It is coming to that time of year where the days become shorter and the majority of individuals will start spending more time inside. If you are anything like me, you will start realizing all the tweaks you would like to make to your home and prepare your home for winter. This leads to October being the busiest month for most interior retail companies and I have decided to help them out by suggesting ways to winter-proof your home. This will guide will range from large housing tasks to minor tweaks that can make a huge difference.
The first thing to remember is that the winter is cold! This is why adding warmth to your home is incredibly important. A recent trend is underfloor heating, now it is not the cheapest option, however, it feels amazing underfoot. You are now able to install underfloor heating in every room of your home. It also expands your flooring options as you can now install real wood without worrying about getting cold feet. Be careful if you purchase real wood as it is recommended that you only install engineered wood flooring on top of underfloor heating as if you install solid wood flooring, you risk the boards expanding and contracting in fluctuating temperatures.
The next tip is to install a real wood stove, and this would look fantastic with real wood flooring. I have had this debate with plenty of people before and I always argue that there is no better way to warm your house than using a real wood fire. Some may say that it only warms one room, however, if you have a chimney running through the house then I guarantee it will warm more than one room.
We may as well stay in the living for the next tip and it would be to get rid of your cold leather sofa. I get it, leather is great for summer and is easy to clean, however, it is freezing in the winter months. If you have a room big enough then fabric corner sofas are a trend that I love. Just imagine sitting on a cozy fabric corner sofa, in front of your lovely fire whilst admiring your new flooring. Now if you are a huge fan of leather sofas, then the obvious alternative is to purchase some winter blankets to place over the sofa.
The next piece of advice is obvious; however, it is very important. When that fire dies down you have to make it through the night and this requires a thick winter duvet. It is important you purchase a quilt that will keep you warm but is not so heavy that you feel it is restricting your movement through the night. Blankets and rugs can also be used in your bedroom to trap the warmth and add coziness throughout.
It is important to remember that this is your home. You still need to make your own decisions and adapt your style to match your preferences.
