How To: Make Your Home Cosy This Christmas

There’s nothing quite like cuddling up inside a warm home away from the fierce winter weather outside. To give you a bit of interiors inspiration, Room to Grow have pulled together a list of  ways to incorporate natural foliage, striking lights and fur into your Christmas themed home decor. Transform your interior into a cosy hideaway this season, so perfectly snug that you won’t want to leave the house! There’s magic in the detail of this theme from colour palette to texture. Think timeless, rustic shabby chic with a hint of festive sparkle. Prepare to be inspired.

Fairy Lights and Foliage

Soft, twinkling, fairy lights are key to the creation of a warm cosy feel throughout your home. You can never have too many, more is more. Why not dress up your lonely staircase with rustic wintry foliage teamed with string lights? Choose yellow tone bulbs instead of harsh white hues to compliment the green branches and give off a warm, atmospheric glow. Battery operated sets are great to avoid loose wires in a house where children are running around, and even better it solves the plug socket problem. No banister? No problem, try this garland idea wrapped around a curtain pole or even across your mantelpiece over a warm open fire instead. Let the lights do the talking.

Bauble Clusters

The real magic begins around the dining table, it's where you share laughs with your nearest and dearest whilst indulging your taste buds in delicious home cooked delicacy's. Make the most of spare, trusty baubles and arrange a trio in a cluster hung from each chair. Deviate from traditional Christmas colours and opt for warmer tones for the ultimate cosy feel. Focus on bronze, gold and brown which complement one another effortlessly, metallic and pearlescent baubles reflect light leaving your room glistening. Add a piece of ribbon tied in a bow to finish the look. Alternatively, hang a cluster of baubles from a pendant light, as the light shines down the baubles will gain a subtle glow. Say goodbye to hiding your favourite baubles or ornaments within the branches of your Christmas tree! If it's possible for a chair to be elegant, this is the answer.

Fur

Fur says cosy with a capital C. Accessorise with a faux fur blanket or throw, the perfect companion to keep you warm on those chilly winter evenings. Their thick sumptuous, snug, feel provides an alternative texture which is a dream to touch, whilst still giving a sense of glamour to any room throughout December (even if there's a layer of snow on the ground). Choose neutral tones to compliment wood furniture and ensure the throw compliments your sofa or dining room all year round, not just when hibernating during the festive period. Comfort meets glam plus a treat for the eyes too. Sometimes the simplest of ideas really do work the best.

Candles

Candles offer an understated, amber, light that oozes warm charm and a festive scent within any home. Nothing says cosy like a candle lit table to cast an inviting glow. In a home surrounded by cheeky little ones, battery-operated LED pillar candles are the best and safest option when in the presence of flammable objects such as Christmas decorations. Despite being flameless, they also last far longer, without losing the ambience created by a flickering authentic wax candle. The answer to our candle dreams!

Top tip: Cluster together for a more dramatic effect and arrange on a mantelpiece to illuminate a warm open fire. Pure bliss.

Festive Wreath

What is a front door during December without a wreath? Give your guests an extra warm welcome in true Christmas spirit with the addition of a lovely, frosted arrangement. The wreath featured in the image below is a perfect mix of foliage with rustic pine cones and token bronze metallic baubles. Quite a subtle colour scheme but still showcases a hint of glamour. A wreath also works perfectly reused as a table centrepiece placed flat and filled with a few cluster candles. Even better, if you find a good quality wreath, it can last for years if stored correctly! If you’re a fan of a statement piece, invest in some metallic silver or gold spray paint for amazing results in minutes. A great little trick to update your wreath with a completely different look for Christmas each year.

The possibilities are endless. Sometimes simplicity is key and the most quick and simple accessories can make the biggest impact!

Christmas Tree

The main focal point of all living rooms on the big day; the Christmas tree. It’s the King of all festive decorations, where the family gather bright and early in their pyjamas to unwrap the long anticipated gifts from Santa. Choose a traditional green tree and drape with classic yellow fairy lights rather than modern white, to create the ultimate cosy feel. When it comes to decorations, whether you love to have your child’s handmade decorations in prime position or display baubles that have been passed down generations, opt for a not so traditional colour palette. Instead of red and green dress your tree with beige and gold tones teamed with complementary neutral hues to warm up your décor.  If you are short on space, miniature trees can be just as effective, you don’t need a huge room to style a Christmas masterpiece. Position alongside an open fire to give an added natural glow to finish off the cosy look.

Now gather round, watch a Christmas film and leave the cold winter weather outside.