Whether we are ready for it or not, winter is here and now is the ideal time to freshen up your interiors to see you through the cold nights ahead. Texture is key when it comes to creating a warm and inviting space so we’ve gathered together a host of hints and tips to help you get your bedroom winter-ready in no time
8 ideas to add a sense of cosy and warmth to your bedroom
1. Add room fragrance
If you want your bedroom to be your personal cocoon, get serious about burning incense, candles or a spritz of room fragrance to create an inviting mood.
It works at a primitive level in the brain triggering an emotion or memory in a flash. You’ll want inviting notes such as deep, woody ones or warm spices.
New Plymouth fragrance house The Virtue’s Brooke Lean burns “anything with frankincense. Its dark and comforting aroma, with that zesty edge, keeps my mind clear with all the dreary weather”.
Burning a lavender-scented spray ahead of bed is also a great way to help get in the mood for some serious zzzs.
Clockwise from top left: Pinot Noir room spray, $29.90 from Living Light; Holy Smoke incense, $65 (60 sticks), from The Virtue; Fireside in Queenstown candle, $64.95, from Glasshouse; Eden Amber & Wood candle, $49.90, from Bed Bath & Beyond; Fig and Apple Blossom candle, $68 (medium), from Lyttelton Lights.
2. Wooden it be nice
Take the lead from Scandi homes and their way of adding warmth to a room by adding natural wood touches.
It could be raising a bed on a wooden platform, a bedhead, a couple of bedside tables, a mirror frame or going all out with a wall of wide wooden planks. Keep the wood touches light and natural rather than a dark stain and you’re away laughing.
3. Add comfy seating
If space allows, add a cosy chair you can sink into as an alternative to reading in bed. Make sure it’s a comfortable one you can nestle into and drape a throw over yourself so you can really snuggle in.
For this winter, we’re loving the Aero Fabric Armchair from Freedom, particularly in the lush cotton velvet caramel.
Ecoanthology linen duvet cover set, $399.90 (queen, includes two pillowcases), from Bed Bath & Beyond
4. There’s no such thing as too many pillows
How many pillows should you have on a bed is a controversial topic when it comes to bedrooms. Patersonrose’s Lisa Rose doesn’t think there’s such a thing as too many. “From a practical perspective, they prop you up for reading and relaxing. Aesthetically, pillowcases are a fun, easy way to add some additional colour or style to bedroom decor.”
For those who like a more minimalist approach, two sleeping pillows behind two Euro pillows and a smaller, decorative pillow across the two for a queen bed are plenty.
Regardless of how many you have, it’s an opportunity to add cosiness to your bedroom and make your bed look as inviting as possible.
5. Consider weighted blankets
Weighted blankets are heavy blankets containing small beads or pellets made from glass, plastic and metal. They’re a form of deep-pressure therapy designed to provide comfort and security, help with anxiety and aid sleep thanks to the heavy feeling mimicking a hug-like sensation that can release serotonin and help decrease the heart rate and blood pressure. Read our guide on the best weighted blankets available in New Zealand.
To be effective it’s recommended the blanket should be 10 percent of your body weight.
Clockwise from top left: Dolores throw, $135.38, from The Iconic; Magnolia throw, $249.00, from Freedom; Loom cashmere merino throw, $265, from Loomwares; Larkin throw, $112.80, from The Iconic; Check woven throw, $25.00, from Kmart.
6. Mix up your bedding materials
To create an inviting bed, use a winter-weight duvet inner to create a full look as well as keep you warm. Layer with different fabrics such as cotton or linen sheets and add a wool throw and velvet coverlet. This will give you the all-important textured look.
You could switch out your regular linen or cotton for flannelette sheets to up the comfort factor, but linen absorbs 20 per cent more moisture than cotton, so it’s a good winter option. Flannelette is essentially a brushed fabric – usually cotton.
When it comes to cotton sheets, Lisa advises looking for 100 per cent Oeko-Tex organic cotton. This certification ensures the fabric is certified from farm to product, is manufactured without the use of FMOs and is tested for pesticides and other harmful substances. Linen can also be Oeko-Tex certified.
7. Soft landing: Add rugs
There’s nothing worse than getting out of bed and having your feet hit the cold floor. Rugs and carpets are a must here, the more the better, particularly if you have wooden floors.
Opt for a very large rug, which will cover most of the floor, or go for two smaller rugs on either side of the bed.
It’s also worth noting you’ll want to avoid cold feet at all costs. Warm feet open the blood vessels and allow better blood flow to move heat to other parts of the body. If you’ve really upped the winter bedding and your feet are still cold in bed, try bed socks.
8. Layer your bedding
Bibby + Brady interior designer Victoria Bibby says layering your bedding for winter is “key to creating a sumptuous, cosy look that is so inviting after a long day”.
“Make sure your pillows and duvet inners are nice and plump, then pull the top of the duvet cover back and layer it over a quilt or blanket that sits about two-thirds down the bed. Fold it into three using a ‘Z’ formation, so it’ll be easy to pull up over you when you need extra warmth at night,” she says.
“At the top of the bed, stack your sleeping pillows flat one on top of the other in front of an upholstered headboard and pop Euro pillows in front finishing with a long lumbar cushion.” And for the finishing touch, try adding a folded blanket on top of the quilt.
Related Articles:
- Give your bedroom a makeover with these stylish bed frames
- Your guide to the best weighted blankets for adults
- These stylish sofa beds will ensure your guests sleep soundly
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