This holiday season may not be what many of us hoped it would be, but there are still ways we can find joy. Even if you aren’t entertaining this year, or perhaps keeping your gatherings more intimate, it’s always good to feel cozy in your home around the holidays.
The following are some tips to warm up your space this year and perhaps lift your spirits as well.
Scented Candles
Our brains are triggered by scents that transport us perhaps to a memory in our lives, or just make us feel good.
You can enjoy the scents of the season with candles. Candles also create warm, ambient lighting.
With that being said, always remember the rules of candle safety. Never leave your candles unattended, and don’t place them near things like curtains. Choose safe candles as well. In November of this year, Kohl’s issued a recall for more than 500,000 SONOMA candles because of fire and burn hazards.
Some of the best scents for the holidays include gingerbread, cinnamon, and pine.
You can also make your home smell great by baking, and if you aren’t much of a baker, scented wax heated in warmers is a good option too.
Make your candle arrangements visually appealing. For example, you can do a grouping of pillar candles as a centerpiece on your table.
Add White Lights
Whether you have them on the tree or elsewhere, tiny white lights always make your home feel cozier and more whimsical. You can add them to your mantle above your fireplace or wrap them around staircase banisters.
If you don’t have those features in your home, you can also hang white lights from the walls. Doorways are also a good place for lights, as well as greenery.
It’s an ethereal effect.
Comfortable Textures
The holiday season, at least as far as home décor goes, is all about comfort, and that includes the textures you use in your décor.
Maybe you have a fur throw rug or a chunky knit blanket draped on your sofa. You can also use flannel sheets and blankets.
Fur throw pillows on your safe are a good way to incorporate texture, and layering different fabrics with varying textures is nice too.
Use a Bar Cart
Having a bar cart as part of your home décor is a classic, traditional style element that works well around the holidays, even if you aren’t planning to entertain. Decorate it specifically for the season. For example, load it with drink options and beautiful glassware.
A bar cart can be a showpiece of any space.
If you’re not interested in an alcohol-centric bar car, set up a hot cocoa bar instead. You can still use the bar cart furniture and keep it stocked with mugs and everything you need to create the perfect cup of cocoa.
Change Your Art
You can have seasonal art that you rotate in your home. Find affordable options that represent warmth, coziness, and the holiday season.
Add Trees to Your Bedroom
One of the big Instagram trends you’ll see among bloggers is that they often add Christmas trees in their bedrooms. You spend perhaps more time in your bedroom than in your living room so why not extend the cheer?
You can use a real or fake tree, and it doesn’t have to be as big as your main tree to create warmth.
Integrate Nature
Beautiful holiday décor doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, you may be able to find some items you can get creative with right outside your front door.
Sprigs from pine trees, logs, and pinecones can all be used for wreaths and centerpieces. You can even source natural materials to make ornaments.
Cut wood is always both an aesthetically pleasing and useful display to have around the holidays. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, use a seagrass basket to store your extra wood.
Use Different Lampshades
You might not want to change out all your lamps and light fixtures in the winter, but what you can do is change the shades. You can make your lighting feel warmer and more inviting. Look for heavier shades than you might use in spring and summer. Linen is a good material, and it gives that soft glow when the light is on.
The Guestroom
If you have an overnight guest this year, you of course want a cozy guestroom. If you’re not, you can always plan for how you’ll decorate it next year.
A few tips for a cozy guestroom this holiday season, or perhaps in the future, include:
- Add a coffee and snack station to the room. Your guests might enjoy being able to make their own coffee in the morning before joining everyone else. If you have space, you can even add a little refrigerator. It’ll be like hotel luxury when guests stay with you.
- Ensure the bedding is inviting and seasonally appropriate. If your guestroom bed currently has lightweight sheets and bedding, switch it out to reflect the colder weather. Layer the bedding with lots of cozy pillows and blankets. There’s nothing worse than a bed that looks bare. As you added texture throughout the rest of the house to reflect the holidays, do the same in the guestroom. For example, fur throw pillows and blankets will warm it up fast and add style.
- Add fresh flowers or greenery by the bed. It’s a simple but thoughtful touch.
- Create a seating space if you have room. You can add a single armchair or perhaps a pair with a small table and maybe a soft rug. It’s a good place to read or relax for your guests.
Find a few cozy options that you like and that work best for your décor. You don’t have to overdo it, and often less is more when it comes to creating a dream-like holiday oasis. When you have guests in your home, you want to similarly extend the oasis-like feeling in your guestroom décor.
