Cosy colours
Decorating to add a cosy feel to home interiors during winter doesn’t necessarily mean splashing hot colours around.
Red may add the illusion of heat, yet so too will darker blues, greens, browns, and even purples will add a feeling of warmth, and help to create a more intimate atmosphere. Think deep, rich jewel colours such as sapphire, amethyst, ruby, and citrine.
Refreshing your walls, furniture, curtains, throw rugs, art, accessories, and even floral arrangements with autumnal and winter hues are some ways to bring warmth to rooms. Warmer colours create a feeling of cosiness, often associated with sitting in front of a glowing fire.
Most traditional palettes include neutral grays and browns, as well as deep plum, earthy terracotta, warm reds, deep golds, and leathery browns. In the year of the dragon, red is undergoing a revival, especially in dark wine shades and burgundies, balanced with soft midnight hues.
Other colours to try:
Teal – blurring the boundaries between blue and green, this sophisticated colour brings a touch of luxury and warmth to living rooms, and bedrooms especially.
Ochre – an earthy, rich gold, it works well in high activity areas, and in bedrooms, and is easy to incorporate into existing colour schemes. Golds pair well with almost every other hue.
Forest green – a calming colour, with strong biophilic links, green brings a sense of the outdoors inside to create tranquil spaces. The dark tone of forest green adds a sense of drama, making it perfect for moody, sophisticated spaces.
Amethyst – if using amethyst as an element in your room, take your inspiration from the colour tones of the natural mineral, pairing it with glowing coppers, bronze or gold to give the overall aesthetic a sense of depth and warmth.