Cosy Granny Flat Ideas, inspired by customers

Granny Flat Ideas to beat the Winter Blues

With December fast-approaching, the most wonderful time of year is upon us. Yet, despite all the joy the festive season brings, it’s not always easy to remain positive at Christmas. In fact, it’s thought that around 2 million people in the UK suffer from the winter blues. As the days get shorter and the nights grow colder, these people are increasingly looking for ways to alleviate their symptoms.

Eating healthily, keeping active and spending time outdoors are all great ways of doing this, but it’s also important to create a home you’ll feel relaxed in. After all, avoiding the cold can reduce symptoms by up to a half, so creating a warm, cosy and inviting space is truly the perfect remedy. To help inspire you, we’ve created this handy list of cosy granny flat ideas with the help of our real customers, the Haughton family, that’ll have you beating the winter blues in no time…

Add in some cushions and a throw…

One sure-fire way to establish a warm ambience in your annexe is by investing in soft furnishings to scatter around the place. Hibernate under feel-good textures and relax in peace with the simple addition of fuzzy blankets, cashmere throws and cushions-a-plenty.

Our wheatley extra plus bespoke annexe customer Sandi Haughton has opted for scattered cushions on each sofa, along with a couple of cosy blankets that are tucked away in a basket to keep the place looking tidy throughout the day. As well as keeping you warm, adding some snuggly furnishings to your sofa and armchairs helps you to feel even comfier when you’re curled up with a book and festive cup of cocoa. After all, is anything more cosy than bundling up under a gigantic, oh-so soft blanket?

Include warm lighting…

When thinking of granny flat ideas, it’s important to remember the key to creating any cosy, feel-good space, is to master the lighting you have within it. While great lighting is always important, during the winter months it becomes essential. Amid shorter days, darker nights and jarring afternoon sunsets, it’s important to use your annexe’s lighting to make up for any lack of sunlight.

In your garden home, you can choose from a wide variety of lighting options. Create a cosy ambience with soft overhead lighting, dimmer switches and fixtures that emit a warm aura. Compliment the look with well-placed table and floor lamps to help further reduce glare and bring warmth to your space. For a subtle glow, outfit them with semi-opaque shades that will diffuse the light and turn your annexe into a true retreat from the cold, pitch-black outdoors.

Granny flat ideas for your annexe build

Creating small yet effective displays…

Adding subtle yet effective hints of Christmas spirit throughout smaller spaces is a great way to prevent any unnecessary clutter, and also add a warm seasonal feel throughout each and every room. 

Sandi Haughton has added a small yet effective candle display surrounded with holly to her kitchen island, along with plenty of small Christmas themed ornaments on the shelves, walls, and tables throughout her home. She has opted for 2 mini Christmas trees in her annexe to reduce clutter, but add a great truly cosy feel – especially when the evenings turn dark and the fairy lights are turned on.

Decorate with fairy lights…

Aside from adjusting your annexe’s primary lighting, small and decorative lights can be added to give your space an extra festive feel. One of the most popular, go-to Christmas decorations is fairy lights, and there are plenty of places you can include them within your annexe or smaller space…

Attach soft gold or white ones to your external railings, roof lining or any shrubbery you can see from your windows. That way, you can add an extra twinkle to the view from your annexe, while you stay nice and warm inside.

As well as beautifully lighting the outside of your home, fairy lights are arguably just as much of a fantastic addition to your interior. Add them to your open plan kitchen, around your Christmas tree or like Sandi, you could add them behind your sofa to divide your room with a soft gold twinkle. 

Wherever you put them, they’re bound to make your annexe look magical as they brighten up those dark, winter nights.

Granny flat ideas for christmas decorations

Add a scented diffuser…

Adjusting the visuals of your annexe isn’t the only way to create a cosy, festive feel. One of our favourite – yet simple, tricks is adding a scented diffuser. While candles also work well for this, the vast majority of garden homes we build are intended for use by recent retirees seeking to downsize or as a care home alternative for ageing relatives. As such, opting for a diffuser provides a safer alternative, as it removes the need for any open flames.

Warm and wintery scents abound during the festive season. Infuse your annexe with notes of cinnamon, spiced apple, orange or mistletoe, to create a sweet and woody blend that’ll instantly remind you of the most wonderful time of the year.

Keep your granny flat heated…

With the onset of freezing cold weather, one way to ensure you don’t feel the winter blues at Christmas is to keep your annexe well-heated. Luckily for you, garden homes are generally smaller than other buildings, meaning they won’t require as much heating to keep warm. In-fact, the Haughton’s family report that they haven’t noticed much of an increase in their bills since adding their iHus to their electricity supply. 

This may be because at iHus, we build all our annexes with high-quality materials – including external cladding and double-glazed windows, to ensure they’re insulated throughout. They’re also fitted with digital electric radiators, so you can keep your home toasty even in the harshest conditions.

Gather round the fireplace or dining area…

A cosy, winter scene is perfectly conjured by a lit fireplace, instantly bringing life to your space and a centre-point for any festive indoor gatherings. For the full effect, ensure your hearth is fully-dressed with all the decoration it needs for the holiday season. A crackling fire naturally draws people towards it, so you should accommodate this with additional seating.

If you’re considering a fireplace within your granny flat ideas, it’s worth looking into electric alternatives. Nowadays, there are a lot of examples that have been especially designed to look as authentic as possible. As such, by investing in a good one, you can get the same effect without any need for an open flame – or a constant fuel source, in order to keep it lit.

If like the Haughton family, you don’t have a fireplace, setting up a subtle yet Christmassy festive display around the dining area or kitchen island can create a lovely homely feel to your annexe, and be a great way to spend time with family members over a glass of mulled wine, or your favourite seasonal treats. 

Make iHus a Home this Christmas…

Here at iHus, we take pride in delivering self-contained, bespoke granny flats and garden homes for you to enjoy. Whether you’re investing as a first step on the property ladder – or as part of your retirement budget planning, we’re here to help with all your annexe needs.

From concept and design, to gaining successful planning permission or putting up that final shelf on move-in day, we can help with it all. If you’d like to discuss your current granny flat ideas, get in touch with our friendly and devoted team, today.

Would you like to view an annexe in-person? Our unique Open Hus offering allows you to visit a real customer home, just like Sandi Haughton’s. Email enquiries@ihusannexe.com today and a member of our team will be in touch to organise a visit to a customer home near you. 

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