Blog
Winter-proof your home!
Thursday, November 11, 2021
November really heralds the change in season; the clocks go back and all of a sudden the evenings are dark and chilly. But don’t despair, there are many ways to winter-proof your home to make it cosy, secure and energy efficient. From draught excluders and lighting to wood burning stoves, whilst it’s cold, wet and windy outside, you can still come back to a cosy, warm home after a long day. So here are some tips to cosy up for winter.
As days get shorter, we increasingly rely on artificial lighting. Keep electricity bills low with energy efficient, dimmable LED bulbs that create a lovely warm glow. Fairy lights and flickering candles add to a calm atmosphere, especially if scented with seasonal aromas like orange, gingerbread, cranberry and spruce. Outdoor lighting makes sense from a security point of view, helping you to identify unwanted guests as well as giving you a warm welcome when you come home at night.
Since heating is now more than ever a major factor in most household energy bills, it pays to economise where you can. Turn the thermostat down. Every degree lower can reduce your heating bill by up to 2%. There’s nothing quite like a real fire or a wood-burner to warm the heart as well as heating the room. Keep the heat in with good loft insulation and quality glazing to windows and doors. Draught excluders and thermally lined curtains are easy, inexpensive ways to keep your home cosy.
As we head towards 2022, warmer, neutral tones have replaced the cooler grey that was dominating our décor. Beige is making a comeback as the perfect cosy base layer with soft accent colours. Dulux has announced “Brave Ground” as the Colour of the Year for 2022. It’s described as “a bolstering shade that connects back to nature and the simple things. A warm, earthy tone, it creates a feeling of stability, growth and potential; and provides a firm foundation for change and creativity in your home.” You can mix and match with an organic colour palette of blues teamed with accents of warmer pinks and browns and complemented by teals and mossy greens. Jewel shades like emerald, amethyst, ruby and sapphire create a dramatic yet comforting mood embellished with hints of gold, brass or copper.
The most popular materials for walls, floors and furniture are stone; onyx, marble, granite and also light coloured wood. One of the easiest and least expensive ways to keep up with the trends is to make small changes with bedding and accessories; try layering beautiful throws, faux fur rugs and cushions. You can achieve a warm and inviting feel by using soft, natural materials such as sheepskin, wool, linen, wicker and weathered wood.
Before winter weather really sets in, protect your home by keep drains and gutters free of leaves to avoid damp appearing on walls, and check your roof for damaged tiles - it’s better to have a tile fixed than be faced with major roof repairs through years of neglect. It’s easy to check your roof from inside by looking for shafts of daylight in the loft. While you’re up there you can also check your loft insulation is sufficient to keep your heating bills low.
So stock up on logs for the fire, put the fairy lights on, add soft throws to the sofa and cosy up with a hot chocolate. Winter’s on its way!
