When the frost on the pumpkin has long since turned to ice, it’s time to consider turning up the heat at home. It’s not always wise–economically or environmentally–to crank up the thermostat, so here are ten heart and hearth warming ways to make winter your favorite season:
Bring Some Springtime Inside
Flowers will always give a room a graceful breath of fresh air, either when they’re cut and delivered from the greenhouse…
…or when you choose floral print fabrics to brighten up a drab winter vista.
Dress Your Table in Crystal, Silver and Candlelight
Low candles work best for sociable dinners, so a cluster of crystal votive candles are perfect for adding light but allowing eyes to meet across the table. The sparkle of crystal combined with firelight is irresistible at a winter dinner.
Crystal votives etched with compass rose available at Dujardin Home.
Let the Winter Sunshine In
The light slanting in through the window on a quiet winter afternoon can be beautiful.
And when you take a moment to look out your window, you never know who may be looking back at you.
Pick a Favorite Place for a Cup of Tea
Your bedroom is the perfect spot to greet a cold morning with a pot of tea or a cup of coffee. The day gets off to a brilliant start when you share it with someone you love.
Embrace Winter White
It’s always refreshing to start your day with a brisk walk outdoors, especially when you can head down to the snowy beach.
Then head for home and continue the soothing color theme indoors. A white sofa, white flowers and a dash of blue in accents such as throw pillows will remind you of the gentle drifts of snow and the white capped waves.
Be a Bookworm:
Most of us have a pile of books we’ve been meaning to get to, or magazines, or perhaps you’ve set aside needlework for a rainy day. When the thermometer registers “I don’t want to go outside in this weather!” it’s time to curl up with the things you’ve been promising yourself to do.
Light a Fire
There’s nothing like a crackling fire to make you glad you live in a cold climate, or at least appreciate the smell of burning wood.
Wrap Up
Warm throws were made for wintertime. Of course they add a soft visual touch to the foot of a bed or the side of the sofa, but it only takes a little draft to make you reach for the woolen comfort folded at arm’s length. My favorites are the baby alpaca throws we carry in my shop at Dujardin Home; I chose them because baby alpaca is the warmest fiber on earth.
Try a Spoonful of Sugar
It’s just the medicine to help you endure the cold. Save the calories, though, and set time aside to browse through your treasured collections, ideally things that connect you to your heritage, the land around you, or some special part of your personality.
If you have a passion like I do, for antique sailor whirligigs or the history of whaling, the long hours spent indoors this winter gives you the opportunity to appreciate your keepsakes all over again.
Then bundle up and head out for a day trip and go antiquing with your friends, stopping at a quaint cafe for a bowl of hot soup and homemade bread. (See Please Join Me for a look at New York’s Winter Antiques Show!)
End your day with a cup of hot cocoa
There’s no better time to indulge.
