Celebrate the End of Daylight Saving Time with These Cozy Helpers
Daylight saving time officially ends this Sunday, November 7, so we’ll be turning the clocks back an hour. Fun fact: Benjamin Franklin was the original proponent of daylight savings in a satirical essay in 1784, and apparently he was half-joking (don’t we all wish he was?). Alas, Franklin’s joke turned into our reality, so we’ll be “falling back” into darkness an hour earlier.
How can we possibly talk about daylight savings time without including a clock? I’m obsessed with this new design—this will complement the satin nickel hardware in a kitchen or bathroom so nicely!
No one likes to come home to a dark house. I can’t imagine a home without a set of flameless candles. I love that they have a timer mode, so you can set them to come on when it works for you. The flicker of light adds such a soft touch to a room and I think when the daylight hours are shorter, this extra layer of light in a room not only creates ambiance but boosts your overall mood too. Plus, if any of those nasty winter storms hit, these will give you light in a power outage!
When there’s more darkness, I like to find items that give a brightening boost to my home. An expert gardener friend of mine once told me to always plant white flowers in my garden because you’ll see them at night. That’s what I thought of when I saw this faux orchid. The pretty white will be a nice accent to see even when a room might feel dark. Plus, if you don’t have a green thumb, these are totally low maintenance!
Another easy way to make a room feel a bit bigger and brighter is to hang a mirror on a wall that can reflect the light of a nearby window. There’s always a space to put an accent mirror like this one over a console table, down a hallway or mixed into a collage wall.
Daylight Savings time usually equates to a change in the season and weather, which also means, outdoor plants and flowers are shut down for the season. That’s why I always like to try and include some touches of “natural” greenery. Whether on a kitchen table, nestled in a bookcase or on a side table, there’s something about seeing greenery and touches of nature that keep my home from feeling too blah.
The darker days may call attention to the fact that you don’t have enough good lighting in your home. Make sure your end tables, console tables, night stands all have a lamp to help you shed a little light on things! I don’t like lamps to look to heavy or industrial…I prefer them to be quietly seen. A pretty lamp with a clear glass base blends into any decor and color scheme while giving you the function of additional lighting.
As the weather gets colder, and the daylight hours are less, it definitely feels like a good time to hibernate, doesn’t it? But don’t weigh down the look of your bedroom with heavy fabrics and colors. It’s a great time to lighten up a dark space with a great neutral quilt set. You can customize the look by adding pops of color or motifs of the season with decorative pillows.
And let’s face it, while you may be wanting to keep things on the “lighter” side during the dark days of winter, those colder and darker days do lend themselves to a cuddle up on the couch for a little snooze. I love this throw blanket for its texture and warmth!
Finally, with shorter daylight hours, the sun rises earlier in the morning. If you don’t like that ray of sunshine waking you up each day, consider getting some room darkening shades. Not only do they keep your room nice and dark, they also help to cut the chill of those cold winter mornings!
Jill Bauer is a nationally recognized home and design television personality who regularly appears on The TODAY Show with the latest in home advice. You can find more of her recommendations, recipes and more at JustJill.com.
