Winter Wishlist: 13 Charming Ways To Brighten Your Home
Painting Quotes
from local painters
1. Crazy stained glass windows to bring in a little colour on drab days
Maybe a bit too kooky? Mexican architect Javier Senosiain certainly considered all hues when it came to his Nautilus House, channeling Antoni Gaudi to create a beautiful snail-inspired family home in the country’s capital. Stained glass can bring a bit of magic into any home.
2. Cosy four-poster bed you’ll never want to leave
Everybody knows the best place to be in winter is tucked up inside the covers of a warm bed. They can be made even more enticing with some sneaky overhead decoration and natural wood.
3. Portable wine cellar for easy loungeroom access
We all lose a bit of energy in the colder months and what precious little is left should be spent on consuming hot chocolates and buying knobbly socks. These handy gadgets allow unlimited freedom when it comes to the storage of alcoholic beverages. Wine not?
4. Coal cart fireplace for blazing outdoor bonfires
From Swiss oven manufacturing company Zweifel Ofenbau, this stunning outdoor fireplace is inspired by a vintage coal cart and would make a beautiful addition to an external entertaining area. Sure, it might burn the house down, but it also doubles as an excellent disciplinary device for taming rebellious small children - “Who wants to be tossed in the wizard’s hot pot?!”
5. Silhouette chandeliers and lampshades which project patterns around the house
Hanging lighting is a great way to perk up your mood in winter because it rebounds off the ceiling and creates a cosy ambiance - so imagine how atmospheric these stunning lighting designs must be! Carefully designed to project patterns around the room when illuminated, they are both practical and beautiful.
6. Enviable indoor hammocks for rainy days
When the sunshine isn’t cooperating but all you want to do is have a lazy read of a good book, an indoor hammock is the place to be. Who says you need summer to capture that great feeling of relaxing back into a deckchair? There’s something terrifically casual about a hammock that makes it a really cheerful piece of furniture to add to your home in the cooler season.
7. Sleek glossy paint to complement the breezy weather
Cool colours, like whites, greys, blues and greens, look superbly modern when used effectively in a home’s interior. They make a room feel fresher and lighter and certainly more clean. Talk to one of our professional painters about unlocking the potential of your home.
8. Artistic bathroom sink to make the morning routine enjoyable
Once the sunlight starts to diminish, it can be hard to muster up the same enthusiasm for getting out of bed each morning as you have on a hot, sunny day. Putting a little glamour into your bathroom will get that long hike across the hallway feeling hopeful once more.
9. Pet furniture to keep the furry ones happy
Pets are great substitutes for hot water bottles so keep them close and happy in the colder months. Try a pet-friendly home renovation or have a drool over these gorgeous furniture designs from Dutch firm UrbanCatDesign.
10. Amazing LED wallpaper to electrify your interior
Talk about getting light into your home! These innovative designs feature tiny LED globes in a range of styles and patterns, ideal for impressing guests or adding a bit of charm to a cold, lonely room. Fairylights of the future!
11. Decorated fireplaces and mantles perfect for DIY
A lot of older Australian homes feature fireplaces which are sadly no longer functional. If you’re not keen on salvaging the space by putting in a gas fireplace, try glamming it up with a DIY decoration project. The possibilities are endless - flower arrangements, book storage, ornaments, photo frames, cocktail cabinets...
12. Gorgeous table displays for channeling a bit of festive cheer
Just because Christmas doesn’t fall into our winter does not mean we can’t capture a bit of that cosy ambiance with beautiful European-inspired table and buffet settings. Candles are great in this season, for obvious reasons, and coming home to the smells of cinnamon and nutmeg, perhaps from a reed diffuser, will really make your day.
13. Extensive outdoor umbrellas to minimise the chill
Outdoor entertaining is still a possibility in winter - it just takes a little planning! Umbrellas are a great way to protect the edges of any undercover patios and verandahs you might have. They can easily be dressed up with some pretty fairylights to create that homely milieu much longed for in the cold.
Okay, some of these might be a tad ambitious - you can just as easily cheer up your home with a few basic maintenance services. Maybe you need to have your gutters cleaned? Or your heating system assessed? Just post your job on Service Central to receive three obligation-free quotes from qualified professionals.
Painting Quotes
from local painters
