Styling tips for a quick and easy January refresh

Despite the short, frequently grey days, we still feel January is a month to embrace. Named after the Roman god Janus, who, with his two faces, could see both the past and future, it is the perfect time to reflect, plan and look forward. 

This is a great month to restyle and refresh interiors - a comfortable, revitalised space sets you up for the year ahead. January is a wonderful time to be creative with home decor; even small changes can add warmth, comfort and interest to a room. It is the personal touch that sets your home apart, and creates inviting spaces where you can rest, relax and recharge.

If you are planning an interior update, consider what area to tackle first. Breaking tasks down into manageable chunks helps you tick more off the to-do list than attempting everything at once and it becoming a chore.

Decluttering experts suggest removing everything from the room or area you want to refresh, then only put back what you really love. Move furniture and accessories around, try pieces in different rooms and see how it changes the look and feel of a space. Repurpose items - a large hurricane lamp could double up as a vase or be used for indoor bulbs. Use a piece of sculpture as a bookend. Candle votives can be ideal for small plants. Little changes can have a big impact.

Clearing one cluttered area may be enough to transform a room. Use log baskets for everyday storage, such as newspapers, magazines, toys, books, or odds and ends - visually cutting down on clutter creates a sense of calm. Baskets are also ideal to hold cosy throws to have to hand on chilly evenings. 

Accessories and accents

Create interesting vignettes to draw the eye, adding to the sense of planned, intentional design. Arrange accessories on a decorative tray - grouping items together has more impact than solitary pieces spaced out. The rule of three in interior design suggests items arranged in odd numbers are more appealing and memorable (often applied to garden planting too), while varying the height of your objects adds further interest, drawing the gaze up and down. 

A sculptural piece acts as a counterpoint to a tablescape and also draws the eye. Our Vera, Helga, Samai, and gorgeous Bertie Dog sculptures are good examples, while different-sized bowls and platters allow you to play with scale, highlighting items to focus on. Our Anika Dish is striking when filled with small sculptural pieces - consider contrasting shape, colour, and texture if planning something similar. 

Bring the outside in 

Biophilic interior design essentially means incorporating nature into our indoor environment. It’s all about creating a calm space through a visual connection with nature, which is believed to improve wellbeing and productivity. A simple way to start is to introduce textural foliage stems, which instantly transform spaces; try faux fern fronds, monstera leaves, asplenium or eucalyptus. Alternatively, foraged windfall adds drama and scale, to draw the eye and bring the outdoors in. 

Restyle surfaces

Accessories are the jewellery of a room - they bring it to life and stamp your personality on a space, transforming rooms from drab to fab. Tablescapes are elevated by decorative trays, vases, lamps, and collectibles, while walls draw attention with the addition of prints, photographs, or unique art, such as our Floral Canvas Wall Hanging. 

Quirky wall decor - our statement Gold Beetles are a good example - and mirrors - which also serve to bounce light around, and reflect plants and candlelight to great effect - are both quick and easy updates with lots of impact. Our Tall Arched Window Pane Mirror is a wonderful way to make a small space appear visually bigger, and can be used indoors and out.

Lighting is important when planning a warm, cosy, inviting space. Switch off the overheads and rely on lamps to create pools of warm light in corners, alcoves and hallways, which again helps to warm a space visually.  

Combine light and texture for added interest; tactile and earthy, our Mirla Table Lamp pairs a textured ceramic base with a large neutral shade and throws out a warm pool of light. The glass base of our Hue Lamp, which has a contrasting raffia shade, adds an extra dimension; team with faux foliage or flowers in a tactile vase and a pretty votive to reflect dancing candlelight in the lamp base.

Candlelight remains a favourite for any room update. Vary the height and position of votives or candle holders, and repeat the rule of three for greater impact. Our Mini Ribbed Tealight Holders grouped on a tray are particularly effective, as is mixing up our large and small Marla Glass Candle Holders.

Whatever changes, big or small, you choose to make, accessorise your home in a style that you love. There is no right or wrong way, just have fun creating a space that makes you feel happy, relaxed and, most importantly, at home.