Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
FLORALS IN VOGUE
Decorating tips to turn up the heat in every room during the coming cold months
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thick drapes in winter as they absorb heat, and adding rugs for warmth underfoot, especially if your floor is tiled or wood.
“A striking area rug softens space and creates a cosy feel,” Margolius says.
If you’re thinking of painting, wintry tones are deep emerald greens, rich violets and brooding navy, says Jo Pieters of Jo Pieters Design Studio, “but painting one feature wall is out so paint the entire room”.
“A ceiling is another surface to detail, paint or highlight. Timber cladding and mouldings infuse warmth,” says Pieters.
BEDROOM
If you’re in the market for bedroom furniture, the trend is to choose richer, darker timbers such as walnut, says Pieters: “To give your wooden furniture a warm, luxurious feel, pair it with metallic legs or handles in bronze or aged gold.”
Florals remain a strong theme and Pieters suggests using them for bedroom wallpaper. “Choose wintery hues like violet, dusty pinks, olive.”
Bed is where you can really get toasty, so here it’s about blankets and throws in different textures. Ester Venter, of Posh Interior, says: “Add fur throws. They are very soft and add great texture to a room.”
If you have the space, Margolius loves a fireplace. “They can be installed in just about any room. The bedroom is perfect for a fire to create an enchanting ambience.”
KITCHEN
Kitchens are becoming an extension of the living space, so to infuse warmth and character, use interesting shelving options, or feature textured walls, suggests Pieters.
“Paintings and artwork on the walls are another way to make the kitchen more a part of the home.”
A quick, economical way to add colour is to paint the insides of your white cabinets, says Margolius, “or add pops of colour with a plate display or tile back-splash”.
Exposed brick is a decor trend and works well in a kitchen. “An exposed brick wall brings warm orange and red undertones,” she says.
If you have kitchen curtains, draw them at night for extra insulation.
BATHROOM
The bathroom tends to be the whitest room in the house, so the best way to warm it is to incorporate rustic elements in the decor – interesting patterns, natural-looking materials and contrasting textures.
“In tiles, you see nature-inspired themes and colours, including faux wood or stone-like tiles,” says Margolius. Blues, turquoise and greens are great “but accentuation is better than full colour”.
“Warm your bathroom with objets d’art – a hand-carved African stool or an interesting candle holder.”
If your budget allows, you can’t go wrong with a heated towel rail, even in matte black.
“Matte black is the strongest colour trend this winter in bathrooms,” says Pieters.