as decorations come down, a whole new year of styling potential is on the rise...
Taking the Christmas decorations down might just be one of the most bittersweet things you can do on a grey January day. Your home has just gone from cosy and colourful to clean and fresh – a blank slate. You wouldn’t mind, except now it feels sort of bare and boring, and with Easter still a whole three months away, keeping spirits high can start to feel like a slog.
So what now? Well, you can let those January blues drag you down, or we can embrace this period of change with some rejuvenating January home decor ideas. Nothing beats updating your decor for every season, and winter is no different. You can experiment with a fresh splash of colour for the new year, try out different textures or keep the Christmas vibes going – minus the kitschy details. Whatever you’ve got in mind, allow us to offer some inspiration with our guide on how to decorate your home in January.
Just because Santa’s headed back to the North Pole doesn’t mean you can’t keep some seasonal touches among your January home decor ideas. Sure, maybe get rid of the stockings, snowmen, and definitely that half-chomped carrot – but the festive greenery is welcome to stay.
Keep it wintery rather than Christmassy by making sure there aren’t heaps of glitter, baubles or artificial snow involved.
Natural elements like pine cones, bare branches and even red berries can stay out too. Place garlands on the mantle, the tablescape or on shelves for a wintery touch.
You could even keep simple wreaths on the wall or front door for a simple, evergreen take on winter decor.
Colour is a tonic for all seasons and all moods. If you find January tends to bring a general feeling of ‘bleh’ – let’s be real, who doesn’t? – then a fresh splash of colour might just be the perfect pick-me-up.
Think about which shades bring you energy and joy. Is it soothing, wintery tones of white? The enchanting effect of blues and cool purples? Or would you prefer the warming energy of Pantone’s colour of the year, peach fuzz?
Pops of colour can come from anywhere, but they’re particularly easy to introduce with throws, scatter cushions and smaller home accessories.
Just a few bright and bold accent pieces can be enough to bring exciting new character to an otherwise neutral space, so feel free to be as subtle or as full-on as you like.
From the sweet spice of cinnamon and mulled wine to earthy notes of pine and spruce, Christmas is famous for its fragrances. And while ideas for how to decorate your home in January usually revolve around starting afresh, there’s no rule against keeping those luscious seasonal scents around.
While the sugarplum wax melts and gingerbread candles might have run their course, scents like fresh pine or warm spiced orange are delicious year-round. It’s still winter after all, and sweet scents are perfect mood-setters for those fireside January nights.
Home fragrance comes in many forms, but when it comes to cosy vibes, the classic scented candle remains undefeated.
Up to 40 hours of burning time, a glorious space-filling scent and that cosy, flickering glow? Those January blues don’t stand a chance.
When choosing January decorations for the home, staying warm and snug should be at the forefront of your mind. After the Christmas decorations have all been packed up, your home can feel bare and cold – and the grey January weather doesn’t exactly help.
Luckily, the introduction of some snuggly textures can work wonders for warming your space right up. Layers of sumptuous faux fur, woolly bouclé, cosy knits and soft sherpa fleece will make any room feel like a great big hug.
The beauty of textures is that you don’t have to worry about them clashing. It’s generally a case of the more the merrier, leaving you with just the choice of colour to worry about.
Keeping it tonal will make a space feel glamorous and put together, while pairing complementary colours together will give you more of a laidback, boho vibe.
The turkey, sprouts and last drops of champagne might all be gone – but you don’t have to throw those beautiful winter patterns out with them. Keep that seasonal spark alive with warming patterns like tartan and enchanting designs of woodland scenes and animals.
The best January decorations for the home tend to mix the magic of winter with the fresh energy of a new year, so don’t get rid of those seasonal motifs just yet.
Keep it rustic with raw wood furniture, metal fixtures and leather accents, or go all-in with a maximalist medley of winter patterns and shades.
While scientists annoyingly insist that humans don’t hibernate, they’ve underestimated the passion many of us have for our cosy winter lie-ins. Rolling up in a burrito of bedding is the only logical response to bitter January mornings, and I’m sure we’d all stay bundled up for the entire month if those pesky human responsibilities weren't a factor.
Nevertheless, for the precious time we do get to spend in bed this winter, staying cosy is the top priority.
A cosy winter bed is only as blissful as its sheets, so splashing out on some high-end Egyptian cotton is always a worthwhile investment. Find the right quilt tog for you, and dress it up in a wintery animal or floral duvet set to keep the seasonal vibes kicking.
Round things off with a luxurious bedspread or sumptuous bed throw, and you’ll have a warming winter nest that’s just too cosy to leave.
Wondering how to decorate your home in January without a whole new arsenal of accessories? There’s a solution to your troubles, and it’s as simple as flicking on – or dimming down – a switch. When it’s cold and snowy outside, inside needs to feel all the cosier. Introducing ambient lighting is a great way to help encourage those fireside vibes.
Everyone knows that the big light only goes on when it’s absolutely necessary – it’s the table lamps, floor lamps and softly glowing candles that make a house a home.
Using lamps will brighten up dark corners of your room, make your space feel bigger and eliminate the need to blind yourself with the big light. Light fabric lamp shades create a soft look, whereas a darker fabric will focus the light for more of a contrast.
As for smaller details like candles and fairy lights – you can never have enough, so why not glow crazy?
Just like we do in autumn, you can make your home feel seasonal during winter with all kinds of accessories, natural elements and design motifs. Instead of pumpkins, think bare branches and silvery birch logs.
Swap your current wall art for snowy scenes and make sure your floral bouquets are filled with in-season species like white roses, freesias, thistles and heather. If in doubt, nothing says ‘winter home’ like some tastefully scattered pinecones.
When it comes to designs and symbols, winter animals will give your space that extra touch of inviting comfort. We’re talking stags, robins, hedgehogs, foxes and more.
Not sure where to look? Our Evans Lichfield and Wylder cushions boast a forest-full of fauna – not to mention our extensive animal cushions collection.
Got a bad case of the January blues? Then maybe your space needs a complete overhaul. One of the most transformative things you can do for your home – and your mood – is cover the walls with colours and patterns that bring you joy.
A bright shade, captivating pattern or delicious colour palette could make all the difference for a space that might have felt a bit dated or faded before.
So dive right into the world of pattern and colour. Whether that’s through dazzling feature wallpaper, flourishing floral motifs or novelty accessories for your display shelf – one thing’s for sure, your space will take on a whole new lease of life.
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