Easy Winter Home Improvement Projects

When the weather is warm and sunny, you’ll find most of the Pinto Carpentry crew out in our yards and gardens, enjoying the fresh air and beautifying our front and backyards. We’re big fans of a family cookout, and love to spend time in our backyard spaces in Spring and Summer. But when the temps start to drop and the weather gets colder, we retreat indoors for some much needed R&R.  Our focus turns from outdoor garden builds and patio projects to indoor improvements and updates.

We love a good opportunity to fix up the house, spruce things up, and make the most of winter with some indoor remodeling projects.  Today we’re going to share some great projects you can tackle without having to brave the cold (well, except for going to the store, that is.)  We’ll be breaking things down into two categories: Ways to improve your home’s coziness factor, and Easy Updates You Can Complete Over a Weekend! We guarantee that no matter your design aesthetic, you'll find a lot of inspiration for easy winter home improvement projects below.

Easy Winter Projects to Boost Your Home’s Cozy Factor

If you’re “very plugged in” and chronically online (like our social media manager), chances are you’ll have seen the term Hygge floating around; this concept is a Danish cultural practice of creating coziness and comfort, and focuses your efforts on crafting an atmosphere that’s all about contentment and well-being.  The projects in this section are all about creating a cozy atmosphere, savoring softness of the season, and creating meaningful moments within the home.

1. Lamps and Lighting:  While bright-white day bulbs and recessed LED can lights made resurgence at hte same time as greige, we’re going to steer clear of that clinical, cold vibe and move into something softer, more homey.  Ambient lighting creates a more inviting atmosphere that relaxes our minds and bodies instinctively.When you’re selecting new lighting, we recommend avoiding “The Big Light” and opting for something more soft and welcoming with a bit of warmth.  You want to choose lamps or light features that utilize 2200-2700k range bulbs for a sense of wartm, natural light like the glow of a candle or fireplace.  Opt for lamps that have an organic shape and feel to them to bring a bit of the outdoors inside; think with warm woods and rounded edges, floral motifs, glass lampshades with earth tones, or lampshades with natural textures that diffuse the light further.  Vintage light fixtures are also a great choice as they often elicit feelings of nostalgia from yesteryear.

Consider adding an electric fireplace with a simulated flame or a wood burning stove for more ambiance.  LED candles make a pet-safe and child-safe alternative to wax candles without the fire risk.  If you’re not in the mood to add lamps or lanterns or fireplaces, you could also add a dimmer to your current lighting and swap out the starkly bright bulbs for dimmable options to control the level of light in the room.Solar lights are a great accompaniment for exterior coziness around firepits, pathways, your front walkways, and even amidst gardens for a little charm and whimsy in the non-growing season.  Likewise, adding an outdoor fire pit with cozy seating to your yard  or patio can create a warm, inviting space to enjoy the sparkling snow and ice in a cozy fashion. (Who doesn’t love s’mores and hot chocolate by the fire!)

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Play with Color and Hue:  No matter what Pantone's “cloud dancer” tries to push on us, the facts are this: interior design is thankfully starting to transition away from the days of dull farmhouse neutrals, shiplap feature walls, and the cursed Millennial Greige.  The sea of “live, laugh, labcoat” white interior photos are dwindling, and are being replaced by vibrant, lived-in, unique dwelling imagery as more homeowners opt to create homes filled with texture, art, character, and charm again!  We love to see it, personally.  There’s just something so wonderful about stepping into a home, looking around at the decor, and really getting a sense of who the person is that resides there.  
   

Now, don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a neutral or pastel palette, but if you’re going that route it always helps to add texture and depth and mix your hues and shades for contrast.  Mixing neutrals is a great way to add texture and depth to your home, even if the space is smaller than you’d like.  Avoid painting in shades like “ultra bright pure white” and instead grab a few paint chips in various shades of cream; don’t be afraid to mix warm and cool tones here, either, as that can create an immense amount of visual interest and texture.  Mix and match elements in your stairwell such as white painted stair risers with warm wood stained treads to add more light.Lean into optical illusions like colorwashing, and yes, even if the rooms are on the smaller side.  Colorwashing might seem counter-intuitive, but painting the trim, walls, and ceilings the same shade can actually open up a space, give the illusion of being more grand in size, and add a touch of elegance.  Using one focal wall of a different, darker neutral shade or a pop of color and matching the ceiling to it can create more depth and flow to a small room as well.  Feature walls such as slat walls, textured wallpaper, faux brick finishes, roman plaster, lime washing, and other methods are another wonderful choice.

