Create the Ultimate Winter Sanctuary at Home
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Embracing winter takes practice and a little home decor to make it extra cozy. When creating a winter sanctuary at home, think about bringing nature indoors. Add light, and cozy touches making it a calm, inviting space.
If this idea is overwhelming, start small and build onto it each year. In this article I will break down how to start and what materials to incorporate to transform a space that will focus on connection with nature, mindful relaxation, and creating a spiritual or reflective space. For more on this subject, check out my other post on “Winter Reset: 12 Ways to Recharge Mind, Body, Spirit“.
Table of Contents
5 Easy Spots to Transform into a Winter Sanctuary
The perfect spot will depend on how you wish to use it. Imaging the time of day or night you will want to retreat to this sanctuary. I have named the five spots in my house:
- The Lounge
- The Reflective Retreat
- The Inspiration Nook
- The Self Care Counter
- The Work Space
Is it when you are coming home from work, or getting up extra early before the rest of the house? What will you be doing in this sanctuary? Think about if you want this space to have a window–to view the snow falling, or the wintery scene. Here are five examples of spaces to inspire you.
1. The Lounge:
If you picture yourself lounging there, napping, or reading a book, then find a comfortable space. This could be a soft chair, bed, or couch. It just needs to be comfortable for you, and somewhere you would relax.
I created my Winter Sanctuary Lounge in my bedroom.
I treated the dresser where my TV sits like a fireplace mantle.
Dressed it up with real pine branches and pine cones to bring the outdoors, inside.
Added some candles, fairy lights, and golden balls for decor.
I chose my bedroom because it is a quiet place to relax, unlike the living room where my kids are probably watching TV or playing games.
Here’s a genius idea: Use YouTube to find a wintery scene to complete your sanctuary.
Since I live in Florida, it gives me the feeling of winter because I am seeing snow outside. This is a beautiful wintery rooftop lounge. It could be NYC–how dreamy!
It’s also great for a virtual fireplace, as seen below.
Since I will be using this as a lounge area to read or meditate, I chose to set a tray on the bed to hold my beverage and other objects.
You can’t see it in this picture, but I am propped up by big soft pillows, leaning on the headboard, and covered in a warm blanket.
The YouTube fireplaces to choose from are unbelievable! They are so realistic.
Simply go to YouTube on your TV App and type in “Winter Scene” or “Fireplace”.
And for a Florida girl like me who misses a fireplace, this makes me feel like I am in a cabin up north.
I swear just seeing the fire makes me feel warmer.
The real pine branches came from my Christmas tree and I collected the pine cones from a neighbor’s yard.
To add a touch of “snow”, I painted the edges of the branches with acrylic paint.
And here is another YouTube scene of a cabin on a lake. Wish I was there!
Buy Now → Add A Reflection Space in Your Winter Sanctuary
- Spiritual Connection: Set up a small altar or reflective area with elements like candles, stones, dried flowers, or meaningful items. Winter season is a good time to slow down and reflect on the year. Remember those you have lost with small photos or memorabilia.
- Focus on mindfulness: Use this space to practice meditation, gratitude, or chant affirmations. Write in a journal, or engage in other mindful practices. Consider adding a comfortable seat or cushion to encourage lingering.
2. The Reflective Retreat:
If you picture yourself meditating, journaling, or simply reflecting there, then identify an area to set up a shrine. However you see yourself using this winter retreat will dictate how you set it up.
Here I display a buddha head, and salt lamp for a meditative space, on my kitchen counter. An offering of oranges for the new year can represent perseverance and gratefulness. According to the psychology of colors, orange represents purity and spirituality and the color has traditionally been a symbol of optimism, happiness, enthusiasm, and feminine power.
Pictured here is my gratitude journal, which I plan to write in every morning as I sip hot bone broth.
Not only is this Reflective Winter Sanctuary a great way to start the day, but it is healthy. Organic Bone Broth is anti-inflammatory and well known for healing the gut lining, as well as a great source of protein.
The glow of the Himalayan Salt Lamp is warm and has many healthy benefits like:
- clearing mucus, protection from germs
- reducing stress
- increased energy levels
- improved air quality
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
3. The Inspiration Nook:
If you just want to enjoy looking at it from across the room, then find a nook or a corner of a room that invites your gaze.
Allow your thoughts to run wild when looking at this space. Place some thoughtful objects on the table, maybe a book or journal.
This is am antique writing desk from my late mother’s collection. I love all of it’s drawers and small size, which is perfect for a nook.
Tables can be hard spaces, so I softened this one with Dried Pussy Willow Branches in a jar.
The mirror allows for reflection and creates an alter-like feel. Add a lamp for light, or candles.
Add objects that are meaningful and maybe whimsical.
Remember to bring the outside indoors with a touch of nature.
Buy Now → 4. The Self Care Counter:
If you envision giving yourself more “Me” time in this space, then create a counter space in your bedroom or bathroom and fill it with self care items to recharge your body.
Pull together special self care items to make you feel cared for. These could be things you don’t have time for on a usual day. But this Winter Sanctuary will entice you to take the time.
I always bring in items from nature that either evoke a memory or just a good, holistic feeling. Here I have a rabbits foot fern cutting, a bowl of tiny crystals, a mini aloe plant, and a sea urchin shell.
Here I have added my Vitamin C Serum for the face, along with the Gua Sha Facial Tool. Winter is a time to restore moisture to your face and tend to dry skin. Vitamin C Serum’s health benefits are: improved skin texture, antioxidant protection, brightening effect, collagen stimulation and more.
Buy Now → I also diffuse all-natural Essential oils when I engage in my Self Care Routine for that spa-like atmosphere.
