Cozy lighting is one of those things that makes the darker days of winter tolerable. Northern places in the world like Scandinavia know this because they deal with much longer dark days in the winter than we do here in New England.

While I maintain the day we get an extra hour of sleep when we switch back to standard time is glorious - I am the queen of sleep! - it has the downside of heralding in shorter daylight hours (at least of the ones when I am up!).

To combat this, there are several antidotes.

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The magic of candles

When we set the clocks back, I will start setting up Christmas lights to stave off the dreary cold and dark by adding the Christmas candles to the windows no matter HOW early it is. Christmas is one of the few redeeming features of Winter as far as I’m concerned.

I don’t love the cold and I find the short daylight hours depressing, so embracing the coziness of candlelight is important to my mental well being for the next few months.

I’m not terribly keen on scented candles - though if I must pick a scent for setting something on fire, I usually choose vanilla.

But my favorite candles are currently some battery operated faux ones that flicker. They have a timer option on the switch that turns them all on automatically for what I think to be around 6 hrs and then turns them off again. Mine were a gift, so I’m not sure where they came from, but these are similar.

Some of my Christmas window candles seem to be of the same timer ilk, though I don’t always know which ones. Someday I will either conduct a definitive experiment or just replace them with new ones?!

I’m thinking of these candles which are battery operated tapers, along with these brass candlesticks which would give more of the appearance of real candles than the plug-in plastic variety.

Lighting options

Overhead lighting (other than chandeliers) is the least flattering and least cozy lighting. Ceiling lights generally have more of an interrogation room vibe. Work spaces like kitchen or craft room counters are generally the only rooms where overhead lights are a good idea, or narrow hallways with standard height ceilings that leave no other options.

In general, most rooms need some combination of at least 3 lamps/wall sconces. The larger the room, the more lighting will be needed.

Here are some interesting well priced new lighting options (click on image for link):

This scalloped shade table lamp is irresistible because…SCALLOPS! - perfect for a bedside, sofa end table, or hall chest - available in several finishes.

And this floor lamp and buffet lamp are rechargeable so NO CORDS - making them perfect for floating sofa tables and chairs that are nowhere near an outlet. They come in a variety of finishes and hold a charge for 11 or 12 hrs…plenty of time to curl up with a good book!

The tubular sconce is an elegant option for beside a bath vanity mirror, and the swing wall sconces are great little reading lights for library bookcase stiles or a bed wall. Or use the stationary wicker sconce or the lithe flora sconce over a fireplace mantle or anywhere you need a little extra light.

Cozy throws

And finally, once you have your lighting sorted for maximum coziness, add a faux fur or cashmere throw. I have both and they are liberally used in my house as soon as the weather turns cool and crisp.