Winter is definitely making herself known and we are sure that everyone out there has their heating on already. As our days get shorter and our beautiful gardens are changing, what can we do to make our homes more appealing when we arrive home in these dark winter afternoons?
Here are seven ways to improve the winter aesthetics of your home:
1. Plan outdoor lighting
The easiest way to brighten up your home in winter has to be the lighting. We often come home in the dark during winter and miss seeing the garden altogether If you have a walkway, lights on either side not only look great but will make the walk safer too. New lights on either side of the front door are also great – remember, would-be burglars don’t like to be seen.
Try a few tea lights in jam jars to add a seasonal twinkle or add some colourful solar or fairy lights that will provide a few hours of decorative light without disturbing nighttime wildlife (this also transforms the views looking out your windows).
2. Make your front door inviting
The right front door can create a great first impression when you enter your property. Achieve the look you desire with our vast selection of colours and style options. Offering you maximum security and designed to keep the cold and the rain out and the warmth in.
Buy a fresh holiday wreath to place on your front door. Wreaths with dried flowers work well plus you can choose one that complements the colour of your front door – bright blue or green wreaths would look great on a dark door, while dark reds would suit a white one. Large house numbers will also brighten up your front door plus make it easier to find.
3. Place design features in the garden
Winters lawns and gardens can look bleak but there are many ways to perk it up to be once again inviting when you arrive home. Even just one piece of evergreen topiary will create interest to the eye and will hold an area together. Formal shapes such as balls, pyramids and cubes look good, though the trend at the moment, is for a more relaxed style.
Brightly coloured pots, a small sculpture or attractive window boxes are easy ways of making a big change. Remember to add a bird feeder in one of the trees as food becomes harder to find.
4. Decorate the porch
Porches are very handy in the winter, giving you extra space for your family to hang up coats, store bicycles and umbrellas and they give you the perfect space for taking off and storing wet and muddy shoes.
Decorative elements or pots can make a porch attractive and enhance the curb appeal enormously. Dwarf evergreens or hanging baskets full of greens are very inviting. A stand with an antique lantern or a bright pot with trailing ivy, will pick up the lighting from the
door creating added interest.
5. Clear away winter clutter
Although salt and shovels need to be close at hand, pack everything else that is laying around outside away in a locked shed. Not only will your property look neater, locking away anything that could be possible used to illegally enter your property is safer for you and your
family.
6. Ensure pathways & porches are safe
Winter weather can pose special challenges to safety. Always keep pathways and drains clear from leaves and debris. Not only are these n unsightly and potential slip hazards, but they can cause blockages in your drains, resulting in flooding on paths which can be a big problem when freezing weather sets in.
7. And finally, some gardening tips for November
- Don’t let your garden go bare and dormant over the cold months. With these winter-flowering plants you will be sure to brighten up your garden – Heather, Pansies, Hellebores, Snowdrops, Winter Jasmine, Daffodils, Clematis and the beautiful Iris.
- Dahlias and other tender bulbs need to be dug up & stored in a cool, dark area after the first frost.
- The ground should be cool enough to plant tulips over the next few weeks (try avoiding waterlogged areas of your garden or planting after a heavy frost)
- You can start to prune your apple trees and pear trees as soon as they become dormant. Leave plum & cherry tress till early summer.
How can we help you achieve a beautiful winter home? Contact us today and have a chat with one of our team for a free, no obligation, design & quote.