I happen to believe winter in Canada is a beautiful time of year. Of course, I know we’ll have some crazy snow days ahead, along with cold, dreary, short days. But the cold weather months are also a great time to fully embrace cozy indoor living. And hey, we always have spring and summer to look forward to!
Here are some ways to brighten up your indoor and outdoor spaces.
Flowers
As soon as the New Year’s celebrations are over, I love to fill my home with spring-like blossoms. My favourite flower for instant colour is the oft-overlooked carnation. You can buy these in any grocery store in a multitude of colours. Carnations last for weeks and the colour choices are so pretty. I usually settle on one colour and spread them through my home in small arrangements. I tend to cut them very short in tight bouquets, so they look lush. Roses and ranunculus come a close second and third – and the same rules apply.
Potted bulbs like tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils always make me smile. I generally use them in groupings to watch them grow and bloom. They are generally available right after the holiday season.
I am also drawn to green ivy topiary plants, which can be found in most nurseries, your favourite flower shop or the grocery store. I love their vivid green colour, especially when several are grouped together, and they generally thrive quite well. They look so pretty on a dining table for lunch.
Lastly, those that know me well know that I adore forced branches. The early months of the year are a bit early for foraging, but I have a florist who orders branches for me as early as mid-January. My personal favourites are pink and white cherry blossoms, forsythia and magnolia. They bloom very slowly, and I love the shape of their branches in a vase on a console, as a dramatic centrepiece or on a coffee table.
Indoor Plants
While we are on the subject of living art to brighten cold days, I really value the beauty of potted plants. This is the time of year to give them vitamins, gloss their leaves and try to prune so they are at their healthiest and best.
Cacti have wonderful form and my banana plants grow madly by my sunny windows. I think they are dreaming of being outdoors in the summer!
Garden Pre-Plan
For avid gardeners, what better time than the winter to order seeds from catalogues and start germinating and dreaming about harvesting them during the summer months. Nurseries often have small seedlings, and nothing invigorates me more than walking through semi-deserted greenhouses in February!
Fireplace Focus
Naturally we spend more time indoors this time of year, and there is nothing cozier than sitting by a fire watching the snow fall outside. If you don’t have a fireplace, you can create the feeling with a grouping of candles to brighten up a moody corner. I also like to add some logs to make a chic arrangement by my fireplace. It makes me think of log cabin living, even if my fireplace is actually gas.
I also like to rearrange or style furniture around my fireplace. I will group chairs or ottomans and add small cocktail tables to a fireplace area, to encourage reading or just for enjoying an evening cocktail.
Bedding
Switching your bedlinens to cotton or flannel is a sure way to feel cozy all night long. When my son was a child, he would always ask for his flannel sheets once the weather got colder. I loved buying fun themed sheet sets for him! For me, I settle on ivory or white; it takes me back to my childhood when I make my bed.
Throws
You cannot change seasons without changing your warm weather throws for heavier, more textural ones. I love a good faux fur or alpaca. Both make you want to snuggle under them, and they add an instant winter vibe to any room. Sheepskin is another one of my favourites.
Candles
There was a time that I only used white or ivory candles, but recently I have been drawn to coloured candles. Think black, caramel, taupe and sage green. These “moodier” tones look elegant in any style of candlestick holder.
Artwork
I enjoy refreshing my home after the holidays, and creating a more wintry vignette – or just a change of scene – can be achieved by moving your artwork around. Try leaning darker-framed images or darker-toned subject matter against mirrors in a hallway, to great effect.
Mudroom
Making a mudroom more functional during the winter is crucial to saving floors from the salt and water we tend to bring inside on our boots. I love metal boot trays; there are many stylish ones on the market.
I also favour washable rugs. With three dogs, I need to be able to wash their feet and not worry about destroying my floors or mats. This isn’t exactly a decor tip, but I also invest in a good paw balm, so my dogs’ footpads stay soft. Adding a tray with lotion, mittens and lip balms by the door is a good way to stay protected and organized.
Game Night
Winter is definitely the time of year where we spend more time indoors than out, and creating a gaming area for nights with family or friends is a fun way to pass a cold evening. If possible, set up a small round table and chairs, maybe by the fire. A small bar cart filled with carafes of hot chocolate, toddies and savoury treats is great to set up on the side.
Outdoor Living
Consider creating a winterized outdoor space – part of a deck or patio just off the back door, a condo balcony, or a covered porch. If you have access to an electric plug, you can use electric blankets to add warmth. Or invest in an infrared heater or two, and you can extend any covered outdoor living space well into the colder season!
