The holidays may be over but for many of us, the end of winter is still a ways out leaving us with a desire to maintain the cozy feel of the holiday season without all the seasonal decor. Join us as we explore how to create warmth and relaxation throughout your home this winter with cozy home decor, including soft blankets, textured rugs, electric fireplaces, and more.

Soften it up

Let’s start in the room you spend the most time relaxing in–your living room. Cozy living room ideas all focus on soft and textured pieces, from top to bottom. If you’re looking to completely upgrade your room, seek out new cozy furniture that features soft fabrics in warm tones with plush pillow backing and padded arms. Existing furniture can be updated with soft, textured accent pillows and cozy throw blankets. Look for pillows and blankets in warm tones, such as cream, beige, gray, ivory and eggshell with fun textures like cabled knit, faux fur, ribbing, performance velvet, tasseling, and fringe. A soft sheepskin can be draped over one corner of a sofa for an especially inviting feel.

Another easy way to make a big impact in any room is by adding an area rug. Even carpeted rooms can benefit from a rug to add a layer of warmth and coziness. Look for rugs with texture and depth created with color variations. Rugs with higher piles add to the cozines factor. Another fun option is to spread a trendy cowhide across your floor instead of a traditional rug. Each hide is unique in color and pattern making it one of a kind for you and your home.

And don’t forget about bedrooms! Winter is a great time to up the coziness factor in the bedroom with flannel sheets, layered blankets, and soft accent pillows. Mix and match your accent pillows to include different textures and patterns to create a more layered feel, and drape a bulky knit throw across the end of your bed for a truly inviting, cozy feel. Bedrooms are a great place to include rugs, as well, either centered under the bed or, if room allows, off to one side between the bed and a wall to create visual appeal. You’ll love sinking your toes into the warmth a new rug provides.

Natural fibers

Creating a cozy environment is more than just soft furnishings. Incorporating natural fibers and elements from nature can soften a room and add an element of surprise. Try switching out a wall hanging for one featuring natural fibers such as sisal, or one with a 3D component such as a textured flower. Bring in a piece of table top art or a picture frame that includes natural wood tones to contrast with solid colors in the room. Place a potted plant (real or faux) on a side table. Even a small touch, like a woven basket to contain all those plush blankets, can soften a blank corner and increase a room’s coziness.

Cozy lighting

Lighting is an important component of a cozy room. For the ultimate warmth, both literal and figurative, consider adding an electric fireplace to your room. Perfect for living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and more, electric fireplaces provide instant heat and an ambience of relaxation. What’s more cozy than staring at dancing flames as you’re warmed to your core? Even better- an electric fireplace casts a soft glow around a room for those long winter nights for luxurious relaxation.

For a somewhat less intensive approach to softer lighting, try adding table and floor lamps to just about any room. Table and floor lamps disperse light differently than overhead lights and create more opportunities for interesting highlights and shadows throughout the room, creating a layered, cozy feel. If you’re not a fan of lamps, explore under and over cabinet lighting to add a unique touch and warmth to a room. Better yet, hang a mirror in a dark corner to reflect natural light. Bonus if the mirror encompasses those natural fibers or woods mentioned above!

Get cozy this season with warm blankets, fun accent pillows, textured rugs, and soft lighting and winter might have a whole new appeal.