While it may be nice to have a pretty, summery look in your living room during the hotter months and even into fall, there comes a point when you simply can`t deny that winter has set in. The bright florals and light colors of summer need to go and it`s time to bring in the cozy feeling of a winter look. If you aren`t sure just how to do that, here are a few interior design ideas for you.

1. Pay attention to color. We use color everywhere in our lives and it affects nearly everything we do. For the cooler months, darker, richer hues are ideal for creating a cozy, winter look in your living room. Rich browns, burgundies and dark greens and ochres are perfect for making it feel warmer inside, but you don`t have to run out and buy new furniture. Slip covers make it very simple to change the palette of a room, as do curtains.

2. Use plenty of texture. Clean and smooth is the way to go for hot weather, but once the snow starts to fall, it`s time to get nice and warm and fuzzy. Texture adds a lot of personality to a room and you can use as little or as much as you like, depending on your taste. This can mean anything from throwing a couple of warm fleece blankets over the back of the sofa or adding some fuzzy pillows to bringing out extra throw rugs and hanging up heavy oil paintings. Thicker curtains can also help warm a room.

3. Bring the outdoors in. Just because it`s cold and wet outside doesn`t mean there`s nothing interesting in nature. Try creating an arrangement of stark branches to place on the mantel, or find seasonal plants that can be brought indoors during this time. Like you would decorate with flowers in the spring, do the same with what you have at hand during the winter, albeit less colorful. A tall collection of reeds or decorative dried grass, for example, can lend a natural winter feel to a living room and keeps things from getting too bare.

4. Literally warm it up. If you have a fireplace, real or electric, now is a great time to fire it up. Keeping things cozy and warm with flames automatically makes the living room a place that feels like a retreat from the blustery world outside. But even if you don`t happen to have a fireplace, you can still create that homey feeling with candles. One or three candles (odd numbers tend to look better) set on the sideboard or on a low shelf are perfect if you just want to add a touch of warmth, but for a real comfort zone, try lighting a dozen or more around the room.

5. Change the decorations. Flat surfaces such as mantels, windowsills, coffee tables and shelves offer a multitude of decorating possibilities that we often forget to alter. What works for a summer layout isn`t going to work for winter, so take a good look at the decorations and centerpieces that you have and make some seasonal changes. Winter scenes make a great alternative to floral paintings, while crystal jars and such are a great way to decorate a shelf.

Transitioning from a summer look to a winter one with these interior design tips should be a piece of cake. Think about what makes a room feel warm and inviting and then add that to your living room to create the perfect hideaway for cold, wintry days.