Written by Leah Sinclair
From energy-efficient lighting to thick curtains, these home accessories and soft furnishings will help insulate your home during the colder months.
As we head into the new year, one of the things we’ll be experiencing for the next few months is considerably colder temperatures.
This, combined with the energy cap rising to £2,500 in October, means many are now searching for alternative ways to keep heat their homes – so much so that Google searches for “how to make a room warmer” and “how to keep warm without electricity” saw 120% and 967% increases respectively in the lead up to winter.
Aside from using clothing to layer up and keep warm, there are many ways to furnish your home and make your space warmer, thanks to home decor.
From thick rugs to moving furniture from radiators, there are several methods to help keep your home warm and possibly even save money on your bills too – and we’ve spoken to Hammonds Furniture marketing manager Joshua Hammonds and money-saving expert, Matilda Littler about how to do so.
Thick curtains
Windows are a key area, with up to 18% of a home’s heat loss occurring just through windows.
Aside from thick double glazing, another way that we can prevent our homes losing heat through windows is through our choice of curtains.
Hammonds suggests swapping out your blinds or any sheer, lightweight curtains for some that are made from a heavier material, like wool, velvet or thick drapes with thermal lining that will “be able to restrict the airflow in your home and stop your rooms losing heat”.
Draught excluders
Any rooms that you’re heating will struggle to retain heat if you have gaps underneath doors that allow air to pass through the home.
To change this, Hammonds recommends closing doors to “stop most of the air flowing from room to room” and then investing in a draught excluder to sit at the bottom of the door to block any gaps.
“This is a quick solution for any gaps you spot around your doors and windows, and with searches for draught excluders up 235% year on year, and 33,000 people searching for these handy tools each month, you certainly won’t be the only one giving these a try,” he says.
Thick rugs
Probably the most accessible soft furnishing to warm up your home, rugs are an absolute must for retaining heat.
After all, it’s estimated that we lose 10% of heat via your floors, and so insulated floors are a way to retain warmth in your home.
“They will help keep your room warm and are a great way to make a space feel cosier in the winter months too,” says Littler.
Blankets and throws
A smaller change you can make is bringing more blankets and throws into your home. This is a popular method of staying warm as the weather cools down and is something that a lot of people are likely to try as searches for blankets were up 22% in the approach to winter, and there are now over 40,500 Brits searching online for blankets each month.
“Having a blanket or throw on your bed or sofa will make your space feel cosier but is also a practical way of keeping you warmer when you need an extra layer of heat,” says Hammonds.
“Opt for thicker blankets made from wool or cotton fleece if you’re looking for the warmest option.”
Heated blankets can also be a way to bring more heat into your home. This can typically cost 5p per hour to run on full power. However, Littler suggests having these heated blankets on a lower setting for longer, rather than having them on full blast for 20 minutes. Overall, these can be a cheaper alternative to turning on your radiators.
Move furniture away from radiators
If you’ve put your heating on, make sure that nothing is in the way of the heat moving through your room.
“Placing furniture against radiators will block the hot air from circulating in your rooms properly,” warns Littler. “It could mean that items close to the heater will absorb the warmth first.”
While making tweaks to your decor and home furnishings is really the tip of the iceberg, it really highlights that small thing that can really make a difference and keep heat indoors at a time when we’ll need it.
Image: Getty
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