Sometimes it feels like winter doesn't have much going for it. It's easy to feel a bit down and out when the weather is rough, and you can't get outside. Creating a warm, cosy home is one way to beat the winter blues and ensure you always have a welcoming sanctuary to return to after a day out in the cold.
A few simple additions around your home can quickly amp up the feel-good factor – you'll be feeling Hygge in no time.
1. Light some candles
In the low light of winter, nothing creates a warm ambience like candlelight. Choose candles of different heights, sizes and scents and place them on shelves, benches and tabletops throughout your home. When dark starts to creep in at the end of the day, choose candlelight over bright artificial lights for a cosy, wintry feel.
2. Bring out the blankets and cushions
Adding a throw rug or blanket to your sofa or armchair not only adds a wintry aesthetic, it instantly ups the warmth factor too. Snuggling up on a cold evening with a blanket and roaring fire is winter personified! A cosy wool blanket is the best way to keep warm and toasty.
3. Pour a hot drink
Summer might be all about rosé at the beach, but winter calls for hot drinks on the couch. Hot chocolate or lemon, honey and ginger in your favourite mug is the perfect way to stave off winter blues on a chilly evening.
4. Dim the lights
Rather than switching on bright, overhead lights, opt for a low-light lamp or fairy lights in your living room and bedroom. Soft lighting adds to a wintry ambience in a way bright lights cannot. A wood burner is an ultimate way to provide soft lighting and warmth.
5. Create a cosy nook
Dedicate one part of your bedroom or lounge as a cosy reading corner. Add blankets, cushions, fairy lights and candles then nestle in and read, journal or meditate after work in the evenings.
6. Get cooking – slow cooking, that is
Putting a crockpot on in the morning means you'll not only come home to a sumptuous, hot dinner but a warm, delicious-smelling home too. Stews, tagines, casseroles and curries can all be whipped up in the crockpot and left to simmer away all day.
7. Gather in your home
Winter shouldn't just be an excuse to hibernate. Invite friends over for an afternoon coffee, an evening of board games or potluck dinner and beat the winter chill together.
8. Get cosy with wool
The thermoregulating properties of wool mean it is perfect for keeping cosy and warm in winter – whether you wear it, snuggle up in a wool blanket or lay wool carpet and rugs throughout your home.
Nothing beats comfort, especially during the chilly winter months. Turn your home into a Hygge-friendly sanctuary of warmth and cosiness this cold season and watch the winter blues disappear.
