My favourite comment that we receive on our home, is that it feels warm as soon as you enter. The warmth our guests speak about here is not the warmth provided by a heater or a fire, it’s the feeling of warmth created by the people who live there. I like my home to feel inviting to all that visit and I purposely do this by creating the feeling of warmth in our home. How do I do this? Well it’s really very simple…
How To Make Your Home Feel Warm Without Using The Heater
Rugs
Start the layering process at the floor and add rugs of varying textures around your home. The entry is the first internal point your visitors will feel of your home, so be sure to pay particular attention to this space. Use rugs to bring your first layer of warmth.
Throws
On beds, sofa’s, chairs and window seats, add throw rugs. This is a great way to bring a little colour into your space, which will also assist with the feeling of warmth. If you have limited space to add a throw, why not add a basket with a throw in it. Use knitted or crocheted throw to bring in another texture and using woolen throws will again assist with the feeling of warmth.
Walls
Decorate your walls with photos and artwork. The walls of your home will proudly carry the memories of your family. This again will add another layer of warmth to your home.
Create Vignettes
Creating vignettes around your home not only creates a focal point for the eye, but allows you to create a warmth in your home while showing your personality.
Mood Lighting
The impact of lamps and candles in creating a warm feeling in your home is amazing, especially when using warm white globes in your lamps. The flicker and the light of the candles will help to simulate the light of a fire, automatically creating a warm feeling. We rarely use the lights in our home, preferring instead the many lamps we have scattered.
When looking at how to make your home feel warm, you are not actually looking at ways to make the house itself warm but rather making the house feel like it’s wrapping you in a big comforting hug as you walk in the door. The simplest way to explain how to do this, is by layer the decorating of our homes in the same way we layer our clothes to feel warm in the Winter.
What tricks do you use to make your home feel warm? What is the best compliment you have received about your home?
Nicole xxx
All photos used here are courtesy of Hannah Puechmarin and Rachael Honner from our shoot for Queensland Homes Magazine.
Having been lucky enough to have visited your home, I can vouch for it’s warmth which extends beyond the welcome! You are definitely the Queen of the Vignette, I wish I could do throws but when I use them, it’s like someone left a blankie on the sofa by mistake! I am however a big fan of mood lighting. Right now we have the christmas tree up (because July) and I’m wishing it could stay up all year because those lights make the lounge room so cosy!
I’m a massive fan of throw rugs but for snuggling under. They don’t look as stylish as yours! Love the vignette idea ?
We recently purchased a new (to us) house and I’m having a lot of fun making it our home. It’s all tiles and far too much brickwork inside which can feel and look rather cold. There are some fab tips here.
For our house, it’s the people that reside in it. The sound of laughter, singing…. we also use essential oils and the scents can evoke positive feelings. In terms of keeping the house warm, we use throws, I use the oven or slow cooker more so that scent and the heat from those appliances help heat our house.
Great points Bec, people sure do make a home. We too have used essential oils in the past for much the same reasons and to relieve stress as well. The slow cooker tip is a great one.
Yes yes yes to all of this except that I am crap at the mood lighting! Don’t get me wrong, I have heaps of lamps…. But some aren’t near enough to a power outlet, others are missing lightbulbs, some don’t work at all and others are vintage pieces that need re-wiring. LOL. I’ll get to them one day!
Oh the sucky renter part is not having anything on my walls! We have like one hook in all the walls. I’m not sure if my house is warm or not, I’ve never been big on decorating what isn’t mine.
We live in a summerish apartment with floating floorboards (great in summer but cold in winter).l This winter we have invested in two small sheepskin rugs for the floor, some throw rugs for the couch and I rescued my nanna’s crochet blanket which was at my parents to put on our bed. It gives the feeling of being snuggly and warm (and all can go away in summer to go back to minimalist!) We are getting painting and a floating ceiling done in Nov, so will revamp the walls then.
I love a old crochet blanket, we have several here. They bring so much warmth and feeling.
LOVING the photos in the post – so beautiful. I think layers and texture always create warmth.
Thank you Robyna. I agree, layer is the key!
Wow your home is stunning. My favourite tip is about lighting. I love lamps! Also, your timber VJs are divine and I love the texture and character they bring.
I love VJs too, one of my favourite features of our home. x
Great ideas! I love the use of warm lights in a home – especially lamps.
#teamibot
Love lamps and ambient light xx