These 4 Ingenious Stager-Approved Hacks Give Your Home the Coziest Winter Vibe (They’re So Simple!)

published Jan 14, 2025
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Credit: Jason Rampe

It’s officially the thick of winter, which means colder, shorter days. Adjusting your home during this time of year to focus on warmth, coziness, and light can help beat the winter blues, but many struggle to know where to start — constantly changing up your home can feel like a massive (and expensive) undertaking. 

So I spoke with a stager and asked how to get a cozy, warm ambience in your home during the darker months — without overhauling your current design or breaking the bank. 

“The idea of feeling snuggly yet happy is huge for me,” Molly Marino, a Chicago-based home stager, says. “It’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to nap and tune out the world in winter. Small touches that bring me joy and lightness — in spirit, not just color — are important.”

Faux candles are your friend 

Lighting is a key detail in creating a cozy ambience in your home during the winter. Instead of turning on the big light, focus instead on lots of smaller light sources, like faux candles, found throughout the room. 

“I really love the use of battery-operated candles on timers,” Marino says. “There are so many beautiful options now that have flickering lights, from candlesticks to pillars.”

The stager says she uses between five to seven on the center of her dining room table to create an ambient motif, as well as votive candles around the living room and bedroom. These battery-operated options are also great because they remove the fire hazard associated with a burning candle, so they’re perfect for renters who aren’t allowed to use regular candles in their units. 

“Buy the kind that are on an auto timer,” Marino suggests. “When I return home from work they are on and they run for six hours. My home always feels cozy, warm, and bright.” 

Faux candles are inexpensive and take almost no time to arrange and store away — plus, they won’t take up too much space in your closet when they’re not in use. 

The battery-operated pillar candles that Marino suggests are just $20 right now on Amazon, while these faux taper candles are just $16. 

Plus, add some greenery 

Plants are typically associated with warmer weather, especially considering they need sunlight to live and thrive. However, adding a plant or two in your home can add some much-needed warmth this time of year. 

“I encourage everyone to add a plant or two to their home,” the stager continues. “While it doesn’t bring light into the space, it reminds us that we can thrive despite the lack of bright light.”

If your home doesn’t receive great natural light, there are plenty of low-light plant options you can get such as pothos, ZZ plants, and philodendron. 

You can easily find a plant for as low as $5 at a garden center. 

Swap out your decor for light colors 

When there isn’t a whole lot of sunlight, adding white decor items can encourage light to expand in a room. 

“White or cream pillows and linens throughout the winter can really brighten your space and help reflect the little light we do get,” the stager suggested. “Swapping dark throw pillows for two to three white pillows on your sofa, or a white linen duvet can make a huge difference.”

Pillows and linens can get expensive, but they don’t necessarily have to be. Check out sales to see what might be much cheaper than usual.

Get the right lightbulb color

While many people know that adding light can have a big impact in a space, it’s common to get the wrong kind of light. There is a wide variety of colors available for purchase, so it’s important to look at the color of the light before picking up the first lightbulb you see. 

Marino has found that many people will try to go for a brighter light bulb in the winter in an attempt to add more light to the otherwise dark space. But this isn’t the best idea. 

“I personally find everything over 3,000 kelvin too jarring and sterile,” she explains. “A warm 2,700 kelvin light bulb goes a long way toward the proper light.”