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Change the accessories in the room and pare down the clutter. Shelves and other surfaces are often used to store and display ornaments. The more there are, the less impact they have. So pack away most of the knick-knacks
and display only a few items at a time.Many of the homeware shops have some striking items to decorate your room - a big red bowl for the coffee table, a red vase or two, candles in hues of red for the mantelpiece, a lampshade and a red throw to drape over the couch. Red flowers will complement the new-look room - either single stems or big, elegant arrangements. If you're feeling really daring, transform the room by painting one wall or door a deep red (a big red cupboard would also make a huge impact) or hang a couple of red fabric panels with the curtains.
Introduce fragrance to the room
Think about the comforting aromas you associate with childhood and use these to fragrance your home this winter. Typical examples are cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ground coffee - all of which are available in many scented products, from candles to soap.
Colours and Textures
Wear your black basics with rich colours and texture. Go for chocolate brown, pink and orange mixed with berry shades and soft greens. Styling details to look for are soft ruffles, velvet ribbons and frills, and textiles of choice are washed corduroy, aged denim and sumptuous knits.
Light a fire!
Place two logs in the grate several centimetres apart. Put crumpled scrap paper between them, with a handful of kindling on top. If you use fire lighters, put a few on the
paper and place sticks on this, crisscrossing them to provide spaces that will allow airflow between the logs. Light the paper with a long match or paper. When the sticks are burning, add a third, larger log. Add new logs when
needed. Rake the coals and ashes to the front of the grate or fireplace after you've used it.
Always let ash pile up to about a centimetre or two because this will concentrate the heat and direct the draft to the base of the fire. Don't use only soft woods to build a fire because they burn too quickly. Rather combine soft and hard woods.
Fragrant fire starters
To make a fragrant fire, add one of the following:
Create layers and play with texture
Decorate couches and chairs with cushions and throws in contrasting textiles. That's the way to create a luxurious but snug effect. Mix fabrics in wool, fur, beadwork, velvet and damask, and drape a woolly rug or two over the back of your couch so that it is close at hand when the temperature becomes chilly.
