Winter warmth and light - 10 great ideas.

As winter approaches, we've started to embrace light and warmth at home. Try to incorporate the following into your home for winter warmth and some great long-term benefits:

1) Install radiant heat mats under floors. Cut your heating bills down and wake up to warm tile and wood flooring with an added bonus of warming the air as well. Cold showers? Add a UL approved mat or cable system to your shower. Nu Heat manufactures low voltage off-the-shelf or custom sized mats that are simple to install. (I did!)

2) Re-arrange your furniture. Create more cozy seating groupings and move pieces away from drafty areas and closer to the fireplace.


3) Use an electric towel warmer. A quick addition to a bathroom is a free-standing or wall-mounted towel warmer that you can drape a robe (socks, undies...!) over as well. They add a bit of radiant warmth to the bathroom as well.

4) Place key lights on timers.  With darkness descending early, come home to a lighted home by adding wall or plug-in timers to lights that guide you through the door and inside your house. Two great benefits (a) you can save energy and decrease lighting bills and (b) gain security when you aren't home and the house appears occupied.  Change those incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) for added energy savings and no guilt about leaving the lights on - with 7 watt CFL's taking the place of 40 watts.

5) Try a bio-fuel fireplace. For small or large spaces, indoors and outdoors,  these fireplaces can be free standing or installed in a wall in just a few hours.  They warm rooms visually and functionally with style and safety...and are eco-friendly and allergy free. 

6) Place a blanket-throw on your sofa or lounge chair.  Cozy up with your favorite book, a cup of hot cocoa, or watch TV, and an attractive throw that warms you. Add a great down-filled kidney or neck roll pillow for support and softness.


7) Bring plants indoors.  Have some favorite potted plants that don't survive the cold weather? Find places for them indoors. You'll love the green and they'll help clean your air. Don't have plants? Start small and use them to highlight a warm window, a fireplace surround and even a large bathtub.

8) Warm your floors with area rugs.  Place area rugs or runners where you stand, walk or sit.  A runner in the kitchen physically and visually warms the space, area rugs in seating groups make them cozy and defined, and a nice rug in the entry and hallways is welcoming.


9) Change your color palette. Add pillows in rich cranberry and forest green. Can you paint a wall? Give yourself one accent wall in a color that warms the entire room. Love winter white? Add texture with throws, rugs, pillows and accessories.


10) Hang panel drapes. A simple solution for a drafty window and a room-warming option even if you have blinds. The added layer is stylish. Have sheers? Replace them with a heavier fabric just for winter.