Simple Ways to create a cosy home in winter
“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
As nature begins to retreat with the colder days of winter, so too are we being nudged towards a slower pace of life to hunker down for the season. Winter is a time to rest and reflect, cocooned indoors as the chilly days descend. There is an urge to snuggle under blankets, sit beside the fire with a good book and eat nourishing foods that comfort the soul.
With more time spent at home in the winter, it’s natural that we become more conscious of our surroundings and it’s the perfect time to create a peaceful and cosy space that you want to spend time in. There are many inexpensive and eco-friendly ways you can make your home a haven this winter and here are a few ideas to inspire you.
LIGHT A FIRE
If you have a fire or wood burner, look at using eco logs, coffee logs or sustainably sourced firewood. Coffee logs are a compact fire log made from recycled waste coffee grounds, perfect for burning in domestic wood burners and multi-fuel stoves. They exploit coffee's high calorific value, burning more efficiently than kiln-dried wood, and provide a sustainable alternative to conventional solid fuels.
CANDLES
A must for this time of year. Choose warming, earthy and spiced scents like pine, cinnamon, orange and ginger to connect you to nature and evoke a festive and cosy atmosphere. It’s best if you can source candles made with natural and organic waxes, like soy wax, beeswax, coconut wax, and rapeseed wax — rather than mass-manufactured candles which are often made with paraffin wax. Wicks are also important, so look for cotton, hemp, or wooden wicks.
bLANKETS, THROWS & CUSHIONS
A brilliant way to create extra warmth in any room and ideal to grab when you want to snuggle up and feel cosy. There is something so comforting about being wrapped in a soft blanket. Choose a variety of textures, and keep an eye out at local charity shops for good quality woollen throws.
FORAGED FOLIAGE
At this time of year you’ll find a variety of beautiful foliage in gardens and hedgerows. Look out for bracken, holly, ivy, rosemary, berries and evergreens. Mindfully snip some sprigs to bring indoors and display in vases or along your mantelpiece and shelves.
ORNAMENTAL SQUASHES
Ornamental squashes of all types are traditional favourites for festive crafts and decorations, particularly in autumn and winter. From green to orange, gather a few different sizes, and display with winter foliage.
MAKE A SIMPLE RUSTIC WREATH
Making a wreath is a great way to welcome in each season using whatever plants are available at the time. Choose from willow or moss bases to keep it natural, grab some gardening wire and simply choose what you want to include and weave into the base. There are now plenty of kits online to get you started or check out YouTube videos for inspiration.
PUT UP SOME FAIRY LIGHTS
An inexpensive but effective way to create a feeling of cosiness is to put up some fairy lights. They work in any room and can be left up for the whole of winter. Either string them up, put them in a jar, of if you have an empty fireplace, they can be put inside to give a warming glow.
DRY SOME ORANGES
Dried orange decorations are a lovely, traditional way to bring some colour into your home. Create garlands or small hanging ornaments with oranges and clementines. Add cloves for some extra festive fragrance.
CREATE A COSY CORNER
Whether it’s a favourite chair or a room in your house where you love to go to relax, make it even more welcoming with soft lighting, candles, a special blanket or throw. Clear any clutter to make it as much of a stress free space as possible.
BAKE
Baking not only provides a welcoming aroma, it warms the home and brings family together and allows us to indulge in the comfort of delicious warming treats. Gingerbread, saffron and cinnamon buns are wonderful for a homemade hug.
BURN SOME ESSENTIAL OILS
An inviting scent makes us happier to be home and can significantly impact our mood. Try burning good quality, all natural essential oils like ginger, clove, fir needle, cypress, frankincense and eucalyptus for some winter warmth.
LIGHT A CANDLE AT DINNER
Winter calls for warming food. Cold-weather staples such as soups, stews, casseroles, curries and roasts are great for sharing around the dinner table. So gather together, light a candle and spend some quality time with family catching up on stories of the day.
GET YOURSELF A HOT WATER BOTTLE
There is a great variety of hot water bottles of all sizes in the shops at the moment. Look for natural covers that feel soft to the touch to add another element of warmth to your home during the cold winter months.
