The living room is the best place to relax on the sofa with a good book in winter, and is normally a place you spend a lot of time in. Since comfort and warmth is the priority, pile up your sofa with cushions and blankets or add a stylish throw. Roll out a carpet to keep your feet warm with a rug that matches the colour scheme of the living room. To avoid a running nose, put on some socks and strut around in total comfort.

If you want your bedroom to replicate the vibe of a luxury hotel give it a quick upgrade by layering it with throws and pillows. Curtains, throws along with velvet pillows, will not only add a touch of luxury to any room but will convert it into a place of cosy refuge till the temperature starts to rise again. Moreover, these simple accents can be easily removed whenever necessary.

A splash of colour can instantly change stark and cold spaces into a cheerful environment. Add a few bold designed pillows or a bright throw to get rid of the winter blues and glam up the room. If you mix the right warm terracotta and cool grey tones, the shades can last you well up to spring. The best part is that they are hardly a major investment.

Winter months take their toll on the kitchen, so it is important to give a little makeover to this place as well to give it a new look. You can add a patterned shade to your kitchen windows, to make it look bright and cheery for many days. You can even stitch your own curtains by purchasing the fabric and colour of your choice and hang it from the rods using clip-style curtain rings.

Curtains help insulate a room by preventing the loss of warm air and in turn beat the cold. Thermal curtains are not only aesthetically pleasing, they also provide the utmost privacy as they are made of thick materials. Select the style that complements your room the most, and determine the correct length to increase the look of your windows.

After returning home exposed to freezing temperatures and hostile winds, it is the time to treat yourself to the luxury of a steaming hot bath. Turn your bathroom into a spa by putting on the stereo, light scented candles, add a few drops of your favourite aroma to the foam and enjoy a steamy downpour in the backdrop of a printed shower curtain. When you finish, wrap yourself in a soft fluffy towel featuring your favourite print.

How do you get some freshness into your home with all windows closed and the outside world is like a part of the North Pole? Exotic plants will purify the air and add a touch of greenery into your interiors and allow you to drift to sleep dreaming of warmer climes. Try adding plants like lavender, eucalyptus or jasmine to infuse a nice aroma into the surroundings.

On the other hand, a reverse mortgage puts money in your pocket. So, instead of paying your lender, it is the other way around. Your lender pays you while you keep the title to your home. And guess what? You get to choose what means through which you can receive your reverse mortgage funds. But how can you access this loan? Let’s find out.

The first condition that comes into play when procuring a reverse mortgage is the borrower’s age. You must be at least 62 years. For this reason, it is called a retirement loan. Another factor to consider is your home; this should be your primary, permanent residence. Kindly note that vacation homes or rental apartments do not count. Once these two conditions are in place, your lender will consider your creditworthiness using a reverse mortgage calculator. This estimation tool determines your capability to take care of the home.

But that’s not all. Your lender will factor in your home equity, still using the reverse mortgage calculator capabilities. In this case, your home’s age, location, condition, market value, and interest rate come into play. According to federal law, you can take out up to 60% of your home equity, as there are other costs to cover, including current mortgage (if any) and closing fees.

You can set up your reverse mortgage cash in any of the three options. One way to do so is by receiving it in monthly payments; this works well for those with monthly budgets that need settling. You can consider it as your post-retirement income. This monthly income will run until there’s nothing left in your balance. Another option is to set your funds as a credit line; this works like a credit facility where you can borrow money at any time. However, bear in mind that there is a limit to the amount you can take. 

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