Setting the scene for a cosy January

Whilst I maintain that January is restorative month, making a very tweaks in your home will optimize your hibernation. Last week we dragged our Christmas tree onto the verge and packed up all the sparkly decorations, leaving everything looking dusty, boring and a bit sad. I get a bit twitchy when the house doesn’t feel right so I have made a few small changes to set the scene for a comfy January.

Soft lighting is central to feeling warm and cosy. I am constantly chastising family members for putting on the ‘big light’ instead of all the nice little lamps around our home. I haven’t packed away the fairy lights and these have been draped around surfaces to diffuse a lovely glow. I love having lights at different heights and recently bought this Seletti Mouse from Ebay, who looks rather gorgeous sat on a pile of books on a side table. We have converted some of our lamps to include a rechargeable bulb so that they can be placed in dark corners to cheer us all up. There are so many rechargable lamps on the high street that give you the freedom to put lights where you wish without investing in an electrician to add sockets.

For some reason Christmas seems to leave a lot of dust and clutter. I personally don’t have the energy to undertake a big deep clean, but a few lucky drawers will be getting a makeover and there is a charity shop box on the go. I don’t really want to look at grubby streaks when the spring sunshine finally arrives, so if anything gets a good scrub it will be the windows. I will definitely be having a wipe around everything with a mixture of essential oils and water. Purdy and Figg make fantastic blends which get the job done and hide the doggy/ teenage trainer aroma.

Long before the advent of Christianity, people hung evergreen boughs in their home over the winter months. Green is a great colour to include in your home during January as according to Karen Heller it is ‘restful, creating balance and harmony.’ Apparently green has these qualities because it resides in the centre of the colour wheel and does not require the eye to adjust. I love having large vases of of eucalyptus or foliage from the garden in our home. You could add some fluffy Gypsophila or large white roses from the supermarket, for some winter magic. It’s also very satisfying to force some bulbs at this time of year. I enjoy growing narcissi although they can get out of control pretty quickly and so it’s a good idea to prop them up with some nice mossy sticks. .As well as plants, you could also introduce some green textiles such as our linen tablecloth in Granny Smith or Ruffle Cushion.

Whilst I won’t be transforming into Marie Condo, it is difficult to rest when the house is awry. A bit of a chuck out, some soft lights and lots of refreshing greenery will hopefully set us up for a rejuventating January. I must mention here that I am very diligently refilling our bird feeders, it is so wonderful to hear their little chatter in the morning.

What small adjustments will you make in your home this month?

Linen Duvet Set, Ruffle Cushion, Bolster and Storage Bag in Granny Smith.

Handmade in Cornwall by Poppy and Honesty.