Features You Need to Create an Instagram-Worthy Winter Home
Photograph by Tracy Adams
As the temperature drops outside, you spend more and more time inside your home. Your home is the warmth and protection from the rest of the sleeping world. Spending so much time indoors should be enjoyed and a romantic experience. Having a space βPinterest-worthyβ or βInstagram-worthyβ is much simpler than you might think. Creating an Instagram-worthy winter home entails comforting features, textures, greenery, and light.
The Right Color Scheme
Every season has its color palette, winter tends to reflect warm, dark colors. These colors are often associated with comfort and a cozy frame of mind. Cuddling up inside surrounded by warmth lets you enjoy the winter scene outside. To get the perfect winter look, you must choose the right color scheme. Choosing a winter theme can help you decide what color palette you want to focus on. Change up throw pillows, blankets, and decorations to bring in a new color scheme. If youβre really looking to make a change, consider wallpaper or paint that can transfer to all seasons.
Cozy Furniture
Cozy contentment comes when you are nestled indoors surrounded by comfortable objects. There is no better way to hibernate in style than being surrounded by cozy furniture. Take the furniture you already have and layer it with fuzzy blankets and throw pillows to nestle in. Some furniture pieces have covers that can be used to better fit your color scheme. You may also consider storing some furniture during the off-season and using it during the winter to spice up your living arrangement. As you add texture and warmth to your home, the holiday spirit will last through the season, creating the perfect winter home.
Area Rugs
Hard floors are elegant during the warm seasons, but they can be cold and uninviting during the winter. You can add area rugs with texture to bring in a warm and fuzzy feeling. Layered rugs are a popular fashion trend for cold months because you can cover the cold surface and add a homey feel. Shag area rugs with neutral colors are great for tying a room together and giving guests a comfortable place to place their feet. If you are not a fan of changing texture, consider changing the rug pattern to bring more dimension into your living space. Adding rugs to your living space will not only make the interior temperature warmer and more stable, but it will also give you the comforting winter aesthetic you are looking for.
A Fireplace
βRoasting chestnuts by the open fireβ brings the perfect image of winter inside a home. Having a fireplace in your home significantly improves your homeβs look and feel. Fires provide a natural source of warmth at an affordable price. Emitting relaxing colors, they can also be relaxing and calming for your senses. Fireplaces require a lot of maintenance to keep clean and efficient. However, they are very safe when maintained properly and easy to install. A fireplace in your home can be the perfect place to hang a winter garland, stockings, or cozy up and read a good book. Whether or not the βweather outside is frightfulβ cozy up next to your fireplace for the perfect winter image.
Lighting
During the winter, your home receives fewer hours of daylight. This can make your space feel dark and for some, depressing. Create an Instagram-worthy winter home by changing up the lighting in your home. Bring in floor lamps to illuminate dark corners, and small fixtures to light mantels or side tables. When bringing in new lighting, consider warmer tones to bring a cozy and relaxed feel. Decorating with mirrors can also make a difference in reflecting and adding light to a room, extending the limited hours of daylight you do have. As you bring in more light you will find the space brighter, more inviting, and more relaxing to watch a winter storm pass by.
Winter Centerpieces
The best centerpieces are ones that tie the room and event together. During the winter, you can create simple winter centerpieces by using natural elements. For example, small pine cones, a few clippings of greenery, and a couple of sprigs of winter-blooming flowers in a vase can freshen up a room and give it a cheery feel. Go outside and gather natural greenery from around your home to tie the outside and inside together. You may also consider adding small fairy lights to the centerpiece to bring a more festive feel. Centerpieces can be as big or small as youβd like as they bring attention to various areas of the room.
Front Door Wreath
Wreaths and door hangings are some of the most classic ways you can celebrate every season, especially in winter. With a winter wreath on your front door, you celebrate the holidays and provide a welcoming atmosphere for anyone who walks inside. Consider doing your own DIY wreath or door hanging to tie the outside and inside decorations altogether. You can also add a bit of greenery by filling planters with fir branches, twigs, and pine cones. Your front door will become the perfect photo spot for your family Christmas card.
Interior Greenery
The primary color of winter is white, white snow covering the earth like a soft blanket. When snow falls, many plants and wildlife go into hibernation. This can create a peaceful but stark view. Bring green into your home to freshen up the space and create a winter-long decoration scheme. Simple decorations include fresh sprigs, pine cones, twinkling lights, and frosted branches neatly placed throughout your home. These can be purchased at a craft store or free with the help of a nature walk.
For some, the best part of winter is decorating the Christmas tree. Once Christmas is over, it can feel like winter becomes colorless and boring. The reality is, there are different colors and features you can celebrate. Create an Instagram-worthy home that centers on the coziness winter brings by following the above suggestions.
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How Weather Changes Impact Your Home
Weather may seem harmless, but sometimes it can impact your home negatively. This is especially seen during rainstorms or snowstorms. Protect your home by knowing about common weather impacts below.
Higher Power Bills
Especially in the winter, bad weather can make you have higher power bills. This is especially prominent during large snowstorms. The colder temperatures force you to heat your house up more. Thus, the higher power bill.
To not pay as much for a higher power bill, you can keep the thermostat low, but not too low that your pipes freeze. When the overall temperature of your home is low, you should have plenty of socks, gloves, blankets, and hoodies on hand to keep you and your family warm. If your home has a fireplace, you could use that to keep your family warm.
Increase Risk of Damage
During crazy rain storms, oftentimes, branches from trees will fall. If they are big enough, they can damage a window or your roof. To avoid this, you should consistently check on your trees to see if there are any weak branches that could fall on your home. You should trim your trees back, too, so, if they do fall, they fall away from your home.
Temperature changes can cause problems for your driveway paving. If water has seeped into any cracks on your driveway, in the winter, those cracks will freeze. This will expand the cracks and make your driveway more broken up. Before winter comes, you should fill any cracks in your driveway, so the cracks donβt get bigger.
Continual Upkeep
Another cost to consider is upkeeping the look of your home due to weather damage. Weather can wear down the outside paint and look of your home. For example, rain can erode the rocks and dirt off of your property, altering the look of your landscaping. If you continually upkeep your homeβs property, you will have less to do when big changes occur.
You may want to get in contact with a landscaper to see what plants and rocks are best for upholding soil. This will help your dirt to stay in place.
By preparing your home for tougher weather, you will have fewer repairs to do later down the line. If youβre unsure what changes you should make, get in contact with a home repair company or a home inspector. You could also ask your friends and family what they did to prepare for difficult weather seasons.
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