Winter is a time for snuggly throw blankets, hot chocolate, and short days. Colder temperatures also mean more time spent indoors, at home. Winter is a wonderful time of the year to transform your home into a welcoming, relaxing escape from the frost and freeze. Enjoy hibernating this winter with these elegant winter decorating tips.

Organize your mudroom. Winter is famous for tracking in a lot of wet grime. Create a mudroom that allows you to escape from the winter blues as soon as you walk in the door. Organize coats on a rack, and throw a rug down at the entry way for people to leave their dirty shoes on. A nice, wooden bench at the entry way allows family and guests the option to have a place to sit to take on/off shoes and winter garb.

Light the home with candles. Winter is a great time to pull out all those candles that you received as stocking stuffers. Candles go great with shorter days and create a cozy atmosphere in the house. Great for adults, but do it safely with children. Using candles around the home with kids is a great way to teach them responsible fire safety. White candles create a snowy-like retreat in your living room!

Go bold with textures. Adding a pop of color is a great way to avoid the winter blues. Bold, blue throw pillows create a dynamic look to any winter decor. Switch up the drapes with wonderful, colorful patterns. Color isn’t just for Spring, after all. And it’s much needed in the winter for those who tend to suffer through the season.

Allow nature indoors. Sure, we want to leave the slush at the door. But don’t totally cut out the outdoors from your home decor in the winter. A rustic country table with chairs allows the reminder of what’s to come, fresh smells of trees in bloom and getting back to nature. If you’re lucky to have a winter view, let the light into the home during the day while you can. Sunlight might be limited, but when it reflects on a snowy landscape, it doesn’t get much more beautiful!

Decorate the fireplace. Why do we only utilize the space around our fireplace at Christmas? Other than hanging stockings for a month or so, our fireplaces are often ignored. However they offer an opportunity to show off some of your favorite home decor. As the focal point for many homes in the winter, add favorite pictures, souvenirs and other trinkets to your fireplace during the winter!