5 Ideas For Romancing The Home

Romance is front and center on Valentine’s Day, and with it the passion, mystery and touch of adventure it brings. To bring the mood home, we might load up on fresh blooms, put on some bossa nova, dim the lights and voilà—the ambiance is definitely more romantic. But why not make romance front and center in our homes all year long? With that mission in mind, we’ve put on our “interior designer” thinking caps to come up with some chic, easy and effective ways for romancing the home year-round.

Dining Reclining: Don’t limit this experience to just breakfast in bed. Instead, think of the possibilities this offers for setting a romantic mood. The only problem is that great bed trays are almost impossible to find (our favorite, the Tosca Leather Bed Tray by Frette, was recently discontinued). That’s why we’re going to get this sleek, perfectly neutral acrylic bed tray from CB2 (a mere $79.95) and keep our eyes on the selection at 1stdibs.com, where we spotted this kicky Vintage Gucci number for $3,200 from Vermillion 20th Century Furnishings.

Pile on the skins: We pull out sheepskin pelts when it's appropriate to sit on the floor, but they’re also the perfect way to enjoy a night in front of the fireplace (or candlelight if you don’t have a hearth). Our favorite versions are the extra –large Safavieh Prairie Sheepskin Pelts we usually score at Overstock.com ($216.76) and the Handmade Area Rugs from Wayfair.com in ivory or black ($142.99- $169.99), but there are plenty of places that stock them, from Ikea to Amazon.com.

Light the night right: Here’s where the approach in our JLI Winter Lighting Guide—specifically our recommendation that every source of light in a home should be on dimmer switches—pays off. Change the mood in a room from all business to ready-for-romance by kicking in the dimmers. And break out the most epic candles you can find. We adore the Biedermeir candlesticks by Ted Muehling in bronze, silver, black or gold ($180-$1515 at Elements) and swear by the Flame Effect Votives that work by remote control ($48 a pair at Terrain.com).

Set a fragrant stage: While you can’t actually use scent as in instant shortcut to romance (yet!), it is important when it comes to attraction. Research shows that physical attraction itself may be based on smell (say these articles in Psychology Today). But why not stack the deck in your favor with an incredible scent? La Maison Rigaud, believed to be the creator of the world’s first perfumed candles, and Maison Trudon, founded in 1643 and believed to the world’s oldest candle maker in continuous operation, both make the most divine scented options (from candles to room sprays) imaginable. Rigaud is available at caldledelirium.com or amazon.com, while Maison Trudon can be found at Barneys.

Get sumptuous sheets: Did you know thread count actually doesn't count much if the raw materials in your bedding aren’t the right stuff? While you need a higher number to attain a smoother, finer finish, it’s also critical to use the finest, long staple cotton. The fiber and quality of the yarns are far more important, notes Frette Brand Director Andrea Warden. We think Frette’s got it right in terms of fiber, feel, function and aesthetics. Use the store locator at Frette.com.