Winters in Canada come with long nights, chilly mornings, and absolutely brutal subzero temperatures. With those cold temps outside, however, we get something special: That super cozy feeling of being warm inside when it’s chilly outside. This post will cover seven simple, effective ways to create a warm, cozy living room with an electric fireplace that’s perfect for those Canadian winters.
I see our winters as sort of a cold-bedroom situation. You know how it always feels like you’re getting a deeper, cozier sleep when your bedroom is a little too cold but you’re nice and toasty under your blankets? You can achieve that feeling in your living room, too. Here’s how to make your living room so cozy that you’ll feel like a big, warm bear in your soft, winter den.
1. Add warmth with an electric fireplace
Electric fireplaces are the perfect way to add winter warmth to your home. They’re a little different from a space heater, both in how they work and what they do. Typically, an electric fireplace is quieter than a space heater—and it’s also way better for ambiance.
While a space heater often gives “office cubicle in an old building,” fireplaces feel warm, playful, and inviting. They offer both ambiance and practical space heating options, and they’re perfect as a room centrepiece. It’s easy to create a cozy atmosphere with a fireplace, whether you choose one that’s wall-mounted, freestanding, or a fireplace TV stand. (Not sure what kind you want? Here’s my post on how to choose which fireplace is right for you to help you decide.)
2. Use a fireplace TV stand for multifunctional comfort
Fireplace TV stands are a double-duty furniture item that’s perfect for creating a cozy home. Not only are they your living room storage and TV stand, they’re also a great piece of décor that draws all of your family members or guests in. They’re ideal living rooms that are short on space but still need both storage and style out of a new furniture piece.
It’s easy to create a cozy living room with a TV stand fireplace in the winter—but they’re actually a stylish option for all year round. Unlike a natural gas or wood-burning fireplace, fireplace TV stands are electric. Their heating element and flame display are separate. What that means for your living room is that you can turn on the fireplace with or without heat, making them the perfect choice for creating ambiance whether or not the room needs to be heated up.
3. Layer your lighting
A huge part of creating coziness is layering your lighting. Big lamps (aka ceiling lights) are your enemy. I cannot stress that enough: The big light is your enemy!! Using ceiling lights to illuminate your room creates harsh shadows and gives your space a cold, clinical feeling. Instead, opt for a multilayered approach with plenty of smaller floor, table, and decorative lamps that you love the look of.
Creating a cozy effect with your lighting is all about three things:
- Glow: How far does the glow of your lamp reach? Ideally, you want to blanket your whole room in soft light, but you should never have one light that’s illuminating your whole room. Make sure glow (or wattage) is limited, so your lamps create overlapping pools of light.
- Temperature: How warm are your lights? You want to to use only lights that are as warm as tungsten bulbs or warmer. Aim for lights that are 1000K-3000K. You lights should be warm, buttery, and yellow to red—just like a natural fireplace. Use smart lights to fully control your room’s ambiance.
- Height: Layer your lighting vertically as much as you layer it horizontally. Choose lighting fixtures that create glow between knee and head height. Try using different lighting options to create visual interest with height. For instance, pair your table and floor lamp with LED tabletop candles and a low-sitting electric fireplace.
The warmer, softer, and more layered your lights are, the cozier your room will feel.
4. Incorporate plush textiles
Coziness is all about layers. The flickering flames of your fireplace feel cozier than a lightbulb because they layer upon themselves; the pools of light around your multiple lamps and light feel cozier than an overhead fixture because they do, too.
You can use that same principle when it comes to textiles. Add layers of comfort to your living room with plush textiles to make the space feel more inviting. Try adding pieces like knit blankets, furry or fuzzy pillows, and fibrework rugs and wall art to add warmth to your living room.
5. Use supplemental heating where needed
You can add coziness by adding actual, literal warmth to your home where needed, too. Use electric fireplaces for zone heating, lowering your energy bills while keeping the rooms you actually use even warmer. Make rooms with cold spots feel more welcoming with freestanding electric fireplaces or space heaters, and upgrade your winter living room décor with fireplaces that work both visually and practically.
I grew up in a large, older home. Space heaters and electric fireplaces were essential for keeping us all warm during the winter without doubling (or tripling) our central heating bills. Instead of heating every unused hallway, bathroom, and living room, space heaters let us keep just our bedrooms (at night) or offices (during the day) nice and toasty. They were also a great way for us to even out the heating in our older home, as two of the bedrooms were always a good five degrees colder than the rest.
6. Personalize your cozy living room with décor and accessories
Still looking to make your living room cozier? Try adding touches of personalized décor and accessories. Add mantel décor above your fireplace, swap out artwork for cozy winter landscapes, and add texture and height wherever possible. Just make sure to keep decorations off of and away from heat sources like vents, fireplaces, and space heaters. Follow each product’s safety guidelines to prevent any risk of a fire or heat damage.
As the year stretches on, you can also personalize your living room and home with festive décor. Fresh winter greenery, LED candles, and other seasonal items are a great way to fill up a room with festivity and coziness. You can add lights, garlands, and decorations for events like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Diwali, Ramadan, Hanukkah, and more. Make your space reflect your style, family, and life for a cozy touch that feels personal.
7. Create focal points for cozy gatherings
My last tip for creating the ultimate cozy atmosphere with a fireplace is to focus on the idea of a focal point. Arrange furniture around your focal point and let them become a natural gathering place. That might look like angling your chairs and seating around a fireplace TV stand, clustering a few chairs and a tea table by a freestanding vintage fireplace, or creating a seating area near a wall-mounted fireplace.
Add even more dimension to your focal point by centring your larger décor items around it, too. Layer your textiles, lamps, and decorations in a way that draws you and your guests into one warm welcoming spot.
Ready to create that cozy atmosphere?
Coziness is, in its essence, all about creating a sense of warmth and welcome. The cold is inherently antithetical to that, so by creating warm, cozy spaces indoors, we can foster an environment that welcomes you in and encourages you to stay. Instead of braving it out in the cold, a cozy living room gives you a place to linger comfortably, catching up with friends, family, or a good book.
Create your coziest living room ever with electric fireplaces and décor online at Best Buy.
