January is an odd month. Whatever climate you live in you're battling with some version of a post-holiday comedown. It might mean less spending, it might mean less going out, or it might mean finding ways to battle against the cold and dark.
Thankfully designers have found ways to beat January blues by employing these clever design tricks which make homes feel more inviting, warmer, and like somewhere you'll want to hunker down.
1. Add jewel-toned moments
A surefire way to warm a space – other than turning on the heating – is to layer in some jewel tones. Anything with a hint of red in it – this could range from orange-tinged yellows to brown-tinged blues – as long as it has fire in there somewhere.
And it can be as simple as changing the throw pillows or couch blanket. 'We use a lot of warm colors, to create jewel box moments,' says the Washington, D.C.-based designer Zoe Feldman of Zoe Feldman Design . 'It allows you to feel ensconced in a space, layering textiles, to make it cozy, upholstering pieces to cocoon you,' she adds.
A deep rich cherry red is the perfect jewel tone to bring into any room to give it a cozy, yet sophisticated update. This side lamp will also add a soft pool of light that's a must have during the winter months.
A rich mustard yellow nods both to the upcoming spring and to the coziness we still crave in the depths of winter. Throw pillows can be the easiest way to bring these jewel shades into you bedroom or living room.
If you are looking for really chic, affordable, framed artwork, head to the Studio McGee collection at Target. It's filled with beautiful prints that look so much more expense than they are.
2. Layer lighting
'Getting the light right is a huge part of creating perfect spaces,' says the interior designer Liz Hoekzema, co-founder of the Michigan-based studio KLH. 'It’s those little, quirkier, softer, and more ambient moments that make you want to settle in and stay a while, drawing you in and making you feel close to those you’re sharing your home with.' This is a mood that encapsulates how to survive January perfectly.
'So use your lighting ideas to highlight key artworks or objets, tuck lights into shelving and gather people around and into those corners which feel most cozy and inviting,' Liz continues.
This could be soft downlights over dining tables or simply a well-shrouded table lamp on a cocktail table next to your favorite chair. 'What you want from a home is for people to be able to wander in and feel comfortable enough and sit right down rather than simply to be impressed,' Liz says.
3. Think about your purchases
While we may live in an age of fast fashion and rampant consumerism, the New York-based designer Miles Redd of the studio Redd Kaihoi says now is the time to consider what you're buying. It's a reminder about sustainability, sure, but it also helps you edit what ends up in your home, rather than filling it with more stuff.
'It’s more that I am focused on desire – we ask ourselves: "Do you really want it?"' he says. 'If you don’t want it, it’s back to the drawing board. Every purchase, every choice, should be tested this rigorously. In decorating, there are so many options, but you don’t necessarily want them all when you really examine them, and this approach will lead to a more conscious home.'
4. Visit stores and showrooms
Following on from Miles' point about shopping with more consideration, Zoe Feldman thinks that if you stop scrolling and go out to the stores and showrooms you'll find yourself making better decisions this month, too.
'How a piece feels is an underrated aspect of design – online shopping has taken that element away,' she says. 'I’m very conscious, as we should all be, that a rug not just feels good underfoot, but when you lie on it too (I have dogs and am always lying down on the floor on with them!). So I wouldn’t choose sisal, but something softer. I’ve just bought a mohair rug by Jennifer Manners for my own home and I’m totally obsessed!'
5. Discover meaningful artwork
The Santa Fe-based designer Heather French of the studio French & French thinks that if there is one thing she'd like us to embrace it's folk art. That's art created locally by craftsmen that usually come from a specific cultural background.
'There is an unplanned aspect to folk art, coming straight from the heart or soul,' Heather says. It plays into the January mood of imbuing your home with work that gives it meaning. 'Folk art continually adds layers and makes spaces seem special,' Heather says. 'Often it has a naive aspect that gives your home real charm.'
5. Squeeze a sofa into your bedroom
If January is about anything, it should be about finding ways to connect with the people you love. And those people are going to need something to sit on. David Kaihoi, the other half of Redd Kaihoi, says that a couch in the bedroom is always a good idea, as it's the space in which people are the most relaxed, most ready to get cozy.
'A sofa is just a good place to lounge, and it's fun for the family to have sofa in the main bedroom,' David says. 'The kids all come in, you can chill, someone crawls into bed. It's a really comfortable way to live.' And comfort is a must-have for this time of year.
January definitely gets a bad rap. But it can be a wonderful month to reset after the holidays, both your home and your lifestyle. With all the busyness of the holidays out of the way, you inevitably have more time to spend tweaking and updating your home, making it a cozy, welcoming space to spend the rest of the winter months.
