10 Ideas for Creating a Cozy Home for Winter

Inspiration and ideas for how to create a hygge-inspired, cozy home for winter with warm beverages, comfy textures, and soothing candles.

When the days get colder and darker, it’s the perfect time to make your home extra cozy! A warm and inviting home can make the winter months a little more bearable and enjoyable. If you’re looking for ways to make your home more cozy this winter, then read on for 10 ideas to create a cozy winter home. From adding texture and warmth to rearranging your furniture, you can create a cozy, inviting atmosphere perfect for hibernating in all winter long. You can also visit this post for my favorite ideas for decorating after Christmas!

How to Create a Cozy Home for Winter

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Although I love living in New England, I will admit that I don’t seem to have the love of the cold and snow that many New Englanders proudly possess.

Other than the occasional snowshoeing trek, I’m not one for winter sports. I’ve seen the shirt all over that says “Indoorsy”, which makes me laugh, because it’s 100% me in the winter.

However, it’s easy to get stir crazy. February and March (and even sometimes April and May) can feel like winter is never going to end up here. The key to surviving it is a cozy home that invites you to stay indoors.

My husband and kids don’t seem to suffer the same affliction between skiing, sledding, and playing in the snow. So, between my indoorsy-ness and their winter sports, the priority is keeping us all warm and cozy when they do come in from their outdoor adventures. Otherwise, I’m content to enjoy the indoors on my own!

What is hygge?

I’m sure you’ve heard of the hygge sensation by now, and watched the YouTube pronunciation over and over, still not getting it quite right (No? Just me?). While I may not be able to pronounce it, I can definitely get on board with the spirit of it.

“Hygge: a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.”

Sounds nice, right? Also, kudos to whoever wrote that definition for Google’s dictionary. I could almost feel the hygge wash over me as I read it. Those things are perfectly aligned with my own home goals, and I’m thinking probably yours!

How do I bring hygge into my home and create a cozy home for winter?

When I look at the definition of hygge, this is something that I think a lot of us who experience cold weather are already doing! Do you bring in cozy knitted textures, light candles, and drink warm beverages? Do you snuggle up by a warm fire? I’m sure you do. That’s hygge!

Here’s some more inspiration to get us through the rest of the cold winter months.

1. Bring in Cozy Knitted and Furry Textures

I naturally gravitate toward comforting textures in the colder months to help me create a cozy home for winter. I love nothing more than a good fuzzy throw blanket… unless it’s a knitted throw pillow! Both are like giant sweaters. Sweaters and fuzzy socks are wearable hygge. You can get sources for our primary bedroom nook in this post.

2. Create a Warm Beverage Station

If you’ve been around here before, you probably know of my love of coffee. Black Americano coffee from my espresso machine, to be specific. Lately, that love has expanded to include lemon tea. I can’t get enough of it! It’s my decaf warm beverage of choice (what’s the point of decaf coffee anyway?).

My kids would like for me to mention hot chocolate. Fair enough, what’s more cozy and hygge than melted chocolate mixed with milk? That’s the beverage version of comfort, really.

Looking for inspiration to set up a coffee and hot chocolate bar? This post walks you through some of my favorite ideas!

3. Have Candles Burning

I almost always have a candle burning every day, and winter is certainly no exception. There’s nothing nicer than to have candles burning as I work or read and relax in the evening. I love that certain smells bring on certain feelings, like how pine or cedar always smell like winter and home in New Hampshire.

5. Organize and Declutter

When we’re spending so much time indoors for the winter, it’s easy to look around and see all of the things that we want to change. One way to make a positive difference in your home without bringing more things in is to purge, declutter, and organize what’s left. You can read about some of my favorite decluttering tips here!

4. Bring in Fresh Flowers

Although winter isn’t exactly known as a time for flowers, I find that a simple and inexpensive grocery store bouquet will immediately brighten my home and help improve the atmosphere.

6. Create a Reading or Journaling Nook for Self-Care

Self care is always important, but perhaps it may even be more so in the winter months when we’re lacking in vitamin D. Creating a cozy spot in your home to spend some time quietly reading a book or journaling is great for your overall peace of mind.

7. Layer on Cozy Bedding

The winter months are a good time to refresh and layer on cozy bedding for your home. You can get sources for some of my favorite bedding in this post!

8. Do Some Winter Baking

What’s better in the winter than filling your home with the smell of fresh baked goods? Whether it’s rolls to go along with the soup or stew your making or a delicious treat, baking is the perfect olfactory way to cozy up your home in the winter months.

9. Add Plants and Greenery

Although winter isn’t known for growing things, I know firsthand that indoor house plants can do wonders for my mental health in the winter. They are a great addition to creating a cozy home and your feeling of well-being. Even the pop of green from a faux plant will make a positive difference in the dreary winter months!

10. Host a Cozy and Fancy Winter Dinner Party

A great way to make your home feel cozy is the fill it with people and laughter and food. I always love a good party and what’s better than hosting a fancy winter dinner party?

If you’ll be hosting a dinner party this winter and are looking for table decor ideas, check out this post on putting together a post-holiday winter tablescape with evergreens.

Some of these ideas may be things you’re already doing, but I hope at least a few spark inspiration for creating a cozy home for winter. Warm wishes from me to you for the rest of this chilly season!