Five ways to keep your home warm in the winter months as nights start to draw in and temperatures drop

“We’ve experienced one of the hottest summers on record but now the temperatures are dropping it’s time to get your home ready for darker evenings and, let’s face it, lots of wind and rain.

“Many of us can experience a real drop in mood as well as the mercury drops, and ensuring our home is an inviting sanctuary where we can burrow down and make the most of warmth and space can help.

“It’s also a good opportunity to spend time on indoor hobbies or tasks we put off when the sun is out.

“A comfortable sofa with cushions, blankets and soft lighting is the ideal place to enjoy the peace and quiet for a good book or watch films with family.

“It doesn’t need to break the bank (and in fact it could save on the energy bills!) It’s all about adding in touches which elevate your home and ensure it’s the place you look forward to coming back to.

“Here are my five tips to get your home ready for winter.”

1. Swap fabrics

Winter is the time to swap those lightweight summer linens for heavy, tactile materials which not only look luxurious and bring warmth into the room but literally keep the cold out!

This season tweed is very on trend, as is deep velvet, chunky knit wool and faux fur.

It doesn’t have to be expensive curtains but throws, rugs and cushions which can elevate your home ready for winter and those cosy nights in.

2. Insulate the floor

Bare wooden or lined floors are ideal for a heatwave but winter weather call for rugs.

Dress floors with thick pile rugs and sheepskins to not only make the room look more inviting but to keep in the warmth.

Between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of a home’s heat is lost through the floor and well placed rugs near cold spots helps maintain a more stable and cozy indoor temperature, as well as keeping feet warm, particularly in the morning.

3. Introduce warmer tones

Winter is the time to move away from cool colours and introduce warm tones like amber, forest green and deep chocolate brown. Berry tones are back on trend again but if you don’t feel brave enough to change wall colours then add them in with soft furnishings like deep cherry velvet cushions or lamp shades.

Warmer shades in the home can actually make you feel physically warmer too.

Human brains instinctively link hues like amber, terracotta, golden ochre, and warm red to sunlight, fire, and heat sources and can gently elevate heart rate, metabolism, and blood circulation.

4. Get the lighting ready for darker nights

You don’t have to rewire the home, but by clustering table lamps and real or LED candles at eye level you can warm up a room and banish the dark to the outside.

Give harsh, overhead lighting a miss and swap for low, cozy, glowing light is so important in winter and it can also help with lower moods which can occur in winter.

As well as standard lamps and uplighters to bring a cozy feeling to your home, incorporate Seasonal Affective Disorder lamps during the day to mimic natural daylight and regulate your energy levels.

5. Upgrade your bedroom for cosy mornings and luxurious evenings

Now that mornings are colder and darker there is nothing like staying in bed for a little bit longer and enjoying the warmth.

Invest in fleece mattress toppers which make a bed warm and inviting from the moment you slip between the sheets in the evening and make you feel cocooned all night. It’s also a great time to get good quality linen sheets and a thicker tog duvet to keep that warmth in.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of rotating duvets, a blanket or throw adds interest to a room as well as providing extra warmth. And nothing beats a rug by the bed ready for your feet in the morning.