Winter Magic

As leaves stop falling, I wonder when snow is arriving, marking the real start of that favourite festive winter season?

No matter the politics, trials and tribulations of our current topsy-turvy world, there is nothing like a breath of fresh, crisp air, a thickly laden cottony sky, to open the mind and conjure up warm, fuzzy feelings of escape to higher summits. Yes, if all goes well, for some of us, the mountain is calling and the hills will be alive again with the sound of laughter and abandon.

Winter holiday magic is a matter of contrasts.

Is there anything more delightful, after a thrilling, chilling downhill run, than a warm pause by a blazing fire, igniting your insides with cocoa or mulled wine? Can there be a starker contrast than the heady vastness of sparkling mountain below you and snowy sky above you, compared to the dense, paved streets, peppered with human beings, buildings and vehicles, left behind only a few hours ago?

We ask of our winter breaks that they bring escape and change. Challenging us physically, with athletic feats, daredevil stunts, robust hikes and dizzying heights, braving elements and endurance. Rewarding us physically, with soothing massages, hot tubs, sweet libations and oozy rich cheese in all possible guises. And pause. Time to reflect, take stock. Enjoy. Just be.

The backdrop to such moments is key. We look for comfort and softness, in a framework of reassuring solidity. We want cushy sofas, furry blankets, velvet armchairs, padded headboards, thick marshmallow duvets and woolly curtains, all enhanced by the golden hues of a well-tended fire, subtle lighting, suggestive shadows. We want sturdy, aged wood, knots and veins telling stories of ancient forests, calloused hands crafting shelter for weary travellers. We want noble slate, granite and wrought iron, recalling age-old traditions and trade secrets, passed on, perfected over time, allowing their patina to shield you as you surrender, shedding all of the last few months’, years’, weight off your shoulders.

And if hopping on a metal bird to escape to these mountainous

Galuchat Design celebrates ‘getting cozy’ over the coming months...

heavenly havens is not on the cards for you, why can you not recreate the same atmosphere at home? You can cast an eye on a room that has seen you do accounts, Pilates and ironing and, with small tweaks, transform it, while giving yourself licence to escape within your own home.

If you are ambitious, but not overly so, you could invest in some wallpaper, of the selfadhesive or peel-off kind, if a more permanent solution is too daunting – and redefine a key wall or two. It takes hardly any time at all to install - I still strongly recommend asking a professional decorator to install it for you but the labour cost is minimal for

“Create little pockets of flickering delight with clusters of candles, on a mantelpiece, table, window sill or radiator cover… Layering light is one of the most effective techniques to create drama and personality.”

such easy-to-apply material - while the effect will exceed your expectations.

If that feels too onerous, redefine the room in question. Add some light sources so as to create additional mood options. A floor lamp with a directional head provides indirect lighting, towards the ceiling or a piece of art, for example. A couple of hidden uplighters at the base of a wall light up said wallpaper, curtains, a texture or colour. Create little pockets of flickering delight with clusters of candles, on a mantelpiece, table, window sill or radiator cover… Layering light is one of the most effective techniques to create drama and personality. Low floor level, side table lamps or candles, floor or wall lamps are great additions to a room that only has ceilingmounted lights. When we allow ourselves the luxury to take a breath, we want to feel cocooned with a haloed alcove in the space we chose, not floating within its brightly-lit expanse.

Create a winter scheme that can allow a quick change-over to a spring or summer one later: get some furry cushion covers, or velvet or bouclé options, get a faux fur throw, or a thick woolly or cashmere option. Add sparkly candle holders and tealight saucers, a gingerbread or spicy room scent, essential oil or candle. Fill a vase with fragrant pine or fir tree branches.

And to finish it all off, light a comforting fire or turn on the fireplace channel (you laugh, you’d be surprised!) or It’s A Wonderful Life, sit back, pull on your bamboo socks, take a sip of your chosen tipple and breathe in that wintery escape feeling. You got away.

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