Snug Scottish Styling for Cosy Interiors

The nights are drawing in, there's a crispness to the outdoor air and the stoves are lit.....the temperatures may be dropping outside but all the more excuse to cosy up the indoors and splash out on styling a snug interior. It's this time of year that creating an inviting scene of cosiness ticks all the satisfying boxes.I would love to share a few ideas on how to create a snug interior this Winter. Cushion ComfortsCushions...they're an instant splash of personality, an art piece for the sofa and accent of colour. You can never have too many either so don't ever hold back. In fact the more cushions on a piece of furniture, I find the more inviting that piece of furniture becomes, with a sudden urge to sink yourself into a mountain of cosiness. Put pattern with plain, alternate textures and mix up the sizes.

Above: Mairi Helena Grey Tailor Thistle Velvet Feather Cushions. View the full range here.

Inviting Lighting Lighting plays such an important part to the atmosphere of a room. Especially significant during Winter to warm up the darkness outdoors. Consider several different sources of lighting in your room, rather than relying on one main ceiling source. Consider table lamps, floor lamps, reading lights over an armchair or a feature of decorative fairy lights.

Above: Mairi Helena bespoke Grey Tailor Thistle Lampshade. Click here to view the range of Mairi Helena lampshades and if you can't see a design you're looking for, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Paint ColoursFeel snug and smug this Winter by changing around a room and giving it a fresh lick of paint. When choosing paint colours to make a room feel cosier, stick to colours on the warm side of the colour wheel. Deep, rich colours for a small space can really help to emphasise the feeling of cosiness. Extending this to the ceiling can help to bring the height of a room down to make it feel even more snug. It can help to keep the carpets and floors neutral to help maintain the balance.

Above paint colour: Dark Truffle from the Craig & Rose Vintage Colour Range

Welcoming WallpapersSpruce up your walls this Winter and add playful pattern to your home with a welcoming wallpaper. Create a wall with a difference, a fancy feature wall, a talking point. Think of where you could apply wallpaper in your room. Is there a statement wall already which beckons a bespoke wallpaper, or perhaps the face of a walk in wardrobe, or even the back of a glass cabinet?

Above: Mairi Helena Harris Green Thistle Wallpaper 

Above: Mairi Helena Island Botanist Wallpaper 

Above: Wardrobe up-cycled in Mairi Helena Grey Tailor Thistle Wallpaper 

Above: Mairi Helena Fine Art Pink Thistle Wallpaper

And while we're on the topic of wallpapers, I just had to share this shot taken by Grant Anderson for Author Interiors, (an exquisitely beautiful online collection of British designed and made luxury furniture and interior accessories). Recognise this paper? It is indeed my Mairi Helena Highland Tundra Wallpaper which Jane from Author Interiors has cleverly used as bespoke wrapping paper.Stay Cosy With Bespoke CurtainsWinter, a time when the curtains are drawn in the evenings to keep the room snug and the drafts out. Curtains and blinds therefore provide a perfect artwork canvas. Why stare at plain curtains when you could introduce pattern and print?!

Above: Hand stitched curtains in 'Mairi Helena Bronze Flush Thistle Linen Union'

Take a look at my recent blog 'Bespoke Curtains and Blinds' if you're looking to create your own 'art for your window' this Winter! Coffee Table Books & AccessoriesStay warm and snug by the roaring fire and curl up with a good read. There's nothing satisfying in Winter than getting stuck into a novel or putting pen to paper yourself and jotting down stories, thoughts and ideas.If you haven't come across the book 'The Art of Coorie' yet then here's an addition to your Christmas list. Written by Gabriella Bennett, The Art of Coorie is all about 'How to Live Happy The Scottish Way' and celebrates Scottish comforts, wellbeing and taking in energy from Scotland's landscapes and interiors around us. I'm delighted to have images of my textiles feature in the book - keep your eyes peeled for the end papers also which feature my 'Deer Stalker' Linen union.Jot down your ambitions for 2019 over the festive season in a special Mairi Helena notebook, available in Harris Green Thistle, Fine Art Pink Thistle or Golden Blush Thistle.

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My cosy ways in which to style and create a snug interior, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you create a cosy interior!Until next time...X