Tips on Livening Up, Decorating Your House This Winter

Winter can seem dreary, but don't let the cold weather get you down. Your Home's Solomon Syed has more on how to decorate a more inviting home.

The cold and grey days of winter may be here, but don't let the doldrums of the outside to seep into your home.

"What we like to do is make it cozy. In the winter time, we tend to spend more time in our homes as opposed to the summers when we are outside. So we need to make the house very comfortable and welcoming," said Interior Decorator Denise Maurer.

During the holiday season, it seems easy enough to decorate by pulling out the tree and the garland. After the holidays are over, how do you keep your decor warm and inviting?

Ways to do that are layering. Think of ourselves in winter time: we add layers of clothes. We need to do the same thing with our furnishings and accessories. Pull your furniture away from the wall to create cozy conversational areas, Maurer said.

Adding to the allure of your home isn't just about the visual either.

You can have scents in the house. I make a wonderful potpourri with orange cloves, whole cloves, orange peel, and cinnamon sticks and that will boil away for the whole day and fill your home with warm scents. You can burn candles. You can also have some background music, Maurer said.

While the indoor decor in the winter is much easier to swap out for show, the exterior of your home often is covered in snow and winter. One way to liven up the outside starts at your door.

Your entryway you want to make very warm and inviting. Have an inviting wreath on the door or some welcoming sign. Focus on the entryway. That's where people are arriving and you want to give them the idea that once they get in the door they can expect more of the same, Maurer said.

While everything outside seems so dead and bleak, another way Maurer recommended to keep it lively in your home is with some house plants. And it's an easy change to just replace your dinner table place mats or swap out your art as well.

See more here:
Tips on Livening Up, Decorating Your House This Winter