By now, your tree (if you had one) is down, and your holiday decorations are put away for another year. I don’t know about you, but things look a little blah now – especially since we spend so much more time at home.

With a couple more months of winter and shorter days ahead (But it IS getting darker later, I swear it!), bringing a feeling of warmth and cheer into the home can only brighten the colder days still coming.

Change out your pillow covers.

If you like that farmhouse vibe, covering a pillow in some traditional plaid flannels can really make things feel cozy.  However, for me, I’m not so into farmhouse decor.

That’s where sweaters come in.  My girls tend to ruin sweaters (either with a major pull or just a tragic chocolate accident) often so using one of their sweaters as a pillow cover for this is a no-brainer. Of course, if all the sweaters in your home are pristine (and let me tell you, I AM IMPRESSED. Please tell me how in the comments.), you can always get one at a thrift store. I tend to go for argyles and mid-century vibes, but you can always find something that works for your style.

I learned this trick from Chas at Chas’ Crazy Creations.  She’s ingenious. Follow her. Check it out.

Warm and toasty fireplace.

There isn’t enough that can be said about a nice roaring fire’s ability to add warmth and a wintertime glow to almost any room. It really isn’t winter for most people unless there is a nice fire burning in the grate.

What?!? Why would you have a fireplace in California, Shannon? (See, I know what you are thinking!) Not all of California is sunny and warm all the time. Believe it or not, a fireplace was a requirement for us when we purchased a home (along with a pool), partly because it does get damp and chilly in our neck of the woods.

But there is more to the fireplace than the physical warmth. It’s also soul soothing and comforting to watch a fire burning brightly before your eyes. My daughter, Lyra, loves watching the flickering… it calms her.

No fireplace? Add candles.

Much like a fireplace, candles add a warm cheerfulness to the rooms they touch. Certain fragrances are perfect for wintertime candle burning. Think pine and woodland, citrus, and cinnamon.

If you prefer flameless candles (like I do because they glow but are safe from those accidental bumps and knock-overs), get your scents in other ways. I make my own oil reed dispensers in interesting winter containers and small vases. There are plenty of ‘recipes’ for oils using essential oils and a carrier oil such as safflower.

Switch out your art.

If you have some space, add or switch out some of your current art to some winter-inspired themes.  Think of your decor style and what will work.

For example, I found some cute prints of robins and other birds on winter branches for my mid-century styled home. I hung some winter-themed music, including the ultimate mid-century romp, “Baby It’s Cold Outside” in our piano room in cheap frames I had on hand.  I switched out a couple of boring plant pots to a couple of super-cute mid-century teapots where my succulents are happily hanging out.

A person into coastal decor could use bleached driftwood to create an interesting wall sculpture. (And let’s admit it, that old white cable knit sweater could be a great pillow cover for this style… or even take a piece of it – or those old cable knit tights –  and stretch it into a gold frame for art.)

Don’t let the celebration of winter end when the Christmas lights come down. Find ways to incorporate warmth into your home decorating style that only winter can accommodate. Have some fun with it and embrace the season to make it uniquely your own.