In many parts of the country, it has started raining, signalling the beginnings of the rainy season. There is something comforting about hearing the rain falling outside when you are warm under the covers of your bed. And when you wake up in the morning to spongy sunshine, it is as though there has been a catharsis through the night: the earth has washed off all its sins and we have a chance to start anew. Yesterday is forgotten, the new day is what matters most.
Soon it will be raining for most of the day and we shall be hunkered down inside. With the rainy weather upon us, this is the season to make your space as warm, cosy and inviting as possible. You can easily achieve this by making some subtle yet impactful changes to your home’s styling and decor.
Here are five tips to consider:
Change your light bulbs to warm white
Warm white bulbs emit a yellow light. (Cool white bulbs, on the other hand, emit a white light.) Yellow light is good for the rainy and cold seasons because it enhances comfort and relaxation – these are exactly the feelings you want your space to evoke.
Use warm white bulbs in the main spaces of your home. That is, your living room, dining room and bedrooms. Dimmers are excellent for your bedroom because they regulate the lighting in there, this in turn regulates the mood in your bedroom and the type of sleep it will promote. As always, make sure to play around with the lighting sources in your home: chandeliers, wall sconces and brackets and floor and table lamps go a long way in enhancing your experience in your home this rainy season.
Change your throw pillow covers and blankets to more vibrant colours
With the sun gone for most of the day and the rainy season here, it seems as though the skies hang low and our moods dampen for a minute. They actually call this the seasonal affective disorder. Its symptoms include social withdrawal and a varying degree of depression, fatigue and hopelessness.
While we can’t help the weather outside, we can help ourselves indoors by adding more vibrancy into our homes. Switch out the covers of your throw pillows and of your blankets to more vibrant colours.
Colours that uplift our moods include the yellows, oranges and shades of earth: golden and honey yellows, soft oranges, muted reds and browns with yellow undertones. Use these colours anywhere you have a textile styling accessory. On your sofas and accent chairs, bench on your entryway, on your bed and in your reading nooks.
Layer up your bed
The rainy season often comes with a drop in temperatures. You will find that the lighter cotton bed sheets you used during the previous hotter months will have your teeth chattering this rainy season. Warm your bed up by layering it properly.
First, replace your lighter-cotton bed sheets with heavier ones. Consider using two bed sheets and a duvet as well, instead of just one bed sheet. If the cold still permeates these layers, then have an extra blanket on top of your duvet. You could also replace your hot-season light duvet for something heavier.
In the bedroom, there is no need to switch out your regular bed sheets for something with more vibrant patterns: this may actually upset your sleep instead of promoting it. In that regard, use what you would regularly use.
Add some convenience to your entryway
With the rainy season come muddy shoes, wet raincoats and jackets and general disorder in your entryway. Anticipate this disorder by adding a few smart pieces to your entryway.
Set up a temporary bin to hold umbrellas. This bin will hold the wet umbrellas coming from outside and the dry ones waiting to go out. Go into the bin every so often to wipe it dry and to spread out the umbrellas, so that they can dry properly. Plastic bins work best.
Change the mat on your entry to something more functional. What you want is a mat that is easy to wipe clean, that is non-absorbent and does not stain. Faux rattan mats do the job well. Avoid anything made of natural material as it will rot and mould. The larger a surface area the mat covers, the better.
Lastly, have a coat rack where your family can hang their raincoats and jackets. And if you didn’t already, have a small shoe rack where they can place their muddy outside shoes.
Burn scented candles and essential oils with particular notes
There is never a season that can go without burning some scented candles or some of those essential oils in your oil burner. Reed diffusers are also an option but their scents are not as pronounced. What you want in this rainy season are some scents to make you want to snuggle up under a blanket with a tall mug of a hot beverage in your hands.
Scents with spicy, earthy and musky notes usually hit the spot. The notes to look out for are vanilla, cocoa, butter, cinnamon, cloves and sandalwood. The more gentle notes are eucalyptus, sage and lavender. BY DAILY NATION