Kim Meckler
Here we go!
Winter has descended upon us with a vengeance and we have to make hasty adjustments to our daily life, wardrobe and time it takes to get from point A to point B.
Life was so easy a few weeks ago as I raked a few leaves and sat on my deck on mild evenings watching the sunset. Now I’m glaring out my living room window knowing I have to shovel the sidewalk and procrastinating about dragging the garbage through the deep snow.
It will take me a few weeks to not be miserable but I promise you I will adjust, here are a few design tips for beating the cold.
I spent last weekend in Banff cuddled up in front of a wood burning fireplace watching the snow fall and it has strengthened my resolve to put a fire feature into my new home. Nothing amps up the ambiance of a room like a fireplace and the wonderful news is that you can now put one anywhere!
If you don’t have the access for a gas or wood insert you can always opt for an electric fireplace. Electric surrounds are available in every style from free floating contemporary to a traditional floor model with a full mantle and hearth.
If you decide to add tiling or stone you can create a stunning fireplace feature on any wall in your home. I am convinced that a fireplace is a must have to survive Alberta winters!
There is also a bathroom renovation in my near future, my new home has a horribly dated 1960s bathroom that needs to be gutted.
Standing in my current bathroom has helped me decide that I want under-floor heat in the new bathroom. Getting up early on dark mornings only to be greeted by an ice cold tiled floor leads to the temptation to crank up the heat in the whole house which is wasteful if you are leaving for the day.
I think that greeting the day with a gently warmed floor, timed to turn on just before you rise is as luxurious and lovely as setting your coffee pot the night before. All the delicious smells and a warm floor underfoot will start your day off on a warm, comfortable note.
Fabrics and textures play a huge role in the warmth of your home.
Even if you want to keep your home temperature low, you can beef up the warm factor by adding plush fabrics, area rugs and draperies. Using an area rug, even seasonally, will take the chill off of your hardwood or laminate floors and drapery treatments will add dimension and warmth to your home if you use a textured fabric such as a chenille or velvet.
If you are looking at furnishing a room, consider a deeper plush fabric for a cozy reading chair especially if you have leather throughout the rest of the room.
It gives you the option to snuggle into a singular chair on cold nights while you enjoy your lovely new fireplace.
So take heart readers, we have a few months of brutal weather but if you add a few warm features to your home you will be able to look outside without glaring at the crystal offerings from Mother Nature.
Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.