Cozy Design Ideas For Winter

Whether you’re a fan of winter or not, the colder months mean spending more time inside. You want your home to be a comforting place to welcome in snowy mornings and long nights. Here are four easy design ideas and tips to transform your home into a winter haven!

Lamps & Alternative Light

Ceiling lights are very bright and great for getting those last few hours of work done after the sun has gone down. But after work when you want to wind-down, they’re usually a bit too harsh. Having alternative sources of light is the easiest way to create a cozy atmosphere. Get a few lamps for different corners of the room. Compliment the lamps with different sized candles placed on tables and mantles. Another easy way to achieve softer, cozier lighting is by switching to dimmable light bulbs in your overhead lights. Many of them can be controlled on your phone or with a remote control, so transitioning from work into evening can be as easy as a swipe on your phone!

If you already have some lamps and are looking to change a room up, consider getting some new lamp shades! One of my favorite places to get lamp shades is from a British company called Vaughan Designs. The owner, Lucy Vaughan, is a wonderful and inspiring British woman. I have purchased lighting, chandeliers, lamps, and lamp shades from Vaughan for over 25 years. I couldn’t recommend her products enough! They are sold in the DC area exclusively at Hines Showroom at the Washington DC Design Center.

Tip: When setting up your lighting, be sure to purchase all light bulbs in the same hue: fluorescent lights offer a different experience than warm lights. I would always recommend warm lights for a cozy, winter atmosphere.

Create a Reading Nook

With more time to spend inside, the winter is always a fantastic time to catch up on some reading! Setting up a corner of your home dedicated to reading will make it easier to focus when you do sit down to read. If you have an armchair or even some comfortable cushions, find a corner in your house to set up a reading nook! Dress the armchair with a throw blanket or a cushion to curl up with while reading. Bonus points if you’re able to find a corner by a bookshelf!

Tip: When visiting your reading nook, leave your phone in the other room, switch on a lamp, and enjoy a break from the screens!

Chintz is In!

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I love Chintz! This timeless, floral pattern has a certain British charm to it that can brighten up a room and bring a lovely nostalgia into a design, perfect for winter. There are endless ways to incorporate Chintz into your home. Whether you opt for Chintz curtains as seen here, a more subtle look with chintz pillows, or full-out chintz wallpaper, there’s an option for everyone. These curtains here are lined with Bump Cloth, a heavy flannel material from England to add extra insulation and warmth. These curtains are definitely one of my favorite parts of my master bedroom and always brighten up my day! The chintz pictured here is from Lee Jofa.

Tip: Layering or juxtaposing different patterns, like this flannel pattern to outline the chintz, provides texture and depth to the design, and makes the chintz pop.

Kilims & Rugs

Kilims are a type of flat-woven rug traditional to the Persian empire. They typically have beautiful geometric designs, and are an easy way to add some color into a room. Having good rugs is most important in winter to provide additional warmth to the space. Walking on cold hard floors is hardly the cozy feeling we’re trying to achieve. Rugs are also a great way to separate a space into different sections. A rug or kilim is often the first place I’ll start when designing a room, because of the variety of colors they offer. I can choose different items in the room to coordinate with each of the separate colors.

Tip: Place a smaller kilim underneath your arm chair to section off the corner as your reading nook!

The Possibilities are Endless!

These are just a few ways that you can create coziness in your home. As always, the best place to start is with yourself. When you close your eyes and think about feeling warm, comfortable, and safe, what comes to mind? Allow that to be your starting point and make sure each element you incorporate will help you achieve that feeling!

For help in designing your winter home, visit our services page to find out how we can help you!


Designing Your Home Office: The Perfect Paint Color

We want 2021 to be the year of getting things done and manifesting our goals! For us that starts in the home office. Having a space for work separate from your space for rest has been proven to increase productivity and focus. But it’s important that the space you’re working in is a suitable space for you to focus and be productive. We’re going back to the basics for helping you design the best home-office. And the best place to start? The color of the walls.

The wall color can have a big effect on your work-ethic. If what you’re staring at all day is dreary or simply a color you don’t like, it will subconsciously make you want to avoid the space all together: not so good for getting work done. The New York Times even published a study on the effects of color on our minds. Do not underestimate the power of a fresh paint job! Here we’ll take you through our best tips for painting your home office.

What kind of work are you doing?

The first thing to take into consideration is what kind of work you’ll be doing in your home office. If you teach online classes, a brighter tone provides better lighting and helps keep students engaged on your video. Or perhaps most of your work is emails and screen-oriented: a darker hue like a deep blue, or a neutral hue like grey-beige will help you stay focused on the screen. Maybe you’re an artist, in which case bright colors, like yellow, may inspire your creativity.

If you love a certain color but aren’t sure it’ll be appropriate for online meetings, consider painting an accent wall! This way you can face the color that inspires you and everyone in your meetings can see a more neutral color behind you.

Simply stated, take into consideration how your paint color will serve the work you do.

Science behind colors

As previously stated, we all respond differently to color. However, there is research that certain colors affect our mood. Consider these if you’re still struggling to choose the right color:

Red: Red is believed to increase the speed and intensity of our emotions. It can inspire passion and adventure, and evoke a sense of urgency.