A few ornamental trees and a candle usher in that winter sanctuary.
Rose quartz crystal is good for this space as it’s healing properties include positive energy to relationships, feminine energy, helps clear stored anger, resentment, jealousy, fears. Rose quartz is prized for helping individuals to attract love and overcome emotional pain.
I brought forward a few make up products that I want to use daily.
One thing that has made a big difference in how my skin feels is this Dry Brush. Use it on arms and legs before the shower to brush off dead skin cells. It can be used for exfoliating the skin or stimulating the lymphatic system and boosting blood circulation. This one is made with all natural materials: boar bristles and bamboo.
Buy Now → Bring Nature Inside with Natural Textures and Colors
To fully embrace winter, we have to allow it to come into our space. You can do this with pictures of winter scenes or create your very own with items found in nature.
Items Found in Nature: I encourage you to go for a nature walk and find pieces of nature to bring inside. Things like pine cones, a small branch, rocks, and more. Add these items to your winter sanctuary scape.
Keep it minimal! Use a few natural elements and mindful arrangements to create a warm, calming effect.
Natural Fibers and Fabrics: Use wool, cotton, and linen throws, pillows, and blankets. Choose colors that are warm and inviting to you during winter. Many people like whites, creams, and natural earth tones when creating a warm, cozy space.
I would stay away from making it too Christmas-y since you will want to use this winter sanctuary all season. Use Nature-inspired colors: Shades of burnt orange, whites, deep greens, ochre, and warm browns to create a soothing, winter-centric space.
5. The Work Space:
If you picture yourself working, writing, or crafting in your Winter Sanctuary, then find a desk or table area to transform. Here I have added some whimsy with the owl and wintery bird. Add a light or candle for warmth.
Making your work space a winter sanctuary can help with productivity!
See how I have incorporated nature here in a small Glass Terrarium. Arrange some natural elements like dry orange slices, pine cones, rocks, and more and place inside. Add some fairy lights (battery operated) for a warm glow.
Buy Now → Embrace Natural Aromas (Without Toxins)
Your house is likely closed up for the season, so there is little natural air flow to clean out stale air. That’s why it is more important than ever to be sure you are using non toxic candles, and other aromas.
My favorite non-toxic candles are made of coconut wax or beeswax. Check out this post for more information on toxins found in traditional soy and paraffin wax candles.
Try these Handmade Pure Beeswax Rolled Candles for a more natural home aroma. Beeswax can actually purify your air, rather than bring in unwanted toxins.
Handmade Pure Beeswax Rolled Candles
Buy Now →Use dried herbs: I especially like to use homemade winter potpourri and place in a bowl in my winter sanctuary. Try a combination of any of these ingredients: cranberries, dried apples, oranges, pine cones, cinnamon sticks and rosemary.
Try this beautiful Glass Simmer Pot for Stovetop: Add oranges, cloves, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and pine needles in the pot with water.
Buy Now → Even a Ceramic Essential Oil Diffuser can work as a way to bring natural aromas and non toxic scents into your home. Use natural scents like Pine and Wintergreen by Young Living for a divine winter sanctuary.
Ceramic Essential Oil Diffuser
Buy Now →I prefer scents like: pine, and wintergreen. I trust Young Living as a brand for their natural, purely organic products.
Pine Essential Oil 5ml by Young Living
Buy Now →
Wintergreen Essential Oil 5 ml
Buy Now →Add Warmth for an Inviting Glow While Combatting Depression
Whether you find a space near a fireplace or window with natural light, try adding soft lighting from a candle or small lamp to warm up the space. Mirrors are another good source of reflective light for this kind of space.
As you have seen in this post above, I use Fairy Lights, and Himalayan Salt Lamp, or dimmable warm lights for ambiance without overpowering.
If you sense a bit of depression from lack of sunlight during these winter months, you may be experiencing Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD), according to this publication by the National Library of Medicine. Bright Light Therapy (BLT), has been proven effective as a first-line therapeutic modality to SAD.
Learn more about choosing a light from this article by the Mayo Clinic. I read it to understand features and considerations of light sources.
Try this Verilux Happy Light in your winter sanctuary. It can feel like a daily dose of sunshine. Studies say that bright light therapy improves sleep, boosts mood, increases energy, and enhances focus so you feel revitalized throughout the day, making it good for Seasonal Affect Disorder.
Buy Now → Incorporate Creativity for a Calm Winter Sanctuary
Create with nature:
Arrange seasonal leaves, pine cones, or small pumpkins for décor or try nature-inspired DIY crafts, like leaf pressing.
Start a hobby for this season:
Art is a wonderful way to stay grounded, yet be creative.
- watercolor
- knitting or crocheting
- sewing or quilting
- collage
- pencil sketches
- baking
Engage your brain:
Try new puzzles, or board games to keep your brain stimulated. It’s so cozy to sit with a puzzle, snuggled up in a blanket. Light a candle and work that brain! Studies show that working on puzzles can improve short term memory.
Work on your Vision Board:
Check out this post for more about creating a Vision Board with Intention.
I show you step by step how to create a vision board or book that will help you stay focused on your goals.
Whether you are creative or not, making a vision board has been proven to help stay on track for short or long term goals.
If you are a visual person like me, then you will appreciate the process of putting one together that can actually work.
Conclusion
Creating a winter sanctuary is about small changes that promote peace, relaxation, health and connection with nature. Begin with a corner or area you already love and see the effect a few natural elements can bring.
Decide the area of your home you will transform by the activity you will do there. This will help guide you to a useful space to enjoy this winter. be sure to remember to add light for warmth, and keep health in mind when choosing your approach.
