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It's the time of year you may tend to seek out additional ways to warm up the look and feel of your house, making it cozier for your family and guests. Or perhaps you're getting ready to sell and you want your house to look welcome and inviting to potential buyers. There are myriad ways to achieve that warm, cozy feeling.
If you're thinking about new flooring but are shying away from some materials -- like tile -- because you don't like the cold feel, you can add a radiant flooring system.
A radiant flooring system is one in which the surface temperature of the floor is controllable. The Radiant Panel Association defines radiant energy like this: hold your hand over a cup of coffee and feel the heat. The logical conclusion is that heat rises. Logical maybe, but incorrect, it says.
Hot air rises but heat can travel in many directions. That is why you can feel the heat of the coffee cup when you place your hand to the side of it. Radiant energy transfer is caused by a warm surface giving up its heat to a cooler surface. The systems can be placed underneath tile, wood, laminates, concrete, even carpet.
Other quick fixes to add warmth and a cozy feeling to any room include:
Lighting up. With the right lighting, a room can turn from mediocre-looking to sensational. The right lighting can enhance your skin tone, allow you to see what you're doing, draw attention to focal points in your décor, and make a big difference in how you feel about your home. And best of all, it's inexpensive compared to other home decorating or remodeling options. Lighting experts tell us there are three types of lighting: general, which gives overall light to an area and allows for safe function in your home; accent, which highlights and draws special attention to details; and task, which helps you to perform tasks.
A change of paint. Certain hues with more depth will add a sense of intimacy and coziness. The right shades of yellow, orange and red will add warmth to the room. Paint manufacturer Glidden says orange is an especially good choice. "It is, therefore, particularly respected in task-specific rooms such as the
kitchen or study," its web site tells visitors. "Lighthearted and aglow with warmth, orange bursts alive with positive energy. It is bright, vivid, wild and wonderful ... Keep in mind too that orange will light up and lift the spirit of any dark room in your home."
Accenting with an area rug. A warm, rich rug will add instant warmth and texture to your living room, dining room, entryway, bedroom -- wherever you'd like.
Adding a new fireplace. The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association says new products allow homeowners to add fireplaces to nontraditional locations and can be used as creative design elements throughout your house. Some of those new innovations include a see-through fireplace that provides a window to the outside, small bookshelf fireplaces installed at eye-level, fireplaces that double as a mirror when they're not being used, oversized gas fireplaces with 30-inch flames, invisible glass and no visible vents, and fireplaces in which the flames dance in pebbles or glass beads.
Letting the natural light in. Start by cleaning your windows and then open your blinds, shutters or window treatments every day to allow the natural light to illuminate your rooms.
Accessorizing. Add warm throw blankets to your sofa and chairs. Use warm, rich colors for toss pillows and accessories. Heavier fabrics like chenille, velvet, and tapestries also lend themselves well to a warm, cozy look.
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