After a lovely warm fall, Calgarians are zipping up their coats and unpacking the winter sports gear. Cozy up your cabin and you’ll feel more at home this season!

Textural Textiles

You’re layering on the soft knits and sweaters – your home will appreciate a touch of texture too. Think thick: faux fur throws and velvet pillow covers add luxury and warmth. Heavier drapes keep out cold drafts, lower the heating bill, and provide softness. Adding textural touches can also be an opportunity to add bursts of colour against Nature’s dreary neutrals.

Bring the Bling

The winter holidays can mean unearthing the crystal and silver. Why save them for the big holiday dinner? With these short days and long nights, we need all the light we can get! Metals, crystal, glass, mirrors, and anything that sparkles will reflect and refract light. Lustrous surfaces like leather, highly-polished wood, and even plastic are also reflective. Just add candlelight for a magical touch! In fashion we see the return of satin, sequins, and other shimmery materials; these are fantastic in the home as well.

Go Mod

The popularity of shows like Mad Men has prompted renewed interest in mid-century modern style. Furniture with clean lines and slender legs is popping up everywhere! We stagers know this is excellent for showing off square footage. Strong graphic patterns and bold colours echo the 60’s influence. Wallpaper is the comeback kid, surprising for many who lived through its popularity in previous decades. For those who fear commitment (or are thinking resale), consider a removable wall mural that imitates wallpaper without the permanence, like these.

Keep it Green

Eco influences remain strong into the new year. Shorter days means greater electrical usage and of course heating costs hit their peak this season. LED lighting keeps usage down for that outdoor display, and can be great inside too. High-efficiency appliances are a good investment for selling or dwellling. Besides sustainable products, you can bring nature in through decorative touches. Many homeowners are loving all things avian and antlers. Where possible, please consider hunting down a vintage or faux item rather than the real thing! Remixing is another eco-chic design trend, with celebrity designers and the general public opting to paint or reupholster existing furniture, and reusing older items to create totally new objects. I love this example of a bookshelf made from old shutters and concrete forms.