Spring may still be a while off, but there are many ways to make your interior more inviting, even in the midst of winter, writes Katherine Sorrell
Long, dark nights and chilly mornings can be made more bearable by some clever thinking in your home. To start, make sure your lighting is up to scratch. A well-designed lighting scheme reinforces a sense of security, comfort and vitality, and making dramatic improvements could be as simple as adding a floor lamp in a dark corner or a reading lamp next to a favourite armchair. For the best effect, layer lighting in the same way that an interior designer layers fabrics and textiles, ensuring that light comes from a variety of sources and directions. For a quick upgrade on a budget, replace main light switches with dimmers, and plug in a selection of table or floor lamps at strategic points. Check that your bulbs give off the correct amount of illumination for the task at hand, and also that, where appropriate, they are a ‘warm’ white in colour rather than ‘cool’. Add the leaping flames of a log burner or a few pretty tea lights or candles (safely positioned, of course) for an atmospheric evening in.
Colour can make all the difference to the feel of a room, and a quick paint job – perhaps just on one wall – can be transformative. Earthy or spicy colours such as claret, mustard, ochre or chocolate are great choices, while navy or dark grey are more neutral and perhaps easier to live with all year round. Don’t be afraid of trying out darker shades – not only are they very on-trend, but they are really effective at creating a feeling of cocooning comfort. Think about the other main colours and textures in each room. For warmth underfoot, throw down a deep pile rug or two to add extra softness, while at the windows it may be possible to swap sheer, pale, lightweight curtains or blinds for something heavier and in a bolder shade – think wool, tweed, velvet, even felt, denim or mohair.
In the bedroom, replace pale linens with sheets or a duvet cover in a deeper shade, piling on quilts, eiderdowns, bedcovers, throws and blankets, combining colours, patterns and fabrics for a glorious mixture that feels truly sumptuous. And in the living room, pile up cushions on sofas and armchairs for a sense of cosy luxury, then add some generously sized throws over the back: great for snuggling under. You could use a length of tweed edged with velvet ribbon, chunky knitting or crochet, fake fur or soft fleece. Draw the curtains, light the fire, pull on some fluffy socks, make a mug of hot chocolate and settle down with a good book or a favourite box set – baby it may be cold outside, but inside it’s warm, cosy and welcoming.
How to increase your home’s heat efficiency
Insulate your loft. Use 300mm of quilt insulation, but retain some ventilation so as to avoid condensation.
Deal with draughts. At windows, fit rebated seals, secondary glazing or well-fitting shutters (which can be as effective as double glazing). Or use the old-fashioned method: heavy, floor-to-ceiling curtains with a thermal lining. Venetian blinds can come treated with a special coating to add more insulation, or you can invest in made-to-measure blinds that feature a cellular structure to retain warm air.
Doors will also benefit from seals or a curtain – a rising door curtain rod (aka a portiere rod) will hold the curtain out of the way when the door is opened.
If the suspended timber floor is draughty, seal any gaps at the bottom of skirting boards with foam strips, silicon mastic or slivers of timber. For gaps between floorboards you could use fillets of wood, pack the gaps with string or cord and finish with wood filler, or try a special gap filler that comes on a roll with its own applicator.
When fitting carpet, look for underlay with the highest possible tog rating.
Bear in mind that wood-burning stoves are far more energy-efficient than open fires. Help prevent heat loss from radiators – especially when fitted on an outside wall – by fitting tin foil (or special radiator reflectors) behind them to reflect the heat back in.
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