As temperatures dip and cold winds pick pace, there’s nothing more inviting than a warm and cozy bedroom to get your beauty sleep in. However, if the bedroom is cold, not only will you shiver most of the time and sleep badly, but exposure to cold can also play havoc with your overall health. In a nutshell, warmth in winter is essential and retaining heat inside a warmed-up bedroom is important for restful sleep.
Many homes nowadays have central heating. Yet, switching on the central heating and turning the thermostat to a higher setting can cut deep into your pocket. As inflation eats into home budgets and electricity bills climb higher and higher, it helps to know some useful tips and tricks to keep your bedroom warm without much additional expense. From installing insulation friendly custom curtains, or getting thick rugs, to simply layering the bed, here are some practical suggestions to help you get your bedroom into the warmer zone:
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i. Close all the narrow spaces that bring in draughts and take out heat –
Those slight gaps between the frame and the window or the door and that long sliver of space between the floor and the door can cause major heat loss by leaking out warm air from inside and letting in cold air from outside. We recommend using caulk or weatherstrip for sealing these small gaps around windows. Place a rolled cotton towel or a stuffed door snake draught sealer to close the gap below the door.
ii. Cover window panes with bubble wrap or tin foil or clear plastic film –
This is an inexpensive insulating trick. Stick bubble wrap or tin foil or plastic film on one or both sides of the window panes to create your own DIY version of double or triple glazing. However, these might not look as neat as the other options.
iii. Hang thick curtains with thermal liners –
Winter is not the weather for sheer curtains. We recommend using thick and opaque curtains, preferably blackout curtains that have a thermal lining to trap the room heat. Good quality thermal lining can keep the room warmer by several degrees.
iv. Open the windows during the day if your bedroom gets direct sunlight –
If you are lucky enough to have windows facing west or south, we recommend letting the sunlight pour in by drawing aside the curtains or using custom roman shades which allow maximum inflow of light. Just remember to close the curtains well before sundown to retain the warmth. This is natural heating (plus free ultraviolet purification) for your bedroom.
v. Move the bed away from the window –
As the air next to the window panes is colder, it is a good idea to move the bed some distance from it.
vi. Cover the floor with thick rugs –
Heat loss happens through the floor too. Place one or more thick rugs to cover as much floor area as possible. This will keep the room looking and feeling cozier. Plus as you climb down from the bed, the pile beneath your feet will give you a pleasurable cozy feeling.
vii. Remove any blockages from the radiator front –
The radiator should open to free space in the room. If it is behind the bed or the sofa, the heat will be lost in warming the furniture rather than its occupants.
viii. Install radiator reflector panels –
As we mentioned earlier, heat loss occurs via room walls too. The wall section immediately behind the radiator can suck away a lot of heat. Place a reflector panel to reflect the heat back into the room.
ix. Install a floating shelf above the radiator –
Hot air, being lighter than cold air, rises upward. Installing a floating shelf a little above the radiator will reduce heat’s upward movement and throw it into the lower room space instead where your furniture sits.
x. Install a smart thermostat –
Choose a thermostat with smart technology that lets you preset the range of temperature for various rooms as per your specifications. This will ensure that no unoccupied room is set at a high temperature devouring electricity.
xi. Use layered bedding and bed linen –
Like we layer clothes on the body for warmth, the bedding too stays warmer if layered with materials that trap heat. Flannel, fleece, thick cotton, wool, down feathers, and acrylic are some such materials. We recommend using flannel bedsheets, woolen blankets, down duvets, and fleece blanket toppers. Blow your hair dryer on its highest heat setting for a minute on the bedsheet. If using an electric blanket, ensure it is placed as the topmost layer to avoid overheating and any accidental fires. You can also buy electric mattress pads for warming the whole bed. Choose the ones that offer multiple heat settings and auto shut off features.
xii. Change your fabrics with the season-
There are some fabrics which are naturally good at insulation. Fabrics like cotton or linen are summer friendly and not the ideal options for winter. During the colder months, you might want to switch the fabrics of your curtains and also the bedding. Silk and velvets are the warmest among the fabrics and great choices for winter curtains.
Use these tips to create a cozy bedroom full of gentle warmth this winter. You will surely be snug night after night.
