3 ways (on 3 budgets) to get your home ready for a cosy winter

Sponsored by American Express

The end of the financial year is approaching and with it the start of the chillier weather. Time to bunker down at home and watch the good TV, get out the slow cooker, light some candles and cosy up! If you ask us, it’s time to invest in a few new pieces to make your home more comfortable for the cooler months, whatever your budget. Even better, there are often plenty of EOFY sales to take advantage of when doing so. Here are our top purchase suggestions to get your home winter ready, from the practical to the beautiful.

Under $300

You can’t beat a great scented candle on a chilly evening. We love Cocolux Australia‘s. From $45.

Layering ambient light to create a warm and cosy vibe becomes even more important when it’s cooler outside. Here are a couple of my favourite table lamps from Beacon Lighting:

Just because it’s cold, doesn’t mean you can’t use the back yard. A firepit is a surprisingly affordable way to enable you to get outside of an evening almost all year round! This Milkcan one is under $200 from House of Home.

This Castle jumbo lambswool blanket, $249 is huge, warm and makes a great pop of colour. You’ll have it for years, whether it’s on the lounge or on your bed.

They’re on trend, they look fabulous, they’re soft and warm and the ideal extra layer for your winter interiors. If you don’t already have one, it’s probably time to invest in a sheepskin! We love the look and feel of the Mongolian kind. This one’s $249 from Tara Dennis Store.

Under $500

Love the glow of a real fire without the mess? How about this elegant fireplace that runs on bioethanol (methylated spirits) at under $500 from Designer Fire?

Under $1000

Layering rugs, like I did in my old bedroom (pictured) is a great way to give your interior a more wintery and cosy look. It’s also a great way to make a smaller, more expensive patterned rug go further, by placing it on top of a larger, cheaper, plain rug. Some of my favourite rugs can be found at west elm and Miss Amara.

I love my Dyson AM09 Hot + Cool, $599. The good-looking, quiet, safe way to heat your room quickly and evenly. These are particularly great for bedrooms without air con at night.

Splash out on this beautiful, heirloom quality, super warm angora and merino throw blanket from Bemboka for $539.

Not got the cash right now but raring to get started on warming up your home for winter?

In response to research showing interest-free payment plans are popular with customers, American Express, the game changers in the credit card space, have developed Pay Your Way. In an Australian first for a credit card issuer, it gives American Express issued Card Members the flexibility to spread payments for large purchases over monthly instalments at 0% per annum. All you pay is a small setup fee — 2%, 3% or 4% of the purchase amount depending on the plan duration you select – and what’s more, you can still earn rewards with these purchases.

So, if you don’t want to wait to get your home looking and feeling winter ready, this option could give you the flexibility to do so, and pay it back over your chosen period (3, 6 or 12 months) with no interest. You can even cancel an instalment plan at any time with no penalty.

For example, you could buy the Dyson Hot + Cool for $599 and pay it off over 6 months for a one-off 3% fee (just $17.97).

Terms and conditions apply. American Express Card Members should look out for invitations to enrol, visit https://www.americanexpress.com/au/content/credit-cards/pay-your-way/ or call the number on the back of their card to find out more.