4 Ways To Get Cosy In Your Living Room This Winter

There's no better feeling during winter than unwinding in a warm and cosy home. Snuggling up on the sofa with the heating on is one of the perks of what can be a tricky season for many.

With the cost of gas and electricity where it is, most of us are looking for ways to keep snug without touching the thermostat.

In this post we'll share our ways to make your living room feel warm and cosy without turning the heating up. From blackout blinds to blanket boxes, read on for practical tips anyone can put to good use.

Keeping warmth in (and cold out)

Windows are one of the fastest routes by which heat escapes a room. Putting the heating on becomes fairly pointless when the warmth goes straight out of the window — quite literally. Poorly sealed or single-glazed windows are the worst offenders, and around 10% of the heat in our homes is lost this way.

A whole new set of windows costs a small fortune, but one of the simplest alternatives is often overlooked. Blinds are cheap, easy to install, and can complement your decor.

Blackout roller blinds are usually associated with blocking summer sun, but they're also highly effective at keeping heat in during winter. Cover each window with a set and you'll cut heat loss noticeably.

A blanket for everyone

Curling up in a fluffy blanket is part of the fun of winter. It's also a far cheaper alternative to leaving the heating on for longer.

Most living rooms have a blanket or two, but it's worth having one for every member of the household. On the coldest nights everyone can get snug in front of the TV without anyone reaching for the thermostat.

Electric blankets are more effective still, and cost a fraction per hour of what central heating does to run.

Once you've got a family fleet of blankets, though, where do they all go? Rather than leaving them draped over the sofa, a blanket box keeps them neat and out of sight when they're not in use.

Look and feel

Cosiness isn't only about generating and retaining heat. Making your living room feel cosy matters just as much.

A cavernous room with whitewashed walls, a leather sofa and a cold laminate floor will feel chilly even on a warm day in June. There's a reason those interiors are popular in Los Angeles and Florida, where the temperature stays warm all year. So rethink your decor with warmth in mind.

A plush fabric sofa with big cushions is the perfect spot to land after a long day out in the cold. And cosiness isn't only about the furniture you sit on — a fluffy rug underfoot makes getting to the sofa a better experience too.

Warmth is also about colour. Choose earthy shades and grounded tones like reds, oranges and yellows. They won't generate heat, but they create the impression of it, which makes the room feel warmer than it is.

Learn from the Danish with hygge

Hygge is a Danish word describing a mood of cosiness and comfortable conviviality — exactly what you're after when it gets dark before you get home.

Unlike the Chinese principles of feng shui, hygge is far more abstract. It's an overall ideal rather than a set of specific rules. The aim is simply to make your living space produce those feelings of comfort.

Fill the room with cushions, candles and whatever else makes you feel comfortable. Make it a space you retire to, and remove the reminders of day-to-day stress — work laptops and desks included. If you work from home, it's best to keep your home office in another room; if there's no other option, at least conceal the evidence with drawers and other storage.

Hygge isn't only about cosiness, either. Bring the outside in with house plants — a bookcase or open shelving gives them somewhere to live at different heights, and their calming presence helps you feel connected to the outdoors while you're sheltering from it.

Time to get cosy

Hopefully these tips have you on your way to a living room worth retreating to. When energy bills pinch and temperatures tumble, there are plenty of simple, practical ways to be more comfortable without touching the thermostat.