Of course, we do think about the practicalities to some extent when planning a room makeover. If you wanted to change the layout of your kitchen, you would carefully plan the location of each appliance. That is the best way to ensure that you can open your fridge door fully and that the kids can eat their breakfast in there if they want to.
Why it matters
However, very few of us think much about how we are going to keep each room warm in the winter and cool in the summer when we redecorate. Sometimes this turns out not to be a big problem because things fall naturally into place. Other times things do not work out so well.Too late, we realize that the only space left that is big enough to accommodate the sofa is directly in front of the radiator. As a result, the sofa absorbs most of the heat generated and stops the room from being warmed up efficiently. There is no point in spending hours tracking heating oil prices, so you can buy when the price is low if you have to waste fuel by turning up your thermostat.
Build in insulation
This one is obvious, wherever you can build in high-quality insulation. If you are installing underfloor heating, pay a little extra and buy the higher grade insulating material. When you build a new partitioning wall, insulate it. This will stop air leaking out and will help to contain sound.Prevent draughts
A draughty room is all but impossible to keep warm. Much of the heat that you do generate can easily leak away. Even if the overall temperature in the room is high enough, anyone that is sitting in the draft will find it impossible to stay warm.Choosing good quality doors and windows that fit well is important if you want to
keep draughts out. You also need to consider carefully where you locate your vents. If you opt to lay a wood floor, make sure that the planks fit together tightly.
The location of your heat sources
I already touched on this point above. You need to think about how you lay out your furniture, so you can make sure that the hot air can pass freely from your heating source into the room.If you are decorating a living room, be especially careful about how you arrange the seating. It is usually best to arrange it around a heat source. Doing so ensures that everyone gets the most out of the warmth that it produces.
Use warm colours
My last tip is to use some warm colours. You can still decorate in a minimalist style, but add some brightly coloured soft furnishings in the winter to help trick the mind into thinking it is warmer than you think.Colour has a huge impact on how we think and feel. You can read more about this, here.
Mummy B xoxox *Collaborative post
