As winter settles in, Mr and Mrs Clarke turn up the dial on the cosy factor that makes home all the more inviting.
December conjures up many emotions and feelings of nostalgia, festivity, and renewed love for our homes. It is, after all, the most indulgent month for home décor; festooning our rooms with lights and garlands, decking our halls, quite literally with the flora and fauna of the season.
This spirit, this unbridled joy for embellishment, brings about a reflective spirit and a universal feeling, nay deep sense, of warmth.
Warmth, as we know it, comes from much more than the setting on the thermostat and here at Mr and Mrs Clarke we’re quietly obsessed (OK, not so quiet) with the facets of warmth that are manifested during this time.
So much more than just physical, that sense and state of warmth is something that brings great comfort on an emotional, spiritual and ambient level. At home, warmth is a necessity but also a tool from which we can lift moods and change perspectives.
So, how do we convey warmth on an emotional, physical, spiritual and ambient level?
It’s a question we asked ourselves almost every day when connecting with home owners, to convey warmth with meaning in the home. We’ve succeeded so much so that in one instance, a client decided not to sell their home but to see their own next chapter in it. Warmth can be absolute magic.
Selling a vision
If you’re considering moving on, starting a new chapter, you’ll first be revisiting your own home to ensure that the love you feel for it, transfers to another. Preparing a house to sell is of course about the mad dash with a duster and Dyson, but more than that, the mood you create, a reflection of the way you live, is so intrinsic to this process. It’s personal, without being too personal. From burning logs on the fire to a festive candle crackle, twinkling festoon lights and of course, the humble dimmer switch, lighting in your home is a big mood changer. It can lift, entice and reflect the very best of your space. Set lamps to stun. Seriously.
That feeling of newness can add another layer of welcoming that is too tempting to pass up. If there is a small spot or high traffic area that has been loved and worn down by time, consider a fresh coat of paint to re-energise the room. That, coupled with some soft ambient lighting can work wonders. It also resets the nostrils – no one can resist the smell of a freshly painted room.
Scent is such a powerful tool. It is so emotive and connected to emotional well being, hence why we at MMC love a candle. Scent is also very personal, so if you’re unsure about the base and top notes to light on your three-wick wax opt for something freshly baked, or the enticing smell of brewed coffee to waft and meander through your home.
Underfloor heating also comes into its own beneath sumptuous carpet on our bare feet. Viewings are of course, a shoes off, socks on show situation, so anything underfoot, from heating to deep pile rugs, that adds softness, texture and warmth is a winner.
Looking for new warmth
Your next chapter starts the moment you find a house you feel at home in and the warmth that emanates from those walls is too compelling to resist. While interior style can be changed, there is no doubt that a home’s current state and shape will inform your choice. From toasty tones on the walls that add cosiness, to the way rooms are arranged with furniture and furnishings, painting a picture every room you enter in to. Don’t be fooled by those suggested ‘cool tones’ on the colour chart. Dark and moody palettes can evoke some truly toasty feelings of warmth paired with the right textures.
Raw wood juxtaposed against slick thick, luxurious paint or exposed brick can also also take things up a notch, so be mindful of where and how this can be achieved, perhaps with your own furniture in the space. Materiality brings warmth in and layers of texture are truly timeless.
We’re all creatures of habit, so our home rituals play a huge part in how we create warmth in the home. Imagine yourself walking through the floor plan. How do you position your favourite footstool and sofa? How about the proximity to the kitchen for late night snack dashes? Your personal rituals need to fit into the frame of a house; once that’s sorted, you’re home.
Inspired by the season
Always community spirited and ever-so-slightly cheesy, Mr and Mrs Clarke loves nothing more than to reflect on the ways we can bring more joy to home owners lives and this season, one of creating and emanating warmth, is one of the best opportunities to do so.
Whether it’s a happy exchange between yourself and sales assistant as you lug your turkey into your trolley, the clink of wine bottles prepped for parties with friends, freshly brewed, delicately spiced (or heavily laden with sugar) seasonal coffees that warm your cheeks, local markets selling seasonal delights or the annually delightful wreath workshops that bring strangers together to get creative and take their own home-made slice of design home, there is no warmer feeling than people connecting and a burst of creativity, no matter the result. These moments we take home with us and convey in our every day lives.
While a warm mince pie surely satiates our bellies, the warm embrace of home fills our souls.
During the month of December we will be sharing our own versions of warmth across our socials, and what it means to us.
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