting an area rug, keep it small, you don’t want to cover up your beautiful floor, and focus on texturized area rugs like tufted wool rug, versus a traditional smooth rug. Textures adds more warmth and gives you something to sink your cold toes into.

Contemporary Bedroom by Sydney Home Builders Capital Building

If you aren’t a fan of area rugs, we aren’t either, consider radiant heat as a long term investment in your home. It is a fantastic heating system that can be introduced through new construction, remodeling, or even retrofitted to an existing room. Visit www.warmboard.com for more information. And good news, radiant heat is even compatible with Carlisle wide plank floors so you get beauty and warmth every time.

Capitalize on Sunlight

Even though the days are shorter, you can make the most of the sunlight and warmth throughout the day. Ideally leave south and west facing curtains open during the day, then close them up to keep in the heat, once the sun goes down.

Transitional Living Room by Toronto Interior Designers & Decorators Steffanie Gareau Interior Design Featuring Carlisle Hickory flooring

If you really want to control sunlight, you can invest in blinds that are controlled by a timer, to raise and lower them at specified times throughout the day. Window fashion experts like Hunter Douglas even make an app for that.

Asian Bathroom by Gainesville Architects & Building Designers Ashley Hall Interiors

Focus on the Hearth

As the outside becomes cooler, you may naturally gravitate to the warmer areas of the home. Naturally this puts you quite close to your fireplace and hearth. Take the time to dress up your hearth to make it cozy for winter. Make your hearth a natural gathering area by rearranging your furniture, rearranging photos, and rearranging or adding some small decorative elements. This also puts the focus on the interior of the room instead of the cold looming outdoors.  Just check out these examples.

Rustic Family Room by Plymouth Home Builders Abode Builders of New England featuring Carlisle Reclaimed Flooring

Transitional Living Room by Toronto Interior Designers & Decorators Steffanie Gareau Interior Design

Transitional Living Room by Chicago Architects & Building Designers roomTEN design

Contemporary Living Room by Edina General Contractors REFINED LLC

Incorporate a Fireplace

If your doesn’t currently have a fireplace, and if it is not really possible to install to a traditional fireplace in your home, then you are in luck. Modern technology makes it possible to use a free standing fireplace in almost any room. Use something a little more casual like this Bismarck Fireplace from Frigidaire.

Modern Fireplaces by Bismarck Fireplaces Give 5 To Cancer

Or accommodate a more modern look with the Anywhere Fireplace.

Modern Fireplaces by Brooklyn Kitchen & Bath Designers Exotic Home Expo

Bake Away

It’s time to put that new double-oven subzero stove to the test and heat up your home while creating a tasty treat or your next family meal. Once the oven is shut off, keep the door open to let the heat escape and fill your kitchen with some extra warmth, and pairs perfectly with the smell of fresh baked cookies.

Traditional Kitchen by Austin Architects & Building Designers Tim Cuppett Architects featuring Carlisle Oak Flooring

And don’t forget to keep plenty of red wine, hot cocoa and your favorite tea selection close at hand to warm you up on the inside too.

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