Winter is the time we wish for warmth and feeling cosy and comfortable. And because with this colder season comes more time staying indoors, here are a few tips to change our space into a “warmer” home.
Colours
It’s a given that tones of red always work to energise a space, however this season it’s much more about the deeper tones of “browned off” red, as well as dirty and deep purples and burgundies that are taking the stage. Think of the colours of eggplant skin and the outside purple of pistachios, as well as the rich tones of dark cherries and you’re on the right track!
You can actually go with a blue in your colour scheme, even though this is mostly seen as a “cold” colour. However, instead of the lighter fresher summer blues, we’ll choose the warmer tones of deep teal and darker bluish-grey,providing interest against the more muted winter colours, whilst still retaining warmth.
Greys continue to be a favourite together with “browned off” tones such as mushroom, and the dirtier tones of olive green and khaki. Look to the grey/green tones of native grasses.
To really give a punch, don’t be afraid of sunburnt orange tones or golden canary yellow as brighter accents. Used in small amounts, these can really make a statement and contrast in interesting ways against the more sombre winter palette.
Metallic
With less natural light and darker days, reflective surfaces and metallic finishes always assist in bouncing light around, as well as adding great ambience in the greyer light! The addition of “golden framed” mirrors, and candle sticks, as well as all of the metal tones of antique copper and matt bronze will help achieve a stylish and luxurious scheme, whilst also helping visually warm up the space.
If you feel totally lost and don’t know where to start to make your home “look” the same as designer homes, here are some tips:
With the information above in mind, find an image from a magazine of a room you love or even find inspiration from a photo you’ve taken with colours you like.
How to:
For a winter look, essentially look for darker tones or browned off deeper hues of colours. Now work your way through the image colour by colour and pick out each tone in your image and match them to a paint colour. You may not have a paint fan-deck at home, however you can easily take your image into a paint or hardware shop and match the tones you like form their samples display!
“Colour trends” change from year to year and season to season, so my golden rule to home decorating is to keep “neutrals” for walls & flooring, as well as for large pieces of furniture such as lounges. This then gives you a great jumping off point as well as a relatively inexpensive way of changing your living areas and adapt them to the season by simply changing cushions, curtains, rugs and accessories.
By keeping swatches of your inspiration colours, as well as your existing furniture & wall colours handy when shopping, you will have a great guide to easily make your space “season appropriate” as well as making it your own!
Have fun and stay warm this winter!!
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has three decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to properties through effective design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information.