The holidays are over, the lights have been put away, and if you’re anything like me, you’re a little sad to see it all go. Over the years I've changed up my holiday decorating style a bit so that it isn’t so “holiday”. It’s more along the lines of sparkly and festive if I had to describe it. I started doing this because it was becoming a pain to store all the cheap Christmas decor I thought I needed, AND having such a huge change come January 1st was giving me some real anxiety.

This year, I decided to give our main area a little makeover to combat the holiday hangover. A room can feel real bare after you remove an 8 foot tree from it. So I knew that I needed to add a piece of furniture or two, a little art, cozy throws and pillows, and accessories to warm up the space. And to bring out the beauty in all of the items I was curating for our room, I partnered with Soraa to light the space up with their natural glow.

Soraa was new to me, but once I tried them out, I knew there was no going back.

So who are they?

Simply put, they are a professional light brand that will bring true color to your home. No more artificial light dulling your decor once the lights come on in the evening. Soraa has created a reputation in the lighting industry for unmatched color quality and in November 2017, they launched Soraa Home, their first line of products specifically designed to elevate your home’s lighting.

What does this mean for us, the consumer, putting them in our home?

People naturally thrive when their lives are filled with color, and the colors we respond to most are those that we see under sunlight (natural light). Under natural light, color is more vibrant and whites are brighter. These colors affect our mood and shape our emotions. Dull, artificial light can leave us feeling empty. So by simply swapping a lightbulb like Soraa’s Radiant bulb, we can make these changes to our lives… why not right? Not only am I creating a more beautiful space in my home, I am also creating a better environment for myself, family, and guests.

I did pick up a few new accessories for my winter refresh, but most of the items I used were pulled from other areas of my home. Just like I mentioned last week in our throw pillow post, I usually just gather old accessories in our linen closet or guest room for use later. After they’ve been put away for a few weeks (or months sometimes), they can seem new again in a different setting.

Here are my 8 tips for updating your home for winter:

1. Think texture. How can you incorporate items that go with the season you are decorating for? In winter, I always gravitate towards faux fur and chunky knits

2. Incorporate books. Pile up your favorites by the fire for those rainy weekend afternoons. Not only are they practical, they add so much personality to side tables or coffee tables.

3. Stack your art. I love rotating our prints depending on the colors i’m using in a room. You can pool a color scheme and lean them together on a small table behind a few candles to create a vignette in any room. I love this because you can focus on one piece of art (maybe something seasonal) and still use your other pieces behind as a pop.

4. Add a lamp or two. Especially if you have a lot of recessed lighting in your home. Lamps create that warm ambiance that invites people to sit and stay a while. We switched out our bulbs to be sure the whites in our room really popped. I didn’t want all of the work I put into accessorizing ruined by the lighting!

5. Bring on the candles. If I could have ONE thing in a room it would be candles. They add ambience, you can create your signature scent that guests expect when coming over, and the best ones are good looking too.

6. Layer old rugs to make them new. While I may have started layering because of a stain or two (thanks to 3 dogs), i’ve stuck with it for a few reasons. Throwing a faux sheepskin rug on top of your standard rugs add instant warmth to a room. It also brings attention to old rugs. Mixing them in a different color palette can freshen them up, making them look new.

7. Pile on the throw blankets. You can never have too many when the temps drop. Whether it’s my husband and I or a few friends having wine, everyone likes to get cozy in a throw when you’re relaxing.

8. Add life around the room. This one isn’t just for winter. I always think you should have some sort of plant element in your rooms. If you are low maintenance or are decorating a room that you don’t use often, opt for greenery like eucalyptus or olive branches. They last a long time and even look great when they dry.

I will admit. It does take a bit of time to get a room updated and looking exactly as you like it, but it is SO worth it to have a space you absolutely love. Since I moved things around, updated accessories and changed the lighting, we have spent almost every night in here which we NEVER did before.

I hope that a few of my tips helped you and inspired those of you wanting to make a little change in one of your spaces!

Do you have any tips or tricks that you use to easily update your home when you need a change?

Post in partnership with Soraa

Images by Kimi Domino