The season has arrived for you to warm up your home and make it cozier for the cold or cooler seasons. Get ready to refresh your home with some home décor must-haves for the winter that include furniture pieces and accessories. You’ll want to include a wide sofa, fireplace, scented candles and super soft throws into your winter décor -- all of which will surely keep you toasty throughout the winter.

A Wide Sofa

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

In the winter, your comfy sofa takes on a whole new deep-seated meaning: the sofa comes to represent a domestic life of comfort, warmth and safety. Consider something plush for the winter and match it with your living room décor.

Fireplace

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

If you already have a working fireplace then stock up on the firewood for the winter. Clean it out or spruce up the mantel to enhance its aesthetic appeal.

If you don’t have a fireplace, then, perhaps, you should think about getting an electric fireplace -with heat, sound effects and remote control- for your living room. This will enhance your entire living room and the room will seem a lot cozier. You’ll love relaxing by the fire on cold nights with your guests.

Scented Candles

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

Scented candles set the mood in a room and create a most relaxing ambience. It’s best to purchase soy candles as they are soot-free. Your family and friends will love relaxing in your living room, sitting in the candle-light and appreciating the subdued ambience that you have created.

Drapery-Free Windows

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

A must-have for this winter is drapery-free windows. Let the natural light showcase your elegant design style.

Throws

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

Throws have a dual function: as blankets when you are chilled and as decorations on your couch or bed when you aren’t. Oversized cashmere throws that match the décor of your living room will entice people to visit your house; you’ll never have to venture out into the harsh cold winter.

If you want to add a bit of color to your bedroom, choose a textured and colorful throw. It’s time to now wrap yourself up in delight.

 Plush Accessories

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

Final must-haves for the winter include a variety of accessories: pillows on your bed, soft plush rugs, glass jars with white lights in your bathroom and scented cinnamon pine cones in bowls. Accessories should include those that exude a wintery feel and that also enhance the overall décor. With so many different accessories from which to choose, select the ones that showcase your personality and elegant design style.

The post Must-Have Furniture Pieces/Accessories For The Winter  appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

We’ve all seen the celebs walk the red carpet, and have heard about the lavish Oscars swag bags provided to those celebrities. And it's no secret that those gift bags contain some big-ticket items: jewelry; non-surgical rejuvenation treatments; a voucher to redeem a one-week inclusive stay at a spa, or a voucher to redeem a luxury cruise for two to Iceland, the Galapagos, the Amazon or Central America—with spa treatments and a private chef included. The cheapest item in this year’s Oscars bag was a package of Pepperidge Farm Milanos.

Well, such lavish gifts need not only be made available to celebs these days. Over recent years, the definition of luxury has morphed into including some swanky "extras" in the price of a home. And these "extras" are so extravagant and may, at times, consist of one or two luxury cars, a yacht, personal chef services, or summer vacation stays- all of which are seamlessly pre-negotiated into a home's final purchase price.

What "extras" would you include in your next luxury home purchase? Dream big because you might just get it. And more.

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

Would you ever want to buy a luxury apartment worth millions that also included a Lamborghini for you? There’s nothing you couldn't include in your home purchase if you were rich, super-rich or obscenely-rich.

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

You could live on the 96th floor, have an infinity pool and a slew of amenities in your building. When hungry, you could take a ride in your Ferrari to one of your Michelin-star restaurants, and eat a dinner prepared especially for you. Both your luxury car and dinner at that Michelin-star restaurant have already been incorporated into your home's purchase price.

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

Would you ever want to buy a luxury apartment worth millions that also included a stunning view and a $1M yacht with five years' docking fees?

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

Perhaps you'd prefer two Rolls Royces, and a trip for two included in your penthouse purchase?

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

And it doesn’t end there. Penthouse-purchase deals in NYC have been known to include a house in the Hamptons for one summer, a private chef for a year, a butler, season tickets to the Mets, and a construction allowance of $2M for renovations.

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

The Gilded Age reigns on and super-luxury buildings are offering more than ever before.

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

For those nights that you'd prefer not to have dinner at one of your Michelin-star restaurants, your private chef could happily prepare a feast for you in your luxury kitchen.

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

Your personal butler could serve to you a 007 martini without the hassle of your leaving the comforts of your luxurious living room.

Photo Credit: Sotheby's International Real Estate

You'd surely sleep soundly because when you would awaken, you'd be living your biggest dream.

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Friends? Check. Fireworks? Check, check. Chilled Cristal? Check, check, check. It’s summertime, and the welcoming weather mandates that you stay outdoors in nothing less than luxurious grandstand style.

So, with the above in mind, here are some must-have outdoor furnishings that you simply can't do without this summer: from comfy bean bag chairs to the most elegant barstools that will allow you to enjoy your libations in hot, high-end style. Now's definitely the time for you to sit back and exude an exhale, allowing yourself to then explore and enjoy viewing these summertime festive furniture pieces.

Bar Stools

Comfy, cushy barstools -with back support- are furniture pieces that you and your friends will surely enjoy, along with the outdoor bar.

Dining Tables

A dining table -not too large- is the perfect furniture piece for creating an intimacy that allows engagement in conversation and the sharing of many belly laughs.

Side Tables

Side tables should strategically be placed adjacent to cushy seating options. You need to be able to easily place your champagne flute down when you want a dip in the pool.

Massive Grills

Grill masters know this: grilling outdoors in luxury style -along with family and friends- makes holiday living a daily event.

Oversized Chair Collections

Oversized, cushy patio chairs are indispensable furniture pieces around any fire pit.

Bean Bags and Ottomans

www.lujo.co.nz

Outdoor bean bags and ottomans from Lujo are designed to allow you "to put life on pause by bringing a sense of holiday to [your] home." All of Lujo's furniture pieces "impress visually,” "maximize relaxation," and "stand the test of time." A luxury trifecta, no?

Top image: www.lujo.co.nz; except as otherwise noted, all other images courtesy of Christie's International Real Estate

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