Furniture Shades & Textures To Keep You Warm
With winter on the way, a cozy ‘hygge’ space is essential!
When it comes to creating a warm and comfy space in your home to weather the winter months, you can leverage a lot more than blankets and socks!
Creating that comfortable space needs a holistic approach that brings the snuggly in more ways than one. It’s not just about fuzzy blankets: You need to consider colors, textures, overall style and … yes, socks.
Add A Dash Of Warm Color
The psychology behind color is clear about one thing: if you want to create coziness and make people feel physically warmer, you need to use warm colors. Reds, oranges, deep yellows, burgundies and browns are all in the right spectrum to add a bit of warmth to any space.
You also have to balance it with some neutral colors as too much of a good color can increase stress. Bright red, for example, is an angry color and can hike up aggressiveness —think waving a red flag in front of a bull. But an elegant and rich burgundy can add the warmth without upping the level of pique in the room.
But what if you have a lovely, minimalist white room? Our advice is to simply add a splash of warm colors with a chair or accents. The Abby Storage Ottoman in Orange from WHi is perfect in that capacity.
Whether you need storage, comfortable extra seating, a footrest or all three, you’ve got it in this simple but beautifully designed bench.
Of course, if you love “hygge” look (hygge is the Scandinavian term for the feeling of coziness we get with the right décor) you can go a little further and buy a whole bed in an inviting shade of red, like WHi’s Rimo Bed. The plush linen look headboard and frame (no box spring required) and coffee colored legs make for an inviting sleep.
Include Some Cozy Texture
After you’ve splashed some color, start thinking about textures. How?
- Change up your light summer drapes for a heavier curtain, perhaps in a jewel tone or something equally luscious (if you must have white, replace sheers with heavy winter white, or even ADDING curtains to a minimalist room will help)
- Replace summer floral pillow cases with velvet or brocade covers, in a print that suits the season
- If you’ve ever thought about adding textured wallpaper to an accent wall, now is the time
- Wood grain is a warming texture for furniture in that it isn’t sleek and perfect, glassy or shiny. Choosing natural grain pieces to complement your decor is a must for that cozy feel
The goal is to create soft places to rest your world-weary (but still gorgeous) self.
A favorite ‘must have’, according to the women of Worldwide Homefurnishing (hi ladies!), is the Rhea Ottoman in Grey from !nspire. Its wood frame can withstand up to 300 lbs of weight, but what makes it really perfect is the faux fur upholstery that simply invites you to rest on it.
A Caution About Minimalist Style
Minimalism doesn’t have to be cold, but let’s face it: It doesn’t exactly inspire that feeling of ‘hygge’, does it? There is something enticing about the idea of a warm fire, an abundance of books, embracing chairs to sink into and cups of hot tea. The details are what create that impression of a snug space to protect you from the harshness of winter.
A new favorite with our reps is the Welbeck Accent Chair in Beige from !nspire. The light color provides that neutrality against which you can add a colorful pillow or textured blanket to warm it up for winter, and keep it plain and simple for warmer months. The rolled arms and button tufting with the bucket style seat just invite you to sit and curl up with a book.
Leverage Plush Where You Can
Comfort doesn’t mean a lack of style. If anything, plush is equal to elegance, so looking for pieces and accessories that are plush is a great option to amp up both the coziness and style of your home.
When we think about all the things that we’ve talked about so far: color, texture, and warmth, there is one chair that brings it all together beautifully. Velvet upholstery, bucket style seating with tufting that you can sink into…
It’s the Tarra Accent Chair in Black from !nspire. The black velvet is so rich and can easily be made more so with the addition of a gorgeous red or orange pillow. A study in contrast that brings a good deal of warmth into your home.
Don’t Forget The Blankets And Pillows
When you’re choosing your colors and textures for your home, think about the weather where you live and how you can leverage the same pieces throughout the year, changing them up a little to create a look that suits the season like we mentioned with the Welbeck chair.
Adding accents like pillows and blankets, extra lighting and a change of window coverings can make all the difference in the look and feel of a room.
Do you have a favorite print, color or texture that makes you think about cozying up to the fire and enjoying a hot cocoa and a good book? Share it with us in the comments below…
