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With a change in seasons comes an annual change in lifestyle. With less daylight hours and cooler temperatures dominating the days, be sure to have your house ready for the change with some simple steps to create a winter-friendly custom home design. Don’t sit in your house for nine months waiting for spring – this year embrace winter and create a warm comfortable home that you can enjoy. Done right, you may find yourself not wanting winter to end!
One of the most popular choices in custom home designs today is a hardwood or tile floor. While these floors are beautiful and low maintenance, in winter all you may notice is how cold they can feel underfoot. Eliminate that unpleasantness this year by adding rugs throughout the house. Smaller rugs are an easy addition to bedrooms – choose colours that complement existing bedding and accents. You will be impressed with how much easier it is to get out of bed without putting feet to a cold floor.
If you have larger rooms with bare floors, invest in area rugs. Find colours and styles to revitalise your space, and you will find that the covered floor will keep heat in the room, as well as creating a new cosy feel for winter. Additionally, if you’ve been thinking about carpeting a space in your home, do it before winter. You’ll get use from it straightaway, and will benefit from the additional heat retained.
Winter means darker days, with sunrise later and sunset earlier each day. The best way to overcome this is with adequate lighting in your home. Take a walk through your house and identify any areas that you feel are a problem. Where overhead lighting exists, consider replacing the current globes with brighter ones, so you don’t struggle to perform tasks like cooking or reading. In dark spaces, consider adding standing lamps or overhead hanging light fixtures. If you have the space, now is a great time to add a statement chandelier – you’ll be sure to get use out of it immediately.
When designing a custom home, keep lighting in mind for all seasons. Installing bright lighting in the areas where it’s needed, such as the laundry, kitchen, or office, will make household tasks easy. Placing warm lighting from lamps and chandeliers will create cosy spaces, where you can relax and enjoy nothing more than simple conversations. With the proper lighting, you’ll find that winter is a great excuse to stay indoors and enjoy the home.
If the option is available, take advantage and install a fire pit in your backyard. This can be a fantastic way to still enjoy some outdoor time in winter while staying warm. Gather the family around the fire pit after dinner for a catch up, or invite friends around on the weekend and chat late into the night as you let the fire pit keep you warm. Fire pits can be designed and customised in a variety of styles to suit your home.
Recognised as one of Perth’s Leading Custom Home and Farmhouse Builders, JFK Custom Homes builds homes for the Perth Region including the Perth Hills.
