Lighting up the winter months

Photo by @jamiebubbphoto

January can be a dreary month and even though lighter days are ahead and the winter solstice is behind us it can still feel dismal.  So, I thought I'd share my top tips on how to brighten things up in your home to banish the blues and bring a bit of sparkle to your home this mid-winter. 

A twinkle in your room.
When the Christmas decorations have been put away, dark days and long nights can feel gloomy without the twinkle of lights on a tree but there's no reason that you can't keep some fairy lights out and just restyle them to bring a bit of cheer without the festive feel. Styled around windowsills and around mirrors they can bring a welcome sparkle to dark morning

Address your windows
As a biophilic interior designer I understand more than most that windows are so important- they not only let light and air into our homes, but they also let us see out to our outdoor spaces too. As dull as the garden may be looking in the winter months the connection to outdoors will still be a benefit to us and lift our mood. I will always have at the forefront of my mind that, as often as possible, window treatment should enable as much light as possible into the room. Look at extending curtain poles further on either side, so that when your curtains are open, they hang clear of the windows instead of still blocking light out. Perhaps mount blinds on the outside of the window recess where appropriate. Open Voiles when you don’t need the privacy they bring- they may be semi-transparent but when every bit of light helps, you’ll be surprised how much more comes into your room without them. For this matter a good clean of your windows outside and in, if you can manage it, will allow in more light too. All these pointers mean that in the winter on dull days you’ll reap the benefits of welcoming every bit of light you can in!

Light the lamps
Lighting rooms by lamps is a wonderfully soft way of getting lighting spread around a room and creating a cosy and relaxing atmosphere perfect to hunker down in to await the spring in comfort. Dot them about liberally, utilising plug sockets where available, and where not opt for candles where appropriate or look at the new chargeable LED lamps as a wonderful plug-free alternative. They just need to be transported to be charged with a cable, when necessary, but most can work for hours when topped up. They are becoming widely available. TK Maxx had a good selection of affordable ones in but look to the beautiful ones at Pooky and Tala if you are wanting to invest more into the concept. We use ours year-round in the living room and guest rooms in the winter and to brighten up dinning alfresco on summer nights.

A good move
There are a few things you could think of having a shifty about with in the winter months to make all the benefit you can of natural light. Positioning mirrors directly across from natural light sources bounces much more light into the room and maximalises every beam of sunshine you do get into your home. Hanging a mirror opposite a window will ensure that you benefit from all the natural light possible but also have the advantage of the illusion of more space and a larger and airer room. Position chairs near to your windows where doable to encourage you to spend as much leisure time as possible looking out even if it’s just for five minutes with a well earnt cup of tea. When it comes to lifting your moods in winter let your home be a cosy space that enables you to benefit from any rays of sun we might be blessed with but have light sources a plenty to hand for the days and nights that need a glow up.