Thinking of creating your ultimate winter getaway at home?
There’s a reason everyone wants to have the perfect winter refuge at home. After all, if you get your winter decorating right, you’ll have a much better chance of being able to chill out and unwind with your family at home during winter!
Here’s the deal:
Everyone wants that ultimate winter home space that is uber-cozy and super comfortable, but getting there is always a struggle.
When you think about it, 57% of Americans are planning to travel this winter. That’s a ton of people, and for them, finding that ultimate winter refuge will be something they do outside of their homes.
They are the exception to the rule, however.
For the rest of us, we want to make our homes the ultimate winter refuges. The thing is, we also want them to be instantaneously comfortable and cozy when we step inside.
In this guide, you’ll find all of the design hacks that expert interior designers use in order to create hundreds of amazing winter refuges every year.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- Why you should focus on winter design
- How winter interior design is different
- 11 strategies that work!
Why Winter Retreat Design Is So Important At Home
Winter retreats are great for a few reasons, most of which apply directly to your own home.
If you haven’t already begun to change your home space to be ready for winter this year, here are three reasons why you should.
Improve Comfort & Mental Health
Winter home decor is one of the best ways to help improve your home comfort levels.
The reason for this is because winter comfort directly impacts mental health. When you have an inviting, cozy home, stress levels are lower.
Better home comfort = less stress and more relaxing at home.
Compare this to successful winter travel destinations. If a mountain cabin or ski shop in north conway creates an inviting, cozy space, people feel instantly comfortable and naturally want to spend more time there.
The same is true for your home.
By using proven winter design hacks, two things will start to happen.
- Family members will start to spend more time in your home.
- Your home satisfaction rate will naturally increase.
Instant Warmth & Atmosphere
Winter design should feel like you are stepping into a great getaway space at home.
When you use proper winter design hacks, you create the type of environment that people feel comfortable and relaxed in immediately.
The perfect atmosphere is the best way to improve comfort levels in the cold season.
Consider this: Cold rooms with bad lighting and no texture create unwelcoming environments.
When you layer in warm lights and cozy textures, the comfort level of your room instantly increases.
Note: The most effective colors and materials are natural and mimic the earth. Professional designers use these all the time to create the most relaxing, comfortable environments.
Increase Home Appeal
Winter design is also one of the most effective ways to improve your home’s perceived property value.
Quality winter design will impact your home in numerous ways. For example, well-designed cozy rooms mean you enjoy using the living spaces in your home more.
Since people like comfortable, well-designed spaces, this results in better value and a higher likelihood of a faster sale should you ever want to move.
What Is Different About Winter Decorating?
Winter decorating is unique, primarily because there are specific elements that are required in order to make it successful.
This can include the following:
- Warmer lighting fixtures
- Cozy materials and textiles
- Darker and more earthy color palettes
- Warm natural materials and elements
Winter decorating becomes more challenging because you need to balance form and function.
The key to successful winter design is to make sure you have the right combination of visual comfort and relaxing atmosphere.
Winter is not the same as spring or summer decorating. While you still need visual interest, winter spaces first need to focus on warmth and coziness.
11 Winter Retreat Design Strategies to Try
Let’s take a look at the winter retreat design hacks. Professional interior designers use the exact same strategies in order to turn any ordinary home into an amazing winter retreat.
If they can do it, so can you.
Read through all 11 strategies and pick your favorites. Work on implementing them until you start to see the results you are after!
Layered Lighting Systems
Winter retreat design starts with lighting.
Why? Because when you layer your lighting the right way, you create instant warmth in winter spaces.
The best part about smart lighting is that you can create an instantly cozy atmosphere with almost zero effort.
Notice how people are searching for cozy fall vibes 90% more this year? Recent trends show that people are looking for peaceful and stress-free living in their own homes.
How do you create successful layered lighting? You will need to start with a few warm light sources that include the following:
- Ambient lamps that include table and floor lamps
- Accent lights that add more interest to the space
- Dimmable options that let you adjust the lighting
- Soft and warm color temperature bulbs
Expert designers have proven time and again that layered lighting is way more effective than single overhead bulbs.
Most people make the mistake of only relying on their overhead lighting. Multiple light sources help make your space more inviting and relaxing.
Warm Winter Color Psychology
This is the most powerful winter decorating tool in your arsenal.
How does it work? Well, when you select the right colors that are warm and rich, you will find that people instantly feel more comfortable in the space.
Professional interior designers know this and always layer in warm colors because our brains equate them with safety and comfort. Once you have mastered this, your spaces will feel more inviting on their own.
The most effective winter colors include the following:
- Warm terracotta and burnt orange
- Dark green and forest shades
- Deep chocolate brown and caramel
- Creamy soft white and warm grays
These work well because they imitate what we see in nature during winter.
Add Textural Layers
Texture is another thing that will instantly make any space cozy.
Most uninviting rooms are cold because there are no cozy textures added in.
If you want to transform a room in minutes, layer on soft, inviting textures and you will find that the room instantly feels more comfortable and more like a place where you want to spend time.
There are two main areas you should focus on:
- Soft Textiles: Chunky knit throws, velvet pillows, and faux fur accents make your space feel instantly cozy
- Natural Elements: Use wood, stone, and natural fibers to add instant warmth
This works because you are combining physical comfort with natural visual beauty.
Zone For Comfort
Planning your space the right way means you should create zones that are dedicated to winter comfort activities.
The first step is to determine where your family congregates naturally:
- The living room sitting areas
- Kitchen breakfast nooks
- Bedroom reading corners
- Home offices
You can optimize these zones by adding in proper seating, lighting, and storage for winter-related items.
Use Warm Color Temp Lighting
Expert designers also know how to control lighting temperature.
Instead of using cool white, bright lights, swap them out with warm, golden light.
This small change will have a massive impact on how comfortable you feel in your rooms.
Make sure to balance the warm artificial light with natural sunlight during the daytime for the perfect winter atmosphere.
Designing the Perfect Winter Getaway At Home
Winter retreat design is effective because you are able to use home spaces that support your need for comfort and your desire to connect with your family during the colder months.
The truth is that to create successful winter decorating, it takes work and the will to apply proven winter design hacks.
But remember, before you start making sweeping changes, first, you have to know your family’s comfort needs and how they like to use their space during the winter.
Start with the rooms you are in the most and design from there. Start small with one room, learn your way around and then expand the work into other areas of the home.
Your cozy winter getaway awaits, so go ahead and create it!
