5 Simple Interior Design Tips To Lower Your Heating Bill

We’ve all been advised to work from home this winter if we can, so this week on the blog I thought I would share a few simple interior design tips to try and keep the heating bill down as much as possible. By investing in soft furnishings and considering heat loss when choosing your interiors, you really can reduce your bills and become more sustainable and energy-efficient.

According to the National Trust, 10-20% of a room’s heat can be lost to uninsulated flooring - especially in older homes where there are gaps between the floorboards. Invest in a thick, high-pile rug or a good quality carpet with an underlay that will stop heat from being lost under your feet.

This Berber-Style Rug by La Redoute has a thick, high-pile and is comfortable underfoot. — *This Berber-Style Rug by* *La Redoute* *has a thick, high-pile and is comfortable underfoot.*

La Redoute are a great supplier of good quality rugs at high street prices. Their Berber-style rug is an Instagram favourite and comes in three sizes. For trend-led rugs and fabulous rugs for children’s bedrooms, try Smallable.

It’s a bit of an interior secret and not many would think of John Lewis & Partners as the first place to look to choose carpet, but they are one of the best when it comes to modern designs without a designer price tag. Try a herringbone or geometric pattern to add visual interest to your floor.

Typically, a house loses around 10% of its heat via the windows. Thick, good quality fabric curtains with a thermal lining will insulate your windows and will help stop heat escaping. If curtains aren’t for you, then many other window treatment manufacturers now offer discreet draught-proofing. Cellular blinds have a honeycomb design to keep in the heat, while you can purchase bespoke shutters fitted exactly to window measurements, blocking any unwanted gaps.

*Try Marks & Spencer for affordable, thermal, pencil pleat blackout curtains.*

It might be tempting to hide an ugly radiator with the back of the sofa, but blocking a radiator stops heat flowing through into the room as the furniture absorbs it instead. Try to not obstruct your radiator from doing its job by keeping furniture away from it with a minimum 10-15cm gap.

*I make sure that I position my corner armchair at least 10cm away from my radiator and tilt it at an angle so that heat flow can pass through.*

If you really want to hide an ugly radiator, paint it the same colour as the wall! ‘Colour washing’ your radiator stops it from feeling like an unwanted feature or eyesore.

Colour, pattern and texture are all essential when creating an appealing, inviting interior. Layer up your room with a variety of fabrics and textiles via blankets, throws and quilts which not only create a ‘homely’ feel, they also provide extra warmth when required without having to turn up the thermostat.

This storage basket is from H&M Home — *This storage basket is from* *H&M Home*

Gone are the days of draught excluders designed to resemble snakes or stretched out sausage dogs (an 80’s favourite). There are a variety of stylish, contemporary designs now available to stop heat escaping via gaps under doors and through the letterbox. Buy modern letter plates via Amazon and door draught excluders via Garden Trading, John Lewis & Partners and Amara.