Crafting a Cozy Winter-Ready Living Room: Five Design Strategies
Begin preparing your living room now so it becomes the ideal winter sanctuary.
Cozy, luxurious and inviting are hallmarks of an ideal winter living room.
Are you in search of the ideal living space this winter? Here are a few ideas to get your planning underway.
1. Fireplace WARMTH Nothing sums up winter quite as perfectly as cosying up beside a wood burning fire place, although now there are heaters which offer all of the romance of traditional fire places without all the mess and fuss.
Cannon specialises in Australian-designed and produced indoor fireplaces, providing top quality gas log heaters for the home. Their log heaters resemble real fire with realistic eucalypt-look logs that ignite instantly at the push of a button – you won’t believe your eyes!
Additionally, they feature exceptional energy efficiency with high heat output; meaning you can stay warm without overextending your budget.
Log heaters from Log & Hearth utilize Powerflue room sealed technology that draws air from outside rather than from within the room for combustion purposes, eliminating any risk of products returning into the space through flue pipes.
This technology is ideal for newer homes and apartments that tend to be more airtight.
Cannon’s range of gas log heaters integrate seamlessly with any wall for an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
The Latitude 1500 gas fireplace, for instance, is an eye-catching inbuilt heater designed to seamlessly integrate with any wall for space saving effect. Pair this chic heater with comfortable lounge suites and luxurious accessories to amp up the luxe factor!
Elwood and Cremorne Powerflue gas fireplaces feature sleek designs with easy installation; fitting into an existing gas heater’s cavity seamlessly, they make ideal choices for home renovators looking for stylish gas heating options.
Not only can these gas heaters add style and warmth to a wintery living room, their energy-saving efficiency makes them ideal for homes striving to achieve five-star ratings.
Why settle for anything less?
If you love the warm glow of combustion wood fireplaces (often found in cozy holiday retreats), perhaps the Jarrah Wood Combustion Heater would make an excellent addition. Perfect for curling up next to with hot chocolate in hand, this fireplace is best suited to medium-sized living areas and features an impressive ceramic glass viewing window so that you can watch its magical flames while cuddling close at night.
2. Heavy curtains
A key component for creating the ideal winter living room environment are heavy curtains. Not only can they create an elegant wintery aesthetic, but their insulation properties help provide protection for windows as well.
Around 40% of your indoor generated heat can escape through windows and doors.
Consider investing in curtains that extend well past your window frame, spanning to the floor without leaving gaps for air to escape through. Also consider tight-woven fabrics or thermal lining as extra layers of protection against drafts. But warmth isn’t the only benefit: consider investing in thermal-lined materials as a form of extra insulation too – there could even be health advantages!
Interior stylist and renovator Emma Blomfield asserts that curtains not only help with insulation and sound absorption, but can also draw the eye up and make your ceiling seem higher than it actually is if hung properly. Therefore, have the curtain rod right next to the ceiling rather than having a gap before its actual start point.”
3. Winter Foliage
Greenery makes for lovely indoor decor year-round, yet plants such as palms and succulents have more of a summer feel than winter decor requires. To take the experience of your winter decor to the next level, add in lush evergreen plants that thrive even when exposed to low light – pothos or calathea varieties might just do the trick!
Create an emotional ambience by purchasing some deep colored flowers (fresh or dried), long twigs, or any combination thereof for extra drama.
4. Add texture
Texture can be just as impactful as color in making an impactful statement about how we live our lives and want our homes to reflect that reality. Although winter calls for dark and cozy hideaways, if your living space naturally leans more toward bright and airy hues then look towards Hygge as inspiration!
As this Scandinavian-led trend illustrates, light colored interiors can still feel wintery through adding textures such as chunky knits, shag pile or wool.
Consider these plusher fabrics when decorating with rugs, cushions, throws and curtains.
Emma recommends choosing warm tones instead of cool ones when designing an inviting living space.
5. Add Some Mood Lighting
As the sun goes down earlier, you’ll likely want to draw your curtains during evening meals and relax in comfort. Enhance the atmosphere by selecting lamps with warm-toned globes for additional ambiance.
If your ceiling lights are too harsh, add an elegant reading lamp with a warm globe to complete your cozy reading nook.
