Home décor tips to help beat the winter gloom

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Winter is such a wonderful season, bringing us Christmas, snow and all things wonderfully festive, but alongside that is the inevitable rain, doom and gloom. Cold, grey days with little to make you smile can have a really negative effect so we are keen to think of some interior design tips that will act as an aesthetic anti-depressant!

Take a look at our suggestions for beating winter gloom and see if you think any will keep you upbeat and perky, even when the rain is beating against the windows and the cold wind is howling in the chimney!

Display some flowers

Bright blooms are nature's own anti-depressant alternatives and we cannot get enough of them! Filling a room with a heady and beautiful scent, they encourage happy thoughts and bring a bright dose of colour that is hard to beat.

This kitchen, though bright in itself, looks all the better and more cheery for the infusion of a lovely vase filled with fuchsia pink tulips, so imagine the impact that flowers all around the house would have. They don't have to be expensive either, as cheaper blooms, such as daisies, will have an equally uplifting effect!

Avoid dark colours

This is a tricky one for us, as we really do love a darker-toned neutral, but we have to be practical here and if we want to really grab onto an anti-depressant vibe, muted greys and other dark tones are not what a home calls for in winter.

Though this is a fabulous space from Luigia Pace, we suggest that in order to really banish those winter blues away, you freshen up your walls with something a little more vibrant and cosy! Warm colours, such as terracotta and mustard yellow can be particularly effective for lifting and enhancing mental states.

Positive wall messages

We love the temporary nature of wall decals and when they can be custom made to say anything you want, in any colour and font, we think you'd be crazy not to consider them this winter! 

We like the idea of positive mantras on the walls of a home office, or perhaps cheeky reminders that summer will be back, but either way, having some positive reinforcement in front of you all the time is bound to have an impact, of the good variety. Just imagine gloomily completing some work, only to look up and see 'keep going' emblazoned on the wall. Phew, we feel more motivated already!

Use natural light

Though mood lighting and soft candlelight are both wonderful ways to make a home feel cosy and inviting, nothing quite blows away the cobwebs and lifts the winter gloom like a good, healthy dose of natural light.

Helping to top up the body's vitamin D and seratonin levels, natural light has been proven to enhance your mood and well being, acting as an organic anti-depressant, so be sure that curtains are open, extensions are in full use and that wherever you can entice some light in, you are doing so! Getting out into the garden can be impractical, especially if the weather is awful, but even when it rains, there is light, so soak it in when you can!

Display family photos

Sometimes, in order to beat the doom and gloom of winter, all you need is a little reminder that lots of people love you and think you are something really special, so be sure to have family photos displayed around your home.

We love a family orientated space that is filled with cherished memories and pictures of happy times and really, what could be more effective in lifting you from a bit of a stupor? What we would say though, is to be sure that you are not oversaturating your home with trinkets and ornaments, as they can eventually feel a little overbearing.

Have a decluttering session

As we just pointed out, having too much clutter can feel really oppressive, especially during a season which will see you naturally spending more time indoors. Prepare in advance and have a mammoth de-cluttering session in autumn, so that when winter rolls around, you are ready for it. With outside activities being less frequent, you need to feel that you have enough space to move around in, inside your home, so anything you can live without, get rid of it and you will feel so much better. Consider having a garage sale and with your proceeds, you could give your home a spruce for winter, without breaking the bank! 

For more seasonal inspiration, take a look at this Ideabook: Autumn Decorating Ideas For Your Home.

How does your homer cheer you up during the dark, cold months? Let us know in the comments, below.

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