For Twenty One Magazine

 

For most of my life I’ve loathed winter. Just the thought of its onset would induce goose bumps. For some inexplicable reason that all changed post-pregnancy and I now welcome that first sign of a chill in the air. It might have something to do with the fact that I find Queensland summers so insufferably hot that the alternative is preferable.

 

Like most loyal winter-lovers, I also love winter fashion. I get to dust the mothballs off of my leather and woollens and the best part is, I ultimately get to wear more of my wardrobe at once. A winter wardrobe means the materials become more interesting and textural, and the colours become moodier. To get to my point – because I know you are waiting for it – this is exactly how you should approach a winter-transformation to your home interior.

 

 

When decorating your home, your unwavering motivation should be about injecting personality and warmth into your spaces and if you have ever been tempted to give your light and bright home some sass, sophistication, mood and mystique, now is the time to do it.

 

 

When I think of the ultimate winter interior, especially in terms of this coming season, I think deep, regal hues, natural materials and interesting surfaces; Aubergine, Scarlett, Crimson, Fuchsia, deep blues, Tartan, Wool, Velvet, Leather, Cow hide, sheepskin and felt.

 

 

If you are ready to get out the paint brush, navy, ink, petrol blue and charcoal are no-fail colours on a wall but be the diligent paint-shopper that I sometimes fail to be, and buy your samples first (I am guilty of going rogue with my paint colours so let’s just say for now, do as I say, not as I do). NB. If you choose a blue make sure it is deep, not bright.

 

 

Once you have chosen your deep hue, remain brave and paint all four walls of a room. If you are transforming an open plan area you could get away with doing a feature wall but choose your wall carefully because in some contexts, feature walls can look dated. It needs to be a long, large wall that potentially joins multiple spaces or otherwise consider painting two walls and leaving 2 white. Absolutely don’t paint only one wall of a bedroom. This type of feature wall has had its day.

 

 

If you are tempted to warm up those white walls but just cannot get your head around a deep colour, opt for a warm, mid grey like Dulux Timeless grey. On the flipside, if you are really committed to a change and have some cash to splash, seize the opportunity to do some wallpaper shopping. There are some game-changing-good wallpapers available now, the challenge is choosing just one. You can approach your wallpaper choice two ways; a) decide on the type of space you want to create and chose your wallpaper accordingly; b)if you are unsure what you want out of he room, simply choose a wallpaper you LOVE and let it be your guide for the rest of the room.

 

 

With walls accounted for, it’s important not to neglect the floors. Anyone with timber flooring in their home already has a head start in warming up their space because timber does that naturally. With a concrete or tiled floor you need to work much harder at softening and warming and it’s usually these homes that demand a rug not only in the living room but also under the dining table.

 

The rug size, 1.6×2.3, is known as the ‘standard’ rug. If you have a rug this size it generally means you have your sofa and armchairs sitting a few inches away from the rug (unless your living room is very small) and while a design school would tell you that this is perfectly acceptable, why wouldn’t you want to have your feet on your rug while you are sitting on the sofa? Although there are exceptions to every rule, here is where I say bigger is definitely better; invest in a rug that is large enough for all your furniture to sit on. It is more effective at creating a zone and the result is a warmer and more welcoming interior.

 

 

As for the weave of a rug, I am a big advocate of big, plush, high pile and ideally, wool, year round. Never will you more appreciate beautiful, plush wool under your feet than in winter. Low pile rugs have their place but it’s generally under a dining table, over carpet, on the patio or if you are bound by your budget. If you are not in a position to invest in a new rug try utilising what you have and layering rugs to achieve greater ground coverage, thickness and visual interest.

 

 

For more inspiration and motivation at nailing a moody, dramatic and layered interior, look to the gods and goddesses of the aesthetic, Abigail Ahern, Greg Natale, and Gabriel Hendifar. Do yourself a favour and create a space that feels like a safe cocoon or a big bear hug, a place where you are left with no choice but to curl up and ‘sloth’. Happy winter warming!

 

 

Click here for our ‘Moody interiors’ Pinterest board for more inspiration.

 

Images via Pinterest.

 

Carlene xx