How to Create a Welcoming, Cosy Winter Bedroom

With the days growing shorter, we once again retreat to the cosy, warm sanctuary of home. The bedroom becomes our go-to room, the space where we relax and unwind after a busy day. Making it a cosy space for the winter months is simple with these tips.

Consider updating the bedroom furniture

 

You can, of course, add warmth and cosiness with a few cushions and a matching throw for the bed but in some cases, this does nothing more than add to the problem. If ever the time was right to update the bedroom, it is in the autumn months.

Empty the room completely and choose a clean but warm colour for the walls and ceiling. Adding natural wood tones to the bedroom is also key for bringing the cosiness you crave during chilly nights, and that means opting for pine or oak bedroom furniture.

Create a sleek and elegant bedroom landscape by opting for furniture from the same range. Oak bedside tables are ideal against a statement bed frame and the storage in oak wardrobes and matching chest of drawers will see all your storage problems dealt with.

And don’t forget other pieces such as a blanket box, great for storing chunky winter sweaters and blankets for you need an extra layer or two in the depths of winter.

Dress the bed

 

The main focal point of a bedroom is usually the bed. Aside from a beautiful statement pine or oak bed frame, you also need to consider dressing the bed.

This means opting for the best quality bedding your budget will stretch too. Learn from the tricks of 5-star hotels when they dress their bedrooms. The key is the make the bed look as sumptuous as possible.

Choose the best quality duvet and one that has a sumptuous presence as well as deep, soft pillows. Consider the quality of the linen too. The higher the thread count, the better quality it will be, maintaining its shape and softness wash after wash.

Finally, dress the top of the bed with a sumptuous throw and a scatter cushion or two. If you don’t want layers on your bed, drape a throw over a bedroom chair, along with a cushion.

Add warmth with colour

 

Colour plays a key part in creating a cosy bedroom. Choose warm colours such as autumnal reds and oranges. However, take care with the shade as too dark a colour on the walls will pull them in, making the room feel smaller.

That said, as we enter the winter months, it is hard to avoid the longer nights and dull grey days so rather than fighting against it, embrace it as Scandinavian countries do.

If you don’t want to rely on red, deep oranges or moody purples, opt for the Scandinavian style. Ideal for pairing with both oak and pine bedroom furniture, the Scandi style embraces simplicity without compromising on style.

Opt for light, neutral colours to maximise light but if choosing white, opt for a soft white rather than a bright, blue-based white colour. Add hints of texture with beautiful bedroom rugs and throws.

Create cosiness with texture 

 

As well as colour, texture plays an important role in making any room look cosy during the colder winter months.

What this doesn’t mean, however, is that you must opt for deep pile or fluffy cushions and rugs…

Short pile rugs work well with the clean lines of the Scandi style. Keep colours neutral and soft with warm pastels and a small hint of pattern.

Long pile rugs are great if you do want immediate and obvious texture. Opt for all-natural material, such as deep pile wool rug for by the side of the bed.

Cushions and throws on the bed are also a worthy addition, but again, they don’t have to be fluffy. Using warm shades and knitted wool cushions and throws are ideal for adding a layer of warmth to the bed, as well as being visually appealing.

Natural materials such as wool and wood dovetail beautifully together, no matter the season.

Add layers of light

 

Embracing the darker nights doesn’t mean sitting in the dark. Layering light is key to making any room feel snug and cosy.

In the bedroom, use dimmable or smart lighting that allows you to vary the luminosity. If not, layering light should take the form of three sections:

Background lighting – this is the barely-noticeable warm lighting that sits int eh background of any room. The idea is adding this layer of light, especially in the bedroom, is to ensure that there are no dark corners or shaded areas. Dark areas contribute to a room feeling cold.

Ambient lighting – this is the middle layer of lighting. Brighter than background lighting, this layer allows you to sit and enjoy watching the TV comfortably or reading a novel or newspaper. It is bright but without harshness. A table lamp on an oak bedside table, for example, is ideal for bedtime reading but also adds a luminosity that is welcoming to a room.

Functional lighting – this is the layer of light that we associate with the central, pendant light in a room. This is a functional light, offering a practical level of lighting when you need to be able to see to complete tasks. This could be, for example, when cleaning the bedroom or putting away laundry. This is a layer of light you will use only once in a while, but it is important to include it.

Texture for flooring

For many people, adding laminate or wood flooring to the bedroom is a practical option. Easy to clean and to keep clean, it offers a refreshing lightness to the bedroom in the heat of summer.

But come winter, the need for warmth underfoot is important. Adding a beautiful rug to the bedroom is great for adding texture and warmth to a bedroom, works well with the oak bedroom furniture.

Choose one that is large enough for the bed frame to sit on but also leaves plenty of a border into the rest of the room. This means that when you step out of your warm cosy bed in the morning, you had warmth underfoot!

The true essence of cosiness in a bedroom

 

Dressing a room for winter is just like dressing ourselves for winter - the key is to layer everything from lighting to texture. On warmer nights, you may not need the warm wool rug and so having a blanket chest to hand to fold it away is ideal. Layering lighting is also perfect too, adding warmth and luminosity when you need it most.

Whatever you choose to do, it needs to embrace you at the end of a working day, allowing you to fall into a peaceful sleep. But when the morning comes, also provides the lightness you need to be able to prepare for the day ahead. Colour and texture do this, as does investing in bedroom furniture that gives you the storage you need to prevent clutter from building.

Enjoy your clutter-free, warm, cosy bedroom this winter!