4 simple ways to create a cosy and colourful makeover for any room

The autumn chill has already arrived, and while we may still have warm days ahead, there's definitely a chill in the air that sends us indoors in search of a warm room to sit and relax. Older homes and those built before 2000 are prone to being cold in winter and hot in summer, and despite best efforts to insulate rooms, you may need to implement other measures to make a room cosy and warm, while adding a bit of colour and interest at the same time.

Rooms in a home should be comfortable all year round, and while you can open windows in summer to cool down a hot room, in winter you need to look at other ways to warm up a room - ways that don't include switching on an electric heater. So what can you do to warm up a room?

1. Put down a rug

Adding rugs will take the chill off your feet and also give a feeling of warmth just by being there. And investing in a couple of decent rugs will also work in your favour if your floors are looking a bit worn, or your existing carpets are a bit thin and you can't afford to have them replaced.

2. Add a warm splash of colour

Colour psychology has made leaps and bounds in the last few years, and many now know that colour can evoke a feeling of warmth when the right colour is selected. There are cool colours on the blue side of the colour wheel and warm colours on the red side. Choosing colours from the red side will instantly up the feeling of warmth in a room. That said, you don't need to have a large quantity of red in a room to add warmth, even a single painting or piece of accent furniture will do the trick.

3. Look for luxurious fabrics

Every couch needs a cushion or two - or even three or four or more. Cushions are great for introducing colour, texture and pattern into a room at an affordable price, and you can easily swap them around if you have fluffy or luxurious cushions that you prefer for the colder months of the year.

4. Keep out draughts

Having a layered window treatment is the ideal way to exclude draughts from windows. Since most of the heat in a room is lost via conventional windows, adding a double layer of fabric will help to keep any room warm. Plus, when summer rolls around again you can keep out damaging UV rays with adjustable blinds and keep the curtains open to frame the view.

Article courtesy of www.home-dzine.co.za and Property24