Twostyle Interiors’ Guide to Hosting a Cosy Winter Gathering at Home

When Elle and Alanah Giuliano talk about designing homes, they strike a balance between practicality and personality. The sisters grew up in Melbourne’s property development scene and launched their interior styling studio Twostyle in 2018, bringing different approaches to the same goal: creating spaces people actually want to live in, not just photograph.

Inside the Portofino 31 design by Boutique Homes, the pair talk through the small design decisions that can make a home feel warmer and more inviting during winter – from layered lighting and softer textures to open-plan spaces designed for entertaining.

Alanah’s background is in fashion styling, while Elle’s is in interiors. Alanah gