As we approach the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere, creating a warm and cosy home will be a top priority in the coming weeks.

We often assume warmth is purely about heating systems and insulation hidden behind walls. However, interior design can play an equally crucial role in determining how warm your home actually feels and how much energy you’ll consume to keep it comfortable.

The furniture you choose, where you place it, the textiles you layer throughout your space, even your colour choices. All these design decisions can significantly impact both actual and perceived warmth.

Textiles can function as insulation in your home, creating barriers between you and cold surfaces while trapping warm air.

For example, having rugs over tile, concrete, or hardwood floors provides immediate warmth, both physically and psychologically. Hard flooring conducts cold efficiently, making rooms feel colder than carpeted spaces at the same temperature.

A quality rug can act as thermal insulation, keeping heat from escaping through the floor while making the surface more comfortable to walk on.

Different textile types can provide varying levels of insulation. Wool offers excellent natural insulation properties, trapping air within its fibres to create warmth and comfort. Velvet and thick cotton provide substantial barriers against the cold. Even synthetic materials, such as fleece, can effectively retain heat when layered properly.

Window treatments deserve special attention because windows are where homes lose significant heat. Heavy curtains or thermal drapes can reduce heat loss by up to 25%. The key lies in choosing curtains with adequate fullness and length. They should extend beyond the window frame on all sides to prevent cold air from escaping around the edges.

Upholstered furniture retains heat more than hard surfaces like wood or metal. A fabric sofa provides more warmth than a leather one because textile fibres trap air, creating insulation.

This doesn't mean abandoning leather furniture but understanding that adding throw blankets and pillows can compensate for the material's lower insulation value.

Wall hangings can also work as decorative insulation. Tapestries, fabric art, or even quilts hung on walls can create an additional barrier between you and the cold surface. This traditional approach to warmth is also effective in our modern homes, especially in rooms with poor wall insulation.

Colour psychology affects perceived temperature more than most people realise. Warm colours, including reds, oranges, yellows, and warm browns, can make spaces feel psychologically warmer.

Studies show that people often estimate a room’s temperature as higher in warm-coloured spaces compared to cool-coloured ones at identical actual temperatures.

Colour saturation and depth create cosiness. Deep burgundy, rich terracotta, or warm chocolate brown colours can make rooms feel more intimate and warmer than pale pastels or cool greys.

You don’t need to repaint your home to align with changing seasons. Instead, you can layer accent pieces in warm colours strategically to shift the overall temperature perception of a space.

Texture communicates warmth through visual and tactile cues. Chunky knits, velvet upholstery, faux fur throws, and brushed finishes all signal warmth to our brains before we even touch them.

A smooth leather chair and a velvet chair at the same temperature can feel different because texture influences our perception.

Matte finishes absorb light, creating warmer atmospheres than glossy surfaces that reflect light. In colder climates, opt for matte paint, textured fabrics, and materials that showcase visible grain or weave for a cosier atmosphere. These surfaces feel warmer and create cosier environments than smooth, reflective ones.

Balance warm colours with adequate natural light to avoid making spaces feel smaller or darker. Warm colours work beautifully in well-lit rooms but can make poorly lit spaces feel cave-like. Layer warm accent colours against neutral bases, allowing light to circulate while maintaining thermal comfort.

The combined effect of colour and texture multiplies their individual impacts. A rust-coloured velvet pillow provides more perceived warmth than a rust-coloured smooth cotton pillow, and significantly more than a blue velvet pillow.

Furniture placement affects how heat circulates through rooms. Large pieces, such as sofas or bookcases, create barriers that can either help or hinder distribution. Place furniture to create barriers between cold windows and living spaces, essentially creating a buffer zone that protects you from cold drafts.

Bookshelves filled with books can provide excellent thermal mass and insulation. A bookshelf against the wall creates an insulating barrier between you and the cold surface. The books themselves add density that holds heat, making the room more thermally stable.

Never block heating vents, radiators, or heat sources with furniture. Air needs to circulate freely throughout the room from heating sources. Even partially blocking a vent can significantly reduce efficiency, forcing your heating system to work harder while leaving parts of the room cold.

Interior design can impact both the actual and perceived warmth in homes, often more than people realise. Strategic material and placement choices can reduce heating costs while substantially improving comfort throughout cold months.

Textiles function as effective insulation throughout your home. Rugs over hard floors prevent heat loss, while curtains, throws, and upholstered furniture create barriers that trap warm air. Windows account for 25-30% of heating energy loss, making proper thermal treatments essential rather than optional.

Colour and texture psychology also play crucial roles in perceived temperature. Warm colours, such as reds, oranges, and browns, can make spaces feel psychologically warmer, while rich textures like velvet and chunky knits signal comfort to our brains.

Furniture placement can impact heat circulation, and strategic positioning can block drafts and direct warmth where needed.

Add area rugs- Consider adding rugs to your bedside and over hard flooring for immediate warmth improvement.

Place throw blankets strategically - Add them to main seating areas for both functional warmth and visual cosiness.

Adjust one furniture piece - Move it to block a draft source or better direct heat flow from your heating source.

Introduce warm colours - Add a warm-coloured accent (pillow, throw, or artwork) to your space to increase the perceived temperature.

Imagine a Picasso masterpiece, hidden for over 80 years, suddenly resurfacing at a Paris auction this October. The painting, "Bust of a Woman with a Flowered Hat," is a vivid portrait of Dora Maar, his famous muse and lover and it captures a deeply personal and raw moment between the two artists.

Dora is pictured with an ornate, flowered hat, her features outlined in bold strokes and her expression tinged with sadness and emotion. Picasso painted this during the final, rocky days of their romance, and you can feel the heartbreak in Dora’s eyes.

Unlike his cubist or blue period paintings, this piece stands out for its vibrant palette and tender emotional depth. Picasso opted for expressive colours and raw brushwork, giving us a glimpse not just of Dora’s outward beauty, but her emotional state as their relationship unraveled.

This artwork had remained hidden from the public eye for over 80 years, kept within the same family who acquired it in 1944. Prior to the auction, it was known only from black-and-white photos and a limited number of reproductions.

The painting was exhibited publicly for the first time at the Hôtel Drouot auction house in Paris just before the sale.

While the buyer remains anonymous, this rediscovered masterpiece is now the talk of the art world. It reminds us that great art can connect us across time and experience, making stories like this worth retelling.

▶ Lost Picasso Painting Finds Its Moment

▶ Gustav Klimt Painting Sets a Historical Record at Auction

▶ DecorMatters - 24 Cozy Winter Décor Ideas

▶ Emily Henderson - How to Make Your House Warmer (Renter Hacks)

▶ Kaleidoscope Living - 7 Ideas for Decorating with Autumn Colours

Next week, we'll explore how to transform your home into a welcoming haven for holiday gatherings. We'll discover:

Stay tuned.