It’s the 4th of July. A day for fireworks, festivals and parties in the US of A.
For us its the middle of winter and really pretty chilly. Every winter I complain bitterly about the fact that South African houses are not designed to handle the cold. It seems the cold comes in from everywhere. If Jagermeister shots or doing aerobics around the living room in the early mornings and evenings is not really your deal then how do we make the house warmer and cozier in these chilly times?
A fireplace is great but if you really want something to warm the whole house then you need to look at a slow combustion heating stove. They can fit right into the existing fireplace and use you existing chimney. Maybe not as sexy as an open fire but then neither is goose flesh!
The other place that heat really escapes in winter is through the windows right through the glass. If double glazing sounds a little drastic then think heavier curtains with lining. That will help to keep the cold air out and will keep the warmth in. The moment the sun goes down close the curtains so that you don’t loose the heat that you have been able to generate indoors during the day.
A lot of our homes have trendy screed flooring which is fantastic for young children and animals and cool for summer. For winter – not so great! Warm these up with carpets and rugs for winter that can be stored away in the summer months. Same goes for chairs and couches- warm and cozy them up with scatter cushions and throws of various textures that can be drycleaned and storted away once the temperatures soar again.
Lighting also goes a long way not only to make a room appear more cosy but the heat emitted does infact do its part to make the space warmer. Add to your existing lighting with practical lamps to create areas of interest in a room and to add to the effect of a warm and inviting space. Economical wall heaters really do work in bedrooms and enclosed areas as does the good old fashioned hot water bottle and electric blanket. If all else fails Body heat is another of our favourites….
What works for you? Would love to hear if you have some great tricks to keep the frostbite at bay and remember that we are always looking for beautiful new properties at Shoot My house so if you have a house, garden, farm, office that you think should be in the movies and make you a nice little additional income give us a call and lets make it Famous!
