After weeks filled with the cheery glow of fairy lights and the sparkle of holiday ornaments, taking down decorations can make your space feel a bit bare and lifeless.
If you're anything like me, once the tree is gone, you might find yourself questioning how you ever managed with such an empty room. However, just because the festivities have ended doesn't mean you can't continue enjoying cozy moments at home. There are many simple ways to maintain a warm and inviting atmosphere throughout winter, helping you combat the January blues.
Ways to Maintain a Cozy Atmosphere After the Holidays
Following the bustling holiday season, which many of us spend hosting gatherings and welcoming guests, January often brings a much-needed time for relaxation, reflection, and renewal. It's a moment to look ahead with hope and to plan for the upcoming year. Redecorating your home to create snug, nurturing spaces where you can unwind and daydream about exciting adventures is a wonderful way to kick off the year positively. We gathered insights from interior designers to share their expert tips.
1. Layer Textures and Fabrics
Incorporating various textures and tactile fabrics in soft, neutral shades is a fantastic way to craft a cozy living room that radiates warmth and charm year-round. Think about materials like bouclé, velvet, chunky weaves, and faux furs. 'Playing with textures, finishes, and patterns introduces variety and depth,' notes interior designer Allison Babcock.
'To create warmth in any seating area, I prefer using bouclé for upholstery. It adds depth and comfort. In a plush warm-toned creamy white, it beautifully complements a white room and works well with both patterns and darker colors. It's an incredibly versatile fabric.'
'Unique antique or vintage coffee tables and side tables can add contrast and warmth, especially when paired with a cream-upholstered sofa,' Allison continues. 'Consider placing a neutral, patterned living room rug over hardwood floors during the colder months.'
2. Add Rich Colors
After the holidays, introducing accessories in rich colors can help keep your home feeling inviting, according to New York-based interior designer Phillip Thomas. 'During this season, we enjoy infusing color wherever we can. Replace traditional holiday colors with a vibrant palette of deep blues, warm oranges, and lush greens,' suggests Phillip Thomas.
'A saturated color, like deep aubergine or raspberry, can feel like a warm hug. This can be achieved by incorporating throw pillows, blankets, or other decorative items that can later be swapped out.'
3. Incorporate Greenery
Once the festive rush is over, January often welcomes a chance for rest and contemplation, allowing for a look forward to the year ahead. Refreshing your home with greenery and botanical scents can instantly inject life and vitality into your space. There's no reason to remove your holiday greenery — simply take out the ornaments and pinecones for a fresher look and replace any wilting stems.
'Changing your home's fragrance after the holidays is an excellent way to establish a warm and inviting atmosphere during winter. We particularly enjoy the cozy notes of amber and fig at this time of year,' shares Christina Bull, project lead at Sims Hilditch.
'Enhancing the cozy vibe can also be achieved by adding seasonal greenery and draping extra throws over the backs of chairs or sofas. We also prefer using battery-operated side lamps during the darker months for added flexibility in lighting throughout the home.'
4. Illuminate Dark Corners
If there's one element that can dramatically alter a room's atmosphere, it's lighting. 'To foster a warm and welcoming winter interior, pay attention to your lighting. Add table lamps that cast a golden glow into dark corners, and consider placing a floor lamp, armchair, and rich textured throw where your tree once stood to create a cozy spot to unwind,' suggests Hollie Moreland, creative director at David Hunt Lighting.
'Think about changing lampshades on your side lights; adding shades with gold linings in rich plum or deep purple satin can introduce a touch of winter glamour.'
5. Create Inviting Nooks
If you're working on a new room design, consider incorporating cozy reading nooks or window seats, especially if you have beautiful views. They offer perfect spaces for relaxation during the winter months. There's nothing quite like curling up with a hot cup of tea under a throw while enjoying a good book on a chilly day.
These cozy spots work well when integrated into a wall of floor-to-ceiling living room shelves, ensuring books are close at hand while minimizing the visual clutter. If possible, include a storage bench — an ideal place for stowing away holiday decorations.
6. Dress Your Windows
In colder climates, having thick, interlined curtains or blinds is essential for maintaining warmth while also providing privacy and light control. For added insulation, consider layering window treatments with both blinds and curtains.
For fabric choices, opt for timeless patterns like checks or stripes. The beauty of using checks is that they incorporate multiple colors, making them a great starting point for your overall decor scheme. In this cabin setting, a simple check from Iliv complements the Alpine theme beautifully.
'Soft brushed checks and sturdy rustic stripes are perfect for cushions or window treatments; these classic designs exude a handwoven charm that's easy to live with,' notes Debbie Leigh, design manager at ILIV.
'Incorporate natural materials like wood and stone to further enhance the rustic feel of your space — wood furniture, wood-clad walls, and stone fireplaces make excellent additions. Pair this with wool or fur rugs to amplify the cozy factor, and finish with rustic metal accents in your light fixtures and cabinet hardware, along with nature-themed artwork and accessories,' Debbie adds.