Orange: Orange is a naturally energetic color, and is said to increase oxygen flow to the brain. It combines the joy of yellow with the urgency of red, and feels quite intense. Orange makes a perfect accent color to inspire without being too intense.

Yellow: The color of the sun, yellow is energizing, uplifting, and joyful. If you live in a rainy climate (such as Seattle or London), painting the walls yellow can help mimic the sun and energize you throughout the day.

Green: Green evokes feelings of balance, relaxation, and stability. A great choice if your work sometimes makes you anxious or demands that you stay calm.

Blue: Blue is known to stimulate the mind and increase productivity while maintaining a calm effect. This is a great color if your work is repetitive, as it helps keep your brain stimulated.

Purple: Often associated with royalty and luxury, purple is a great shade to help a space feel bold and powerful while still calming.

Neutral: Lighter neutral shades, like an off-white or beige, can help a room feel airy – perfect for anyone who works best in natural light. Pure white can feel a bit hospital-like and can be jarring on the eyes, but also brightens up a space and provides a great backdrop for an accent wall.

What Inspires You?

Beyond just color, what are things that inspire you and make you want to get work done? Is it the sunlight? If so, choose a bright color that will reflect the light and make your work space feel bright. Maybe a particular piece of art inspires you. Make this a focal point in your home office and choose a complimenting color to paint your walls with – this will draw your eye to the artwork to give your bursts of inspiration throughout the day.

As humans, we’re all drawn to certain colors. So more than anything else, be sure the color you choose is one that you feel inspired by.

For more tips, check out our article on picking the perfect paint color!


New Year, New Home: Design Ideas for Your Home in 2021

We finally made it to a New Year and with it comes fresh ideas to liven up your space for 2021. As festivities come to a close and people return to work, I’m here to bring you five design ideas and tips to incorporate into your home, in time for spring!

Yellow & Grey: Pantone’s colors of the year

Pantone Color Institute, a global authority on colors and design, traditionally chooses one color per year. Last year, we had the beautiful classic blue. This year, Pantone took the unusual step of choosing two colors for 2021. “Illuminating,” which is a vibrant lemony yellow, paired with “Ultimate Gray,” a subdued pale gray color. They’ve announced these two colors as, “A marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting.” I think we can all agree that the world is in need of some enduring and uplifting hope!

As you design different rooms and spaces, think about bringing these colors into your design. Whether you choose to use these colors to paint a room (perhaps 3 gray walls with a vibrant yellow accent wall!), or incorporate these colors into your decor, they are sure to cheer up any space and bring that fresh start we’re all looking for.

Freshen Up Your Home Office

As we start off 2021, it’s clear that a new precedent of working from home permanently is forming, as people are realizing the many benefits that come with it. Many people are still working from home and may continue to do so even after the pandemic is over. Carving out a specific work space for yourself is proven to help focus and productivity, as well as reduce stress. So if you’re deciding on one room to tackle for 2021, choose your home office!

We always recommend choosing a room or space with a lot of natural light, to help brighten up your work day. Stay tuned for a more in depth article looking at designing a home office!

Marble, Marble, Marble

Marble is making a strong return this year, as a mark of luxury and style. World renowned architect Natalia Miyar has stated, “heavily veined marble is making a significant comeback in the design world and has become synonymous with high-end luxury.” The veiny busyness of marble provides a beautiful contrast with smoother metals and woods. Not only that, but it’s durable. A well designed marble counter or bathroom sink can last a lifetime.

Gold finishes

Gold metalware is proving to be a key part of various interior design trends this year. From Cottagecore, to tropical and oceanic inspired designs, to pairing it next to marble, to the neutrals and dark dramas, gold finishes are proving to elevate any space into a luxurious design. Gold is making an appearance with golden taps, golden leg chairs, lamps and accent pieces. Not only that, but in designing a kitchen, we’re seeing a trend of golden sinks as well. So if you’re designing a room, try to find tones that will pair nicely with some gold finishes!

Rearrange furniture

We know that Covid-19 has brought a lot of financial hardship to many people across the country. Perhaps totally remodeling or renovating your space isn’t a feasible option at the moment. There are still ways you can freshen up your space without spending any money. One of the easiest ways to do this is to simply rearrange the layout of the furniture and decor! Not only will this make the room and space feel new, but it gives you the chance to clean all the floor and dust that accumulates underneath furniture and in corners. That alone can help you feel ready for another year. Likewise, rearranging decor, wall hangings, and art, especially in between different rooms can help a space feel totally new.

If you have a small budget, getting new bedding, cushions, or prints for your frames is a cost effective way to drastically change the way your home looks!

What do you need to feel fresh?

It’s easy to take in all the different trends of 2021, but as always, the most important question is what you need to feel like you’re getting a fresh start. Whether your house is on trend or not isn’t really the important part. It’s all about how a space makes you feel. So as always, be true to yourself and your preferences! This is your home after all.

Interested in renovating? Head to our services page to see how we can help you create the home of your dreams!


Kelley Astore Interiors

Expert Interior Design & Renovation Services of Every Style.

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Northern Virginia, Washington, DC,
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