It’s not surprising that many of us struggle at this time of year. The mornings are dark and cold, the daylight hours are short, and the brighter days of spring still seem a very long way off.

So what’s needed is a few ideas to cheer things up this winter and give your home a bit of a refresh. And why not indulge yourself a little in the process? After all, winter is all about giving in to a slower pace of life and embracing comfort and cosiness. Here at Aubrey HQ, we love nothing better than curling up by the fire with a good book, feeling snug and warm under one of our luxury lambswool throws. However you choose to beat the winter blues, here are a few ideas to help bring a renewed sense of optimism into your home…

Even though Christmas is a dim and distant memory, there’s no reason why you can’t still create amazing grazing platters throughout January and February for your friends and family. Our unique Olive Wood Boards are perfect for displaying beautiful arrangements of nibbles, charcuterie and cheeses. Check out the Instagram account of one of our favourite grazing platter companies, Grape & Fig, for lots of inspiration.

Handmade in the Mediterranean, each one of our boards has unique, graining details and a distinctive, curved shape. And if you’re trying to make 2022 the year of healthier choices, why not use the board to lay out a selection of healthy treats for you and your family to grab on the go? Dates, dried apricots and chopped up fruit and crudités all make great choices for a guilt-free snack.

The trend for ‘Bringing the outside in’ is set to be as popular as ever during 2022 and it’s easy to see why. Introducing textures and colours inspired by nature has been shown to lift our spirits and help to create a soothing, restful space. The obvious way to do this it to bring lots of plants into your home, but if you’re not the green-fingered type, why not invest in some faux greenery such as our gorgeous Eucalyptus Sage?

These life-like, hand-painted stems would pair perfectly with our exquisite, white Jupe Vase to create an elegant statement. This large, sculptural vase has a beautifully organic shape with gently flowing curves and a light-reflecting glaze. It works equally well placed on a coffee table or console table as it would positioned on the floor next to a fireplace.

Great lighting is essential for creating a soft and welcoming glow on a chilly winter’s evening. We love to use a combination of wall lights, floor lamps and table lamps to build layers of soft, atmospheric light.

The other must-have for cosy relaxation is one of our luxuriously soft throws. Made from lambswool or alpaca, these cosy blankets will keep you warm while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate by the fire, a good book or even an afternoon nap.

This month we’re recommending our Denim Lambswool Herringbone Throw which brings both colour and texture into your sitting room in one fell swoop.

Drape this royal blue blanket over the arm of your sofa, or keep a selection of throws folded in a basket to hand out to guests as you gather around the fire for a glass of wine.

If snuggling up with a good book is your thing, allow us to recommend interior designer Ben Pentreath’s classic coffee table book English Decoration. We can’t get enough of Ben’s contemporary take on English country house style. Leafing through the pages is an absolute delight. Enough to warm up even the coldest of January evenings!

Once you’ve read the book it will, of course, make the perfect styling prop. We like to arrange large books in piles on our coffee table and team them with a vase of fresh flowers and an exquisitely perfumed candle.

We are a new British lifestyle brand featuring handpicked, timeless pieces for gifting and for the home. Read more about us here and meet our founder, Edwina Browne.

Looking for more interior inspiration? Browse our range of beautiful interiors items.