WINTER

The season of winter is just about the most serene time of the year. The constant chill in the air and soft snow are almost natural reminders to slow down and take in life as it comes. It’s a time to reflect and even nourish our souls, a time when everything seems a bit more fragile, perhaps because the days are shorter or nature can show its rougher side. We can look at these colder months almost as a time of cleansing and take inspiration from nature to encourage our own transformation.

Our natural surroundings are stripped down, branches are exposed, and many of the vivid colors from seasons past are at bay. But this allows us to really see and be inspired by the true shapes found in nature. All the intricacies we miss when trees are covered and vibrant colors are distracting our eyes are now present. Here we can see the beauty of the branches, the various shades of brown, and every bit of green remaining. And it seems to us that this season (perhaps for this very reason) amplifies our senses. There is something about the smell of a wood burning fireplace that seems to linger in the air from miles away or just how delicious a holiday meal can taste when our bodies are craving warmth.

This time is for appreciating the simple things in life, letting them inspire us, and hopefully carrying our reflection and nourishment into the spring. If we allow the season to teach us about accepting impermanence, we can shift our focus to the basic elements and how they can support our well-being. We can start by practicing more mindfulness in the winter months. Perhaps set up a little corner in your room for meditation. Pick up some incense, a candle, even a light silk scarf and some natural elements and take time out each day to be more mindful and appreciate life for what it is. Think about the grace, compassion, and gratitude that the winter months offer us and focus attention on those aspects.

Another thing we can do to enliven our spirits and spaces in the winter is add some vegetal elements. The spring and summer months offer us blooming gardens full of flowers and vibrant colors, but the winter also offers its own variety of natural color. Bringing winter shades into our homes helps us not only appreciate the season but can give us that indoor outdoor feel we often work to achieve in warmer months. It could be as simple as adding a handwoven basket to a table or console that reflects the exposed branches outside. Or try creating a simple arrangement of dried flowers that incorporate the colors of the season. Whether you choose an array of evergreen branches, berries, flowers, or even just a bowl of pine cones, these elements can easily add color to compliment your décor and overshadow the grey and white outside.

Being inspired by the simple beauty of the winter scene can help create a nourishing indoor environment that is equally beneficial to our mentality. We feel that the key to decorating for winter is balance, almost more so than any other season. It’s easy in winter for things outside to feel a bit dreary and inside to be overwhelmed with heaviness, but let’s use the season as an opportunity to add balance to our surroundings and, as such, our lives. To quell the cold, we can add coziness to our space by choosing some warm, heavier elements, but balance them out with lighter ones. In autumn, we often exchange our summer textiles for warmer, heavier elements, but as the winter proceeds, we can strive to achieve a balance that work with our spaces and aesthetics. This is a good time to bring in the simple colors of nature like brown, grey, creamy white, deep greens, and frosty blues with accents of vibrant color. And since the season is often a time when we are lacking daylight, try adding light to your space. A few simple table lamps can create a nice, warm atmosphere in winter. And to maximize the daylight we do get, try adding a few mirrors to reflect the light outside and open up your space a bit. If you maintain a good balance, your interior will support your exterior, and vice versa, but most importantly it will do so in a way that enlivens your space and will nourish your soul at a time when we all need a little boost.