Furniture Shopping: Home Décor Ideas for a Cool and Comfortable Home

With climate change and rising global temperatures, Singapore is getting increasingly hot, and staying cool will become more difficult as time passes. While we can use the air conditioner when we are at home, doing so for long periods of time each day will cause a spike in electricity bills and an increase in monthly expenses. Whether you’re already moved in or you’re looking for ways to design a cool and comfortable home, we give you some tips on how to shop for furniture that will keep your home refreshing.

1. Fabric Sofas

   When it gets too hot outside, the only thing you’d want to do is stay home and lounge on your sofa. However, you’ll need a comfortable sofa that can help to keep you cool. Fabric sofas such as those constructed of cotton and polyester are great options. They are materials that do not absorb heat and even allow proper air circulation to remove heat from your body. Avoid choosing heavy wool fabrics for your sofas as they can be scratchy and may even hold onto heat longer.

2. Light Colours

   Dark colours emit and absorb heat the fastest, they are also better light absorbers, which can make homes feel warm and appear dull and dark. Light colours, on the other hand, reflect more light and heat, which helps to brighten up homes and keep it feeling cool. When shopping for furniture, consider purchasing pieces in neutral or bright colours such as white and cream.

3. Cool to the Touch

   Natural stones are an excellent choice for keeping your home cool. In hot weather, natural stones like granite and marble, as well as man-made materials like porcelain and ceramic, remain cool to the touch. This is because they are good heat conductors and can easily remove heat from you. Consider using cool-to-the-touch materials in your home, such as a marble dining table, leather sofa, or glass coffee table. Coming into contact with these surfaces will provide relief if you are feeling hot and uncomfortable.

4. Real House Plants

   

   Real indoor house plants are beautiful decorative pieces that help maintain a low indoor temperature. This is because when the atmosphere around them heats up, plants release excess water into the air that cools them and the surrounding environment through a process known as transpiration. By decorating your home with plants containing high moisture content, they can help to prevent your home from heating up too much. Some house plants you can consider include the rubber plant, snake plant, and aloe vera.

5. Ample Space

   Filling your home with multiple large pieces of furniture can restrict air flow and result in warm air becoming trapped within your space. Think of ways to minimise the amount of items you’re getting and choose to live minimally to encourage better ventilation and air circulation within your home. This also helps to improve air quality and mental health as clutter can lead to stress and uneasiness.

Decorating a stylish and cool home will no longer be a challenge with these tips. Aside from furniture, you can also get window treatments that block out radiant heat or invest in powerful fans to help cool your home.

Star Living is an online furniture shop in Singapore offering a variety of furniture pieces for your comfort. Shop marble dining tables, leather sofas, and more here.