7. Bring in Large Houseplants
Houseplants and small indoor trees are a fantastic way to breathe life into your space while serving as an alternative to the Christmas tree. Not only are they sculptural and colorful, but some varieties also help purify the air, contributing to a healthier environment.
'Unless we're designing for a second home where regular watering isn't feasible, large live plants and trees are a staple in every project,' states interior designer Tara Cain. 'They enhance the richness of our often neutral palettes, add organic shape and texture, create a focal point, and can even improve indoor air quality.'
For striking indoor plants that can dominate an empty corner, consider varieties like Strelitzia nicolai (wild banana) or a Ficus lyrata (fiddle-leaf fig).
8. Update Accessories
Decorating with neutrals and swapping out accessories like throws and cushions throughout the year is an excellent approach to keeping your home aligned with seasonal changes. In this serene neutral living room designed by Julia Dempster, the addition of a soft yellow throw introduces warmth and a cheerful pop of color, perfect for brightening up those winter days.
'To create a cozy and stylish winter atmosphere post-holidays, consider adding warm textiles like blankets and pillows, soft lighting with candles or fairy lights, rich seasonal colors, and natural elements like pinecones or seasonal greenery. Additionally, rearranging furniture for a snug layout and using textured rugs can enhance the inviting ambiance while keeping the fireplace aglow.'
The acclaimed British interior designer Julia Dempster has overseen numerous projects globally, from luxury hotels to royal residences. A master in utilizing neutrals to achieve understated luxury, her sophisticated interiors are sure to inspire.
9. Refresh Consoles and Coffee Tables
Revive your coffee tables and console tables by swapping out festive plants, bowls of ornaments, and pinecones for vases filled with fresh flowers and candles. Return your favorite coffee table books to inspire future creative projects and travel ideas.
'Flowers invite nature indoors, infusing spaces with vibrant colors, delicate scents, and a sense of freshness. Their versatility allows for various design options, from striking focal points to subtle accents that enliven any setting,' remarks interior designer Phillip Thomas. 'Candlelight fosters a cozy and intimate atmosphere, enhancing relaxation on cold winter days.'
10. Use Spring Bulbs for Styling
Nothing uplifts the spirit quite like spring bulbs; styling console tables and coffee tables with planters of forced bulbs like hyacinths, paperwhites, and grape hyacinths is a delightful way to embrace freshness and optimism for the new year. They will also infuse the room with enchanting fragrances.
How to Decorate Your Home After the Holidays
How can I refresh my home after the holidays?
After the festive season wraps up, there are countless ways to embrace winter decor while ensuring your home remains cozy and uplifting for the year ahead. Replacing colorful and sparkling decorations with fresh winter greenery and fragrant candles can rejuvenate your living spaces. Layering throws and cushions in rich colors and tactile materials like sumptuous velvets, sheepskin, bouclé, chunky weaves, and organic linens can also enhance the cozy feel.
'Just because it's time to take down the holiday decorations doesn't mean you can't create beautiful winter moments in your home. A lovely wool throw, cozy bouclé cushions, and neatly stacked logs by the fire will facilitate a smooth transition from holiday decor to a snug winter style,' suggests Hollie Moreland, creative director at David Hunt Lighting.
'Incorporating meaningful artwork can add a special touch to your walls,' advises interior designer Phillip Thomas. 'Introduce indoor plants with vibrant foliage to connect your space to nature while enhancing overall vibrancy. Mixing and matching patterns in a harmonious way, such as combining stripes, florals, and geometrics, can create a lively yet balanced aesthetic. Soft ambient lighting in various hues can further enrich the cozy atmosphere, creating a dynamic and cheerful environment that extends the joyful spirit beyond the holiday season.'
How to Enhance Your Home's Coziness
Planning a layered lighting scheme that embraces plenty of ambient light is often key to achieving a cozy interior, and when we consult the experts, this is a recurring piece of advice.
'Embracing warm lighting—whether through soft ambient bulbs or maximizing natural light—greatly contributes to the desired ambiance. Integrating natural elements like rustic wood and dried flowers fosters a connection with the outdoors,' suggests interior designer Allison Babcock.
'Creating a layered lighting effect with various sources is an excellent way to infuse personality and texture into your living space,' adds Charlie Bowles, director of Original BTC. 'Pendants create a wide pool of light, while well-placed table, floor, and wall lights provide task and accent lighting for reading, watching TV, or highlighting your favorite artwork. Having multiple options allows you to tone down the lighting later in the evening for a more intimate, cozy feel.'
For that inviting and comforting atmosphere, 'avoid bright overhead lighting, or keep it dim, and instead opt for table or floor lamps; they will deliver that cozy, moody ambiance—this is always my preferred method of lighting a space,' advises interior designer Tara Cain.
