How to Get Your Home Cosy This Winter (Without Cranking Up the Heating)
There’s a particular kind of British winter evening that most of us know well. It’s dark by half four, the radiators are ticking, and you’re wondering whether to nudge the thermostat up another degree or just put on a jumper. With energy bills still on everyone’s mind, the question isn’t really how to heat the whole house. It’s how to make the rooms you actually use feel warm, soft and welcoming.
The good news is that cosiness is as much about how a room looks and feels as it is about the temperature on the dial. Here are the changes I’d make, starting with the ones that keep the heat in and finishing with the small comforts that make winter evenings something to look forward to.
How can I keep my house warm without the heating on?
Start by stopping heat from escaping, then add warmth where your body actually feels it: underfoot, around your shoulders and at your feet. Draught-proofing, thick curtains, rugs and warm layers make a room feel noticeably cosier without touching the thermostat.
Walk round the house on a windy evening and hold the back of your hand near window frames, letterboxes, skirting boards and the gaps under internal doors. Anywhere you feel a breath of cold air is worth sealing. Self-adhesive draught strips, a brush for the letterbox and a simple fabric draught excluder along the bottom of the living room door are inexpensive and take an afternoon at most.
Close the curtains earlier than you think
Windows lose a surprising amount of heat after dark. Drawing the curtains as soon as the light goes, rather than at bedtime, keeps that warmth inside. If your curtains are thin or unlined, adding a thermal lining or swapping to a heavier fabric in velvet or wool-mix makes a real difference, and floor-length curtains that sit just past the sill look far more inviting than short ones.
During the day, open them fully on south-facing windows to let in whatever winter sun there is. It’s free warmth and does wonders for the mood of a room.
Layer your floors
Bare floorboards and laminate look lovely in summer but can feel chilly from November onwards. A large rug with a thick pile in the living room, or a runner in a draughty hallway, instantly makes a space feel warmer and quieter. In bedrooms, a soft rug either side of the bed means your first steps in the morning land on something soft rather than cold wood.
If you rent and can’t change the flooring, rugs are also the easiest way to make a space feel like yours. Layering a smaller patterned rug over a larger plain one is an easy trick that adds both warmth and character.
Do slippers actually keep you warm?
Yes. Your feet are often the first part of you to feel the cold, especially on hard floors, and a pair of lined slippers keeps them warm and insulated from the floor so the rest of you feels more comfortable too. They’re one of the simplest ways to feel cosy at home without turning the heating up.
The key is a proper lining and a sole that separates your feet from a cold floor. Thin, flat slippers look nice but don’t do much once the boards are cold. Look for a thick plush or fleecy lining, a cushioned insole and a sole substantial enough to wear on tiles and wood.
If you’re after a new pair this season, Domisana’s fuzzy house slippers are worth a look. Their Women’s Fuzzy House Slippers have a thick plush lining, a soft cushioned insole and a little bow detail, and they can go in the washing machine on a cold cycle, which is handy for a pair you’ll wear every evening. The wider slipper range runs from faux fur styles to playful animal designs, so there’s something for everyone in the house, and slippers make an easy stocking filler too.
Bring out the throws and cushions
Nothing says winter quite like a sofa with a throw draped over the arm. Keep a couple within reach in the living room so anyone can grab one, and choose textures that invite you to touch them: chunky knits, faux fur, boucle and brushed cotton. Swapping summer cushion covers for velvet, wool or corduroy in warmer colours such as rust, ochre, forest green and deep plum changes the whole feel of a room for very little money.
The same goes for bedrooms. An extra blanket folded at the foot of the bed means you can stay warm through the night without heating the room to the same level as the rest of the house.
Rethink your lighting
The quickest way to make a room feel cold is a single bright ceiling light. In winter, switch to lamps. Two or three lamps at different heights, with warm white bulbs, create pools of soft light that make a room feel smaller in the nicest way. Candles, or good battery candles if you have children or pets, add a gentle flicker that feels instantly cosy. Fairy lights don’t have to come down after Christmas either. Draped over a mirror or along a shelf, they work all winter.
Small comforts that make the difference
Cosiness is often in the details. A basket of logs or pinecones by the fireplace, even if it’s purely decorative, a stack of books by your favourite chair, a tray with a teapot and a couple of mugs, or a bowl of clementines on the side table all make a home feel lived in and warm. Scent helps too. A candle or diffuser with notes of cedar, orange or spice is a lovely way to mark the start of an evening in.
A cosy home starts with a few small changes
You don’t need a new boiler or a full redecoration to feel warmer this winter. Seal the draughts, close the curtains early, add a rug and a couple of throws, switch to lamplight and give your feet some proper comfort. Done together over a weekend or two, these changes will make your home feel softer, warmer and much more inviting, right through to spring.
