Styling in winter 2017

15 Jul Winter styling tips and tricks

The return of winter is quite exciting, pulling out your cold-climate pieces like boots, scarves and heavy coats and layering to the point of not being able to move. So how do we make our home a winter haven where we love to spend the weekend indoors in the cosy warmth snuggling on the lounge or having a lazy weekend morning in the bedroom.

2017 looks to bring a change in mood favouring natural and earthy colours, textures and materials. We are welcoming subtle and personalised details with utilization of our homes as an intimate retreat rather than a space for entertaining.

  1. Colours

With the arrival of winter, the softer palette of summer is replaced by more moody hues and rich saturated colours such as grey, green and charcoal (and pair these together for depth). Or, if you prefer a richer colour scheme look for midnight blue and ink colours. You can break up a moody winter colour scheme with blonde timbers and a woven rug (which I love!) but the furniture trend is now heading towards “Japandi”and darker timbers. There is also a trend towards incorporating greens into styling. These rich dark green colours work perfectly with the dark timbers but I feel they work equally well with the lighter timbers.

When it comes to wall colours, our recommendations largely depend on the home, the natural lighting, the colour scheme of all the original items that need to be blending to create the theme and of course, the owners preference. I am still loving warm grey-based neutrals such as Wattyl Flokati or Dulux China White teamed with fresh white skirtings and trims which can provide that depth of colour and add warmth which is perfect for winter (but is also stunning in the summer months!).

  1. Forget the “less is more” approach

2017 is about embracing luxe and indulgent detail. Think statement fireplace accent chairs, tactile fabrics and textures, layering with throws, cushions and rugs, mixing wool knits, felts, velvets and furs. Mixing wood with porcelain and marble and adding a woollen rug or hide to the floor, layering a few cushions with varied textures on the sofa or layering a knitted blanket over a textured quilt cover. All perfect for that winter warmth feel.

  1. Lighting

Think about swapping out all cool white globes for softer warmer lighting. Ensure there is enough task lighting including bedside lamps, floor lamps and wall lights to make each room feel warmer and add ambience. To add to your lighting scheme you can strategically place an appropriately sized mirror to reflect light. This also has the benefit of making a space feel larger.

  1. Rugs

Oversized rugs that extend beneath both the sofa and coffee table in the living room and a rug that tucks half under the end of the bed adds to the cosiness of these rooms. Dining room rugs need to be large enough so that chairs can be pulled out and remain on the rug. Rugs are not only great for setting zones but also soften and warm the look of hard flooring like floorboards and tiles whilst also helping the acoustics of the space. Not only do rugs add a splash of colour and texture to your room, they can help keep them warm too as floors account for as much as 10 % of heat loss if they’re not insulated.

  1. Indoor gardens

Including plants in your décor not only makes the room feel more inviting but it also freshens the air when you have to keep the house closed up for the cold weather. Apparently, 2017 will see the indoor garden spill out from bedrooms and bathrooms into living areas in excess but I have been guilty of this for years as it adds life to every space so there is no change here for me.

  1. The sunny reading nook

This is one of my personal favourites. While the air is bitterly cold outside, why not find that perfect sun drenched reading spot inside your home to curl up with a hot drink and a good book. It is good for the soul and for taking time out for yourself.

  1. The boring basics

De-clutter. Being inside more frequently due to the weather means being able to clear the additional clutter in your home. Why wait for a spring clean when you can do it gradually. The process of reducing is an important one. We see so many people faced with an uphill battle when they go to sell as they have never completed a reduction in their home and they become completely overwhelmed by the whole process.

Bad smells. Remember to replace the towels with fresh ones more often than you would during summer. During winter, towels do not dry during the day as well and leave a damp unpleasant smell in small spaces like bathrooms and ensuites. Pets can also create more scents in the home during winter, so ensuring their beds are washed more regularly.

Natural light. Don’t forget to clean your windows during winter. When your windows are clean the glass lets in more of that precious low winter light. Quite often the natural instinct (or your grandmother may have told you) is to shut the curtains all day in winter to keep in more heat, but actually, you’re also keeping out the sunlight and the natural heat that it brings. So depending on your schedule, you may be better keeping your curtains open during daylight, it is certainly better for your mood.

It has been suggested that in 2017, women in particular are adopting a changing attitude and shifting away from aspiring to the photo-shopped perfection of celebrity lifestyles and seeking out healthier role models. This is introducing more expressive and bold design choices in terms of colour, pattern and shape. It is a trend called “TRIBE”. At the core of this is a changing attitude due to more women being politically influential and represented and they are more independent and better educated than ever before, leading to them being more in control. The suggestion is that this will lead to the use of bold and striking colours …. What better way to start than in winter to spice up your space?