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Warm the cockles during this cold snap with these cosy winter furnishings, picked out by WoI’s tea-and-thermals-hoarding editors…
Dress to Chill
Chosen by Ginny Davies, designer
My namesake, great-aunt Gin, was rarely seen in anything other than a housecoat. Whatever the chore, special occasion or time of year, she would arrive swathed in utilitarian florals, virtually with mop in hand. Even at church on Christmas Day (fair enough I say: cleanliness is next to godliness, after all), she would arrive in her tightly belted robe. Taking after her in more than just name, I am yearning for an update to my cosy winter wear in the form of this quilted cotton gown from Toast. Made from double-faced cotton and recycled wadding, it’s comfortable and soft enough to virtually live in – or in Aunt Gin’s case, never take off.
Dream Steam
Chosen by Ariadne Fletcher, editorial associate
In these colder months, a cosy cup of tea is a welcome companion: builder’s, lapsang, green or chai, when it comes to tea my appetite is wide and voracious. When it comes to kettles, however, I am somewhat more discerning. This Japanese one designed by Sori Yanagi is just the ticket: simple and functional with a wide base to ensure rapid heating, it’s no wonder it won the ‘Good Design’ award in Japan in 1998.
Sole Food
Chosen by Michaela Nilsson, senior designer
Cold winter days call for warm blankets, soft cushions and a shaggy rug to put your feet on when heading to the kitchen to make another cup of tea. The oval-shaped Cappelen-Dimyr rug has all and everything one can ask for – it’s soft, curly and will make that trip to the kettle feel like a walk on clouds.
Advanced Warming
Chosen by David Lipton, decoration associate
‘Is there a way to wear fur this winter?’ a journalist asked Anna Wintour in the 2009 cult documentary The September Issue. Glibly she responds: ‘There’s always a way to wear fur. Personally I have it on my back.’ And even in bed? Crossing the final frontier, I venture to agree with Picasso that ‘anything can be covered in fur’. Not for nothing did Meret Oppenheim create the world’s most seductive Surrealist sculpture – that shaggy teacup – by following his advice. And so behold the furry hot-water bottle cover. Made of natural sheepskin, this can be your very own bed-bound masterpiece. Or at least masterstroke: if not the most fashionable, artistic, or even best, certainly the warmest way to wear fur this winter.
The Flax of Life
Chosen by Eleanor Parsons, digital director
I always find adding textiles on textiles on textiles builds a sense of hygge in any room; and throwing a cloth over the kitchen or dining table is an easy way to do this. I love the warming burnt-orange of this hand-dyed linen number, which has a contrasting maroon edge. The maker, Madre Linen, is female-founded, and has a mission to revive domestic flax farming and linen production in their native Oregon. A warming thought, indeed.
Scents and Sensibility
Chosen by Alice Kemp-Habib, features editor
Nothing banishes the winter blues more comprehensively than a long, hot soak. And what better way to lift your spirits than with a suite of luxurious bath and body products – particularly ones which evoke the hopeful scent of spring? Best saved for special occasions, a few drops of this geranium-scented bath oil in a steaming hot tub will soothe mind and body alike (and help to summarily thaw any frostbitten digits). Meanwhile, the rich body balm that accompanies will calm chapped winter skin, infusing your onward journey with the fragrance of florals to come.
Blanket Canvas
Chosen by Alice Inggs, digital editor
Arthur Dent may have needed a towel to tour the galaxy, but a blanket is by far the superior prerequisite on planet earth, particularly in winter. Both a comfort in the cold and a way of brightening your bedroom when the low winter sun casts little light, one of Hollie Bowden and Ceska Dvorak’s quilty pleasures is a tonic for the season – as well as the imagination. My pick is ‘Mirror’, a light blue and dark brown lovely woven by a heritage mill in Lancashire with an abstract pattern inspired by photographs of interior staircases. The idea may have been inspired by British Modernism, but the practice of symbolic blanket design is as old as the (c)hills. Taking a cue from ancestors near and far, who used such figuratively adorned blankets as cloaks, I may take to wearing this one around the house. If I happen to accidentally hail a passing spaceship in the process, I’ll be well prepared.
Lavender Marriage
Chosen by Rose Eaglesfield, Decoration Associate
What do Grace Coddington at the Met Gala, mischievous Australian twin bananas from a 90s kids TV show, and me on a cosy winter’s day have in common? We’re all in pyjamas! This lavender pair, designed by Tilde Bjerregaard for Hay, is a particularly dreamy option for a day of cool and co-ordinated lounging.
More tempting shopping stories from The World of Interiors
- The World of Interiors Bookshop: Books selected, read and loved by our editors
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- The beverage report: a selection of delectable hot-chocolate pots
- Solving the case: luggage and oddments for the discerning traveller
These cosy winter furnishings may have come in handy in Sweden’s sensational ice hotel… Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter, and be the first to receive exclusive shopping stories like this one, direct to your inbox