3. Play with Texture:  Liven up your home with interesting physical and visual textures by way of natural fabrics, wall art, floor rugs, and other accessories that create dimension and interest. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a mix-and-match of selections!Layer texture in the form of textiles such as mixing thermal curtains with sheer panels and multiple curtain rods. Alternate your curtain panels with different shades of the same color, or frame them with contrasting or complimentary colors for a fun twist.  Add a curtain rod to a windowless wall, and use the curtains to frame a wood or metal plant stand featuring unique house plants or a framed piece of art illuminated by a charming floor lamp.Style throw pillows and blankets in different shapes, sizes, and fabrics that compliment or contrast your paint colors.  Opt for chunky knit blankets, soft fluffy fleeces, waffle knit throws, and lightweight blankets in natural fiber fabrics to add some texture to your couch. A couch cover is another way to refresh things without breaking the bank – turn your ratty old seating setup into something resembling luxury designer furniture with a stretch-velvet cover for as little as $50!

Mix up your wall hangings to include not just flat prints and framed photos, but also thicker canvas with textural applications.  Bring in some faux florals, organic elements like live-edge wood furniture, wreaths, dried flower and orange garlands, etc to bring a little bit of the outdoors in.

Create some cozy nooks in your home such as a reading nook with a big comfy chair, a beanbag, “human dog bed” to cozy up and share with your pets, soft lamp lighting, and gussy up the space by choosing some decorative and antique books to put on display on wall shelving.  A coffee bar is another great option, giving you a designated space to create some warm winter treats; it also brings in that charming neighborhood coffeehouse vibe to your own home, inviting guests to get creative and customize their drink with a little whimsy.  Doesn’t get more cozy than that.

Easy Home Updates You Can Complete in a Weekend

These projects are quick, easy, and for the most part fairly budget friendly. They’re great for those who are short on time thanks to holiday get-togethers, busy work schedules, or folks with kids who need to be chauffeured to activities.

1. Refresh Household Cabinetry:  Something as simple as replacing hardware like hinges, handles, knobs, and drawer pulls can give your kitchen and bathroom cabinetry a huge facelift!  Likewise, applying peel-and-stick wallpaper to cabinet doors and/or painting them with specialty cabinet paint can make them look brand new without the hefty remodeling price tag!

2. Swap Out Plumbing and Bathroom Fixtures:  Replace your outdated showerhead with a modern waterfall shower feature for a spa-like experience at home for pennies on the dollar.  Change out your bathroom and kitchen faucets with something more stylized and unique to you, and don’t be afraid to mix and match finishes and colors here!  We’re adding character and depth to otherwise boring, typical features. Make those faucets a conversation starter!  Add a little flair and personality to things like toilet paper dispensers, medicine cabinets, and even toilets by selecting colorful, modern options.

3. Update Your Countertops: If the budget allows, you can always swap out formica or butcher block cabinets with the more popular and value-additive options like Quartz, Burnished Concrete, Marble, or Granite.  For those who are on a budget, however, check out the amazing DIY options for faux-finish marble veining paint kits, or opt for a countertop rental friendly refresh with vinyl wrap or wallpaper in luxurious finishes.

4. Refresh Your Walls: Try mixing and matching different colors like a bold matte black accent wall with the rest of the room in a bright color. Apply a matte base coat and create a botanical or geometric design in the same shade but with a glossy, satin or eggshell finish for a monochromatic mural that creates an optical illusion in different lighting.  Grab some renter/DIY friendly vinyl peel and stick wallpaper to add a punch of color or pattern to an unexpected place such as a hallway, entry way, or even doors.

5. Bring Your Home Into 2025:  Update your electronics to include some Smart Home features such as plug adaptors that allow lights to be controlled by apps or timers, digital thermostats, home security system, camera doorbells, motion sensor lights or faucets, and more.  Replace outdated, old appliances with energy efficient models.  Add task-lighting under cabinets for a more illuminated workspace for the food vlogger and content creator in your life.