Seasonal window dressings - Winter

Inspiration

BY Abi Clewley

Published: 07 December 2021 Updated: 02 October 2024

Inspiration
Tags: Shutters, Blinds

Bedroom with dark blue walls left and rear, brown striped fabric wallcovering on right wall behind bed dressed in copper and navy blue bedding, to rear three large arched windows in a bay, dressed with white shutters, closed with louvres open.

Of all the season changes, winter seems to be the most sudden, and often the most severe – with reduced hours of daylight, harsh frosts and howling winds. Banish the winter blues before they cross the threshold and take another look at winter styling solutions.

Close in of pale grey sofa with terracotta cushion, vase of twigs and copper buds, to rear a series of white shutters, closed with louvres open.

Winter colours seem to fall into two different groups – festive and non-festive!
The natural world in winter is predominantly white, with frost, snow and even the daylight sun seems to be devoid of colour. Trees are bare, with brown and grey twigs the only noticeable colour. It can be hard to find warm shades with white and grey that still have some light, vital in the reduced daylight. On a positive note, they have the benefit of being neutral, so use white or a pale grey as a base and add splashes of deeper colour with accessories, such as cushions and throws, or bring in objects that will reflect any light back into the room – metallic vases or bowls are ideal for this. Alternatively at the other end of the scale you can bring warmth with colour – think jewelled shades – ruby, emerald, sapphire for a lush effect, or plum, cinnamon or conifer green for a more natural look.

Close up of dark grey sofa with cushions in beige, gold, copper and ochre.

If there’s one thing winter works well with, it’s texture. It’s the perfect time to go plush, so think velvets (real or faux), silks or satins, fabrics that all bring a real sense of luxury. And you don’t necessarily need to limit yourself to Roman blinds, as our Duette® blinds feature silk effect fabrics, while also offering our greatest thermal efficiency. With accessories such as cushions – and don’t forget we can make them to match your Roman blind – and throws, you can enjoy a range of additional textures with jacquard, embroidery, linen and the depth these bring to the room creates visual warmth.

Dining room with wood floor, rug in grey tones, wooden table and chairs with grey cushioned seats, amber vase and greenery on table and three floor to ceiling windows in a n extended bay dressed in white shutters, closed with louvres open.

Shutters work well throughout the year and winter is no exception. With a wide variety of different styles to choose from there’s the ideal shutter for every window, and for every look. Shutters are the ultimate way to block out the wintery weather and create a warm and comforting feel inside. Our bespoke shutters are carefully crafted to ensure they’re an exact fit so there’s no practical need to layer them with additional product, but you can certainly do so if you choose, and the style of shutter can help you decide which combination is best. Keep the winter look with variations on a white theme, go for a natural wood look with a stain or bring colour into the mix with our Harlequin colour shutter collection which includes a soft green and warm grey.

Open plan living-dining room with wood floor, inverted corner with windows either side dressed in dark blue Duette blinds, modern fire, lit, on corner and sun rays lighting up floor.

Blinds may not seem the most obvious choice for winter but don’t be fooled by their simple appearance. Both Duette® blinds and Pleated blinds offer thermal efficiencies, helping to retain heat inside the room and they’re available in a range of colours and textures too.

Neutral lounge with olive sofa and white cushions and throw in front of large window dressed in two Roman blinds with a green foliage pattern embroidered on a cream background.

Roman blinds are a great choice when it comes to thinking about solutions for any winter wonderland. With winter it’s all about the heavyweight fabrics, faux velvet, linen and jacquard. If you’re keeping to neutral colours then bring a little texture and colour in one move with embroidery or other embellishments. And of course in winter, a thermal lining brings multiple benefits. Helping to retain heat within the room may be the primary goal, at which it succeeds extremely well, but they bring the added advantage of creating a fuller blind, which gives a warmer look at your window too.

dining room with three windows dressed in white shutters, Christmas tree decorated in gold to right, set table and chairs to left.)

For those who celebrate Christmas there’s the additional festive styling that can influence your choice of winter window dressing. Traditional green and red certainly lifts the spirits but if you prefer a more subtle look then keep the colours limited with just a wreath or garland and use light-refracting silver or gold for a festive touch. These metallics have the added benefit of being neutral enough in colour to work in any setting and with any window dressing.