Our House in Winter
Recently we have all become experts at staying in. Never have we spend any more time at home than in 2020 and 2021 when the pandemic hit us. Whether it’s a lock down or the cold weather of winter forcing us to stay in, there is always a good reason to be mindful of the way we decorate our houses while spending so much time at home.
In my last blog (Embarking upon my spiritual journey) I revealed to you how turning inward has never been my strongpoint. But ever since the pandemic I try to make the best of it. Just ask yourself what it is that you like to do when spending time inside. Do you like to snuggle up and read books? Just create a special reading nook. Do you like to take warm showers or baths? Get yourself a nice bath or shower gel and go for it after a cold trip back home.
Invest in a statement piece
In winter we tend to spend more time in the living room. It might be the right time spend some money on a new couch. Our couch is definitely the heart of the home. In winter I like to decorate it with darker blue, almost black pillows, inviting the darkness in, instead of trying to fight it with more light.
Do up your bedroom
Obviously we also spend a lot more time in our bedroom. The bedroom is such an intimate space. It is so important that you feel completely at ease. How else could you relax fully and sleep peacefully, processing a day of life? In winter I like to use the color blue more often as it matches the mood of the moment so well. It is already the color of the bedroom and I like to sort of dress the bedroom in multiple layers of blue, drenching myself in the comfort of my warm duvet.
Tis the season
It seems like I’m always busy decorating, cooking or dressing up a kid in the ten weeks that pass from Halloween to Epiphany. To prevent all of the festivities from feeling either random or like an obligation I decided to be more mindful of the decorations and to turn decorating into a family activity.
We chose not one, but two Christmas trees. One smaller one which we put it in the living room and decorated with little felt creatures, such as the Three Wise. But also with all things glitter and rainbow (did anyone say unicorns?), making it a sort of disco tree. In all its ugliness it has all of a sudden become a beautiful tree, just because it was decorated by my oldest daughter.
The second and bigger tree stands tall in our dining room, close to the kitchen and in what we consider to be the heart of our house. I love being able to turn on the lights in the dark winter mornings, enjoying the stillness of the wee hour before my family members wake up. I decided to keep this tree as natural as possible, going with only green, brown, and some golden Christmas balls mimicking the golden lights in the tree. I added some red balls (almost terra like) for some extra warmth around this time of year. My eldest daughter performed her task beautifully when asked to put in the spike at the top of the tree. It was such a precious moment when her father lifted her for her to be able to reach the top of the tree for the first time in her life. I tried to keep at the natural theme for the rest of decorations. I hung our mantel piece with a beautiful garland made of pine tree branches and pine cones with added eucalyptus. I simply added warmth by lighting some candles on top of the mantel piece, letting the natural look of the garland blend in with the candles.
But even after all the careful preparation I took in decorating our house, it took us no more than 30 minutes before our girls had had it with all the hard work and wanted a break. We sat down at our dining table and ate a wonderful cake made of almond and orange, the smell of which had been watering our mouths all while decorating.
Choose wisely
Having been forced to spend so much time inside the four walls of our home, I have become more aware of the intimacy a house should offer you. It was during Covid times that a quote by a Viennese housing professor (whose name I don’t remember, unfortunately) became meaningful to me: home is where we are most ourselves, which is an important condition for us to be able to develop as human beings. So choose your interior items and decorations wisely, as they reflect who you are.
Do try this in winter
- Reflect: how do you want to spend your time at home during the colder months? Prepare your home for that, create space for you
- Restyle: use darker colors, such as blue and black, but don’t forget to add warmth with pops of red or candles
- Decorate: whether it’s a tree, garlands or else, choose colors and shapes that suit your style
