As the days grow shorter and a deeper dusk settles in, home becomes our true haven. To make the most of the season and keep spirits lifted, create a space that feels like a sanctuary. Warm colours, inviting textures, and thoughtful lighting are key to staving off the winter blues. Let every corner of your home feel like a retreat, a place designed to welcome you back in from the chill. With this in mind, we’ve gathered some simple ideas to help make your living and sleeping spaces a haven of warmth, relaxation, and seasonal charm.
1. Create a winter-ready entrance or hallway.
The entrance to your home sets the tone for the comfort to come once inside, so make it a practical, yet welcoming space that reflects the warmth and comfort waiting inside. As the weather turns colder, it’s the perfect time to prepare your hallway for those blustery trips out. Take a moment to find favourite scarves, hats, and gloves from summer storage and arrange them in a dedicated space—whether in a cupboard, a stylish basket on shelving, or hooks by the door: everything organised and easy to grab.
Involve a range of senses with tactile surfaces and textiles, and wonderful smells. Adding scented candles to your hallway brings warmth and a gentle glow that makes the space feel inviting from the moment you step in. Opt for candles with homely, natural scents like spiced orange, cedar, or geranium to create a signature seasonal fragrance for your home. As Christmas draws closer, you could also add more natural decorative touches, like a bowl of oranges spiked with cloves, for an aromatic display that’s both festive and fragrant.
Interior stylist tip: A thick curtain over the door is a simple yet effective way to keep out the winter chill, and a wonderful opportunity to personalise your entrance way with a fabric you love. Co-ordinate with a pretty, yet practical armchair; the perfect place to sit while you put on your boots, or kick off shoes when returning home.
2. Prepare a comfortable corner for reading
Winter brings its own pace, a sense of slowing down. Instead of dreading shorter days, consider them an invitation to make reading a priority, and use the time indoors to dive into the books you’ve been accumulating during the year. New authors, old favourites, recipe books for a spot of Sunday baking, or a bit of garden inspiration for next year – all of these can become a regular part of your week. Arrange them where they’re easy to access, perhaps on a bookcase in your reading nook, or stacked invitingly on a side table. Gather yet-to-be-read books with an open mind and willing spirit, knowing that winter is the perfect time to make a dent in that reading list. Constructive rest of all kinds is a wonderful investment of time. Snuggle in, settle down, and lose yourself in someone else’s world for a while— combining comfort and a sense of escape that costs nothing but your time.
Interior stylist tip: Place a side table next to your reading spot to keep books to hand. A few favourite titles beside your chair make it easy to dip into a new world whenever the mood strikes.
Settle on your favourite chair, maybe move an underused one from another room or treat yourself to your ideal armchair or snuggler, for a personalised reading nook – it’s sure to become one of your favourite corners of your home. With this piece of furniture you can truly indulge your love of print and pattern, choosing fabrics that reflect your personality and interests, bringing a sense of seasonality too, over the course of the year with different accessories. Alternatively, create an appealing spot to read with a cushioned window or bench seat , filled with additional scatters for extra comfort.Wherever you choose, make sure the lighting is both attractive and adequate for your needs to avoid straining your eyes on dark evenings.
3. Introduce cosy ambient lighting
Winter calls for a softer, more intimate approach to lighting, bringing personality as well as warmth to rooms. While ceiling lights can often feel harsh and one-dimensional, a carefully placed array of table lamps opens up a lot more possibilities. Layering different lamps throughout your space creates a certain rhythm, with each lamp serving as both a functional piece and a decorative feature. In autumn and winter, lampshades really come into their own. Consider adding a few colourful or patterned shades; a striking print or warm-toned colour can instantly lift the room, transforming even the most familiar corners and bringing a real sense of personality to your space.
Interior stylist tip: Echo the patterns and prints that feature elsewhere in the room with handmade lampshades. It’s a wonderfully creative way to tie together a scheme, adding layers of interest.
Turning on a room’s table lamps and other low level lighting is a lovely ritual to build into your afternoon or evening, alongside closing the curtains and blinds to shut out the deepening gloam and chill. This mindful transition not only enhances the look and feel of each room, giving you little moments of joy, but also signifies a new stage in the day, particularly important when you’ve been working from home.
Interiors stylist tip: Don’t forget candlelight when establishing ambient light. Perhaps introduce into your morning routine as well as in the evening. Lighting a naturally-scented or beeswax candle when you get up and prepare coffee or breakfast is a lovely way boost your sense of wellbeing on a dark and dull day.
4. Create a hibernation station in your bedroom
When mornings turn cold and dark, there’s nothing quite like staying in bed a few minutes longer, wrapped in warmth and comfort. Preparing your bed for the colder season isn’t just about adding warmth—it’s about creating an inviting space that feels as luxurious as it is cosy.
Start with a soft base. A quality mattress, or mattress topper, can make all the difference, giving you a feeling of comfort the instant you slip under the covers. For an extra indulgence, upgrade bedding to a high-thread count cotton, or perhaps a linen. Then layer up the comfort with a higher tog feather and down duvet for a cloud-like feel, and add warmth and texture with a chunky wool or cashmere throw which will add to the sensation of cosiness, even before you use it. An antique quilt or heritage blanket will give personality and character to the room, or a bolster cushion in a vintage damask or a silk velvet will add further texture.
Interior stylist tip: Layer functional and decorate throws. Rather than just one, layer two or three throws in complementary colors or patterns at the foot of the bed. This not only gives extra warmth but also a luxe curated look.
Consider colour too. Is it time to introduce something richer or warmer in tone with scatter cushions or perhaps new lampshades to bring a snug, winter-ready feel. Don’t forget the flooring. Adding rugs by the side of the bed will give your feet something soft and inviting to land on first thing in the morning.
5. Enjoy elements of the garden whatever the weather
Even in the colder months, bringing greenery indoors can keep your home feeling lively. Arrange sprigs of winter foliage, like evergreens or rosehip stems, in vases around the home. It’s a simple way to stay connected to nature and brighten up your space.
Interior stylist tip: Pelargoniums are a wonderful indoor plant, bringing flowers into the home even during the winter.; they’ll serve as a lovely reminder of warmer times. Some have lovely tactile and scented leaves.
6. Elevate the everyday
Finally, make small routines feel like treats. Take time to set a pretty table, complete with a patterned cloth, candles, and maybe a small seasonal arrangement of flowers or fruit. If you have an open fire or woodburner, keep it laid and ready to light when you come in for the evening. Light a scented candle beside your bed as you begin your night time routine. Embracing these small comforts will help make your home feel like a cosy retreat all winter long. Surround yourself with items that have given meaning to the current year; little treasures from holidays or weekend trips, that will conjure memories or prompt thoughts about journeys to come.
Home is our refuge from the outside world. With just a few intentional touches, you can create a home that’s perfectly suited for hibernation, where every room feels inviting and every evening feels like a celebration of comfort.
If you are thinking of making some bigger changes to your home this autumn, in preparation for the winter months ahead, why order some free fabric samples to get your creativity flowing, or come and explore your ideas in one of our showrooms. You can browse our furniture and fabrics at your own pace, or perhaps seek more in depth advice and guidance from one of our design consultants, who can help orientate you towards the pieces that will update or complete your living and sleeping spaces.