Embrace Winter in Your Home
Winter has arrived! So, grab a cup of cocoa, have a seat, and join me for this winter home edition of seasonal decorating.
As I sip the warm hot cocoa in my mug, I begin reflecting on what it is that makes winter seem so magical. Of course, early on it is mostly due to the anticipation of the Christmas season and all the joy that it brings. But there’s still something about winter as a whole, the way the snow sparkles on the ground, the peaceful feeling that it brings.
If you could pick one word to describe winter, what would it be? To me, the word Romantic is quite representative of the season as a whole. This season encourages us to cuddle up with our loved ones, to share an embrace, to be held in each other’s arms.
As the world outside turns to ice and snow, our homes become a haven of warmth, love, and comfort. We begin to crave this warmth in a hot drink, a cozy fireplace, a shared blanket in front of the television. It brings us happiness to be inside our homes, feeling it embrace us in its own way.
Decorating for the Seasons: Winter Home Edition
In this post I will take you through two exercises before I explain how to bring winter in to your home. I feel that it helps you to envision what you love about each time of the year, preparing you for visualizing how you want your home to look. Here are the steps we will take, in depth:
Step 1: Finding your vision of winter (exercise 1)
Step 2: Giving your vision life (exercise 2)
Step 3: Bringing winter into your home
Step 1: Your Vision of Winter
What makes you think of winter? Winter is the time for snowy activities; romantic sleigh rides, building snowmen, trying out winter sports, and participating in Christmas festivities.
Here is your first exercise. The purpose of this is to get you to visualize what connects you to this particular season. Close your eyes, and envision yourself within winter. Now go through each of your senses. What do you see, feel, taste, smell, hear?
Now, open your eyes and write these down on a list (like I have in the table below). What about this season and the way it engages your senses makes you feel happy and at home?
|
Touch
Throw blankets
Warm layers
Knitted hats &
Cuddles!
|
Sights
Fresh fallen snow
Christmas lights
Evergreen trees
|
Scents
The smell of baked goods & molasses
Pine
Baked Goods |
Tastes
Fresh cookies
Hot cocoa
Peppermint
Oranges, cloves, |
Sounds
Silence
Crunching snow
Carols, Christmas
Fireplace crackling |
Step 2: Give your Vision Life
Now, go more in depth and write out a small paragraph for each of your senses, adding in extra detail about how these things make you feel. Bring these things to life, make it your story of winter!
In the section below, you will find my own description, to paint you a picture of what you are looking to achieve here. Of course, your vision will be different from mine.
Touch
Layers are a necessary comfort during this time of year. We get to enjoy the winter accessories, including warm gloves, hats, scarves, and boots. They seem to swaddle us in comfort, keeping us warm while we play outside in the snow, protecting us from the elements.
Sight
When I think of winter, I picture a blanket of white. Fresh, untouched snow beckons me to come outside. I picture people playing in the cold, their cheeks rosy from it, while they sled down the hill. I love a scenic winter walk through an evergreen forest, holding each other’s glove covered hands.
The start of the season marks all of the Christmas lights strung on our homes, our trees, displayed for all to see. I love walking or driving through the light displays this time of year, feeling the happiness it brings.
Scent
Winter brings the invigorating scent of pine. Whether it’s found on a winter hike, coming from a fresh cut tree, or simply the aroma given from a candle, pine to me is the scent of fall.
Molasses is also a staple scent of the season. Gingersnaps, gingerbread cookies, and gingerbread houses, all filled with that distinct scent of molasses and spices. Everything that comes from the kitchen seems to be sweet and inviting, making our mouths water before we even taste it.
Taste
This season is filled with warmth and flavor. We bake more during this time of year than any other, making cookies to share with friends and family, goodies to bring into the office and deliver to our neighbors.
Our homes transform into bakeries as we prepare for the holidays, providing irresistible aromas throughout. Hot cocoa is the most cherished staple for the season, coming in a wide variety of delectable flavors, making it the perfect way to begin or end the day.
Sound
The snow brings a certain stillness, a quieting calm. The only sound being the snow crunching beneath our feet. A crackling fireplace welcomes us back home, providing warmth from the cold. We listen to Christmas music, warming our hearts with the seasonal favorites. These tunes get repeated on our radios, stuck in our heads, and sang in our homes.
