How to Give Your Living Room a Winter Makeover

When it comes to the changing seasons, Autumn to Winter is a firm favourite for many. Long dark nights, cosy comforts and candlelit fireplaces are an idyllic way to spend the season in your living room. But achieving this look may present you with a bit of a challenge. So, here’s some tips for adapting your front room with some lovely touches to welcome in the Winter and create the perfect ambiance for you and your family:

Think about lighting

You might want to bring in candles to add a lovely romantic warmth to the room, but thinking practically, candles might not be the best idea for providing much usable light. Not only this, but if you have children in the house, it can also be a safety concern. Consider balancing the light in your room with some table lamps. Don’t be afraid to multiple lamps in the room at lower wattages to create an even spread of soft ambient light. Ceiling lights can be a little harsh, so if you do have these on, try adding a dimmer switch to the room. Then, when it comes to candles, you could opt for LED ones on your fireplace (if you have one.) If not, try a few dotted on your window sill.

Add texture

Creating warmth can be achieved easily with shaggy rugs, blankets and cushions. These items can be picked up pretty cheaply, too. Experiment with rich, darker tones, like reds, mustards and emerald greens, to really bring a festive feel to your room. Clashing colours can really work well, too. If you’re unsure about how to match colours, try Oka’s cushion arranger to help you envision how these colour and texture combinations would look in your home. It really can allow you to be daring and find a combination that works beautifully before you spend any money. Place blankets on the back of armchairs to complete the look, and fluff and stack cushions to add depth.

Make it smell right

You can get so many different room diffusers, scented candles or potpourri, specifically designed for that nostalgic Winter joy. The scents might be winter berry, cinnamon or vanilla – anything that evokes a strong feeling of cosiness and contentment. You can pick these up quite cheaply from most supermarkets or home décor suppliers, or if you’re feeling creative, you can make your own. Snappy living suggests Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme to give a lovely green herbal scent to the home. You might also consider dried apple slices, cinnamon, cloves, pine cones and berries, or a simple citrus blend of jasmine, sandalwood, grapefruit and other essential oils.

However you tweak your home this Winter, it really doesn’t need to break the bank (we’re sure the presents will do that all by themselves). You can simply adapt what is already there to suit the season, creating a beautiful space for you and your family to cosy up in.