Disclosure: This is a collaborative post about essential home upgrades
Most of us look forward to a cosy Christmas time at home with our families. We imagine being warm and comfortable, surrounded by loved ones and festive decorations and lights. We look forward to all of the delicious food and drinks and enjoying our family’s festive traditions. But it can be hard to get cosy if your home is cold, draughty, or otherwise uncomfortable. If you want to enjoy a cosy wintertime at home, here are a few essential upgrades, to both your home and its décor, that you should consider making in time for the holidays.
Table of Contents
Windows and Doors
Heat is escaping from our homes all of the time. Being able to reduce heat loss and waste helps us to keep warm and can improve the atmosphere of our homes. Old, damaged, or broken windows and doors let in draughts and let warm air escape. Sometimes, it’s just a case of replacing seals or making small repairs, but you might need to replace some windows and doors for the best results.
The internal doors of your home are important too. These interior doors separate spaces and help us to trap the warmth where we need it. They can also make up a big part of our décor. Take a look at these luxury doors if you want to improve your décor and keep warm.
Roof Repairs
The roof is another area of your home that lets heat escape. If you haven’t already got loft insulation, this will make a huge difference to how warm your home is. It’s also worth having your roof inspected before the bad weather hits. Checking for and repairing any damage now reduces the risk of leaks and draughts over the winter months.
Check Your Boiler
Most boilers break down during the coldest periods of the year, often as we approach Christmas. Waiting times for repairs and replacements at this time of the year can also become longer and more frustrating. If you don’t want to risk a cold Christmas, you should take the time to get your boiler serviced, and repairs made, if necessary, as soon as possible.
Soft Lighting Options
Bright lights are great for offices and places where you need to focus or see finer details. They aren’t as good if you want to be able to relax and unwind at the end of a hard day. Softer lighting, from lamps, lanterns, and even festive fairy lights, is an easy way to create a warming and Christmassy atmosphere at home. These soft lights can even help your rooms to feel warmer and more comfortable.
Stock Up on Candles
When it comes to soft lighting, candles make an excellent option. They might only give off a small amount of heat, but they can be very soothing and relaxing. Scented candles are also a fantastic way to get into the Christmas spirit, and there are some fantastic festive scents available. You could even have a go at making your own.
Prioritise the Aroma
Candles aren’t the only way to add some festive scents to your house. Baking festive treats, mulling wine, or just adding festive air fresheners to your home will create a festive treat for your senses.
Add Textiles and Soft Furnishings
Textiles and soft furnishings are some of the easiest ways to get cosy at home, and a few inexpensive additions can be all it takes to totally change the atmosphere of your lounge. Adding throws and blankets, cushions, heavy curtains, and a thick rug will help you to enjoy a cosy Christmas.
Replace Summer Textiles
In summer, you might prefer lighter textiles, like cotton, satin, and silk, which feel nice and cool on a hot day. As well as adding soft furnishings, make sure you replace any summer textiles, like satin bed linens, thin curtains and other light textures with thick wools, velvets, and chunky knits.
Layer Up
Layers are one of the easiest and most effective ways to create a cosy atmosphere in time for Christmas. Adding one cushion won’t make much of an impact, but adding multiple cushions in different shapes, shades and textures will create depth and warmth. Layering throw cushions, blankets and even rugs, and adding a few festive prints can be very effective.
Add a Drinks Trolley
When you think back to cosy Christmases from childhood you might remember your parents having a drinks shelf or a table filled with festive treats and snacks.
Recreating these with a drinks trolly, snack table, and even a warming cocoa station in your own home will bring back memories of wonderful Christmases with your family.
Bring Nature In
A real Christmas tree looks and smells wonderful, but it’s not the only way to enjoy nature. Wreathes, natural centrepieces and even fresh flowers are great too.
Getting cosy at home is about more than enjoying the holidays and getting into the festive spirit. Having a cosy home keeps you warm, reduces your energy costs and decreases energy wastage, which is great for the environment.