The holiday season is finally here! During this time, we all love cozying up by the warm fireplace with eggnog and holiday cookies and enjoying each other’s company. The holiday season is also a great time to incorporate this warm and inviting atmosphere in to your living space! If you’re having trouble figuring out how to create a cozy and relaxed feel in your home, ponder no more! Home improvement expert Eli Mechlovitz, owner of GlassTileStore.com, has the scoop on quick and easy ways to warm up your home for the holidays.

This holiday season, create a snug and inviting atmosphere in your house with Eli’s simple tips:

Rugs. In addition to literally warming up your cold floors, a throw rug will create an inviting, cozy atmosphere in your room as well. A soft rug invites you to sit on the floor by the fire to enjoy a glass of wine and a good book. It also means you can kick off your shoes without getting frostbite! Add warm autumn colors like deep reds and gold for extra warmth.

Books and photo albums. Whether they fill empty space on a bookshelf or are conveniently placed on a coffee table, books and photo albums create a “lived in” look and feel. It makes people want to wrap up in a blanket and snuggle on the couch while reminiscing through old albums. However, don’t go overboard because you don’t want it to look cluttered. There should be a few books and albums strategically placed to invite sitting and relaxing.

Welcome guests. Welcome people into your home in a friendly, inviting way by placing a welcome mat at your front door. Choose one with rich, autumn colors or hang a welcome sign by your front door or in the entry way.

Greenery or artificial flowers. Color adds warmth, especially red, orange, gold and green. Fill your house with warm, rich colors, and add scented candles or plug-ins (think holiday flavors like pumpkin spice or cranberry) to top off the effect.

Turn your furniture towards the fireplace. There’s something magical about sitting around a fire, enjoying coffee or wine, and reminiscing. The flames make people talk, they make you feel cozy, and they encourage good times. If your furniture isn’t already, arrange it so all of the pieces point towards the fireplace. Then grab a book and see how many people join you!

“Holiday up” the bathroom. Bathrooms are often forgotten when we get our home ready for the holidays. Add some themed towels, colorful scented candles, and sparkly holiday soaps to add some holiday warmth to a room that every family member and mosts guests end up spending some time in:)

Choose seasonal throw pillows for your furniture. Add holiday-themed throw pillows to the chairs and couch, along with a cozy blanket hanging on the back of the couch. The colors will warm the room and make the area extra cozy.

Add curtains to your windows if you don’t have them already. The colors will add emotional warmth and the curtains will physically warm. Curtains are a great way to trap the cold outside while still letting natural light warm the house.

Add twinkly lights throughout your home. Decorate the indoor greenery with lights, drape them over the doorway, and string them up in the bathroom or any other place that needs a little extra light. Soft white adds a nice touch and creates a holiday glimmer inside as well as out.

Place holiday candy jars around the house. Add glass jars filled with peppermints, butterscotch hard candies, and colorful holiday ribbon candy around the house. Place the jars in easily visible places, such as on the coffee table and kitchen counters.

The above design tips by home improvement expert Eli Mechlovitz will help warm up your house for the holidays. Use the tips to ensure your home has a cozy and inviting atmosphere throughout the entire holiday season!