Step 3: Bring Winter into your Home
So, now you have your vision for this season. You have immersed your thoughts into winter, and revisited the feelings that it sparks within you. You have fully engaged your senses. Now, let’s discuss how you can bring this sense-filled feeling of winter into your home.
The Feeling of Winter
Winter is all about being cozy! (Check out how to make your home more coy here.) Warm, thick fabrics are perfect for this season. Things like flannel sheets and heavy couch blankets are great additions to our favorite spots to relax. Fuzzy socks and slippers warm our feet, and we can be found slipping into ours the moment we arrive back home.
Drawing a warm bath is the perfect way to relieve tension in your muscles after being out in the cold. Be sure to stock your bathroom with your favorite bath essentials to get you through those winter nights!
A fireplace becomes the focal point in our homes during this time of year. I love warming myself by it after a day in the snow, thawing my body. Whether wood burning or gas, they make this season feel extra cozy. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a warm fire when the snow is falling outside.
The Sights of Winter
Winter is full of natural colors. The whites, silver, and gold are added to our homes. Red and green are great Christmas colors, but can also represent nature during the winter. The deep greens of the pines, the rich reds of berries.
Greenery is great to display all season long. Wreaths, garland, these things can easily transition from Christmas to winter in your home. If you are interested in making your own wreaths and garland, take a look at this article about Foraging for Natural Decorations.
Homemade garlands such as ones with dried orange slices and berries bring a splash of color along with its country feel. Check out these other Winter Home Garland Ideas from BHG.
Think about the winter colors you can bring into your home. Choices could include blue and white or perhaps silver and gold. Take a look at some pictures of winter for inspiration and see what colors you connect with that you would love to see displayed inside your home.
The Scents of Winter
A Christmas tree, evergreen wreath, or evergreen garland can add so much to a home! This is the best way to bring in real nature, along with its pine-fresh scent, to your living room. Consider adding in some additional touches of nature here, such as pinecones (cinnamon scented is an option) or juniper berries.
Consider having a staple Winter scent for your home. One you can use and look forward to each time this season rolls around. I love using pine sol as my universal cleaner, and it gives off that nice pine tree scent. You can also match your hand soap, dish soap, and all-purpose cleaner. I like Mrs. Meyers cleaning products, as they offer a variety if different winter scents. As far as candles go, Red Leaf Home is my all-time favorite for every season.
The Tastes of Winter
Think of the flavors that remind you of winter. What do you make more of during this season? Our home is filled with warm cookies and bars fresh from the oven. I also love adding peppermint to my evening cup of hot cocoa. Think of what flavors you wish to embrace, and bring these into your home more this season.
If you don’t have a signature Christmas cookie, this is the time to test out some recipes and find one! Use these tasty treats as a way to connect with those in your life.
The Sounds of Winter
To me the sounds of winter are mostly quiet. There have been so many times I’ve stood still in the snow and heard absolutely nothing. What a peaceful feeling.
Since I usually don’t want complete silence in my home, however, Christmas music is often how I connect with this season. And after I feel the Christmas music time has passed, I switch to warm winter instrumental music. Mostly piano, sometimes accompanied with the sounds of a crackling fire.
Create Focal Points
By being particular with where you place your décor, you can reduce potential clutter while drawing attention to the most beloved areas within your home. Look around your home and find where your decorations would have the most impact. For more about how to create focal areas in your home, check out my post here.
Freshen up Your Photos
Consider switching out the photos in your home seasonally. Fill your picture frames with memories from the season you are in. This will not only encourage you to take more pictures, but it will freshen up those frames. Your family and guests will start to look forward to seeing new pictures with each seasonal change.
Find Joy in Each Season
The most important thing about this season, and all seasons, is that you are enjoying them. The turning of a season is a true blessing, it gives us new scenery, new experiences, and new opportunities. They allow us to see that change is good. I encourage you to change up your home for each season, so that you can experience these joyous transformations within your own home.
Speaking of enjoying the season, be sure you also enjoy being outdoors this winter! IF you are looking for things to do, check out this post for Cute Winter Date Ideas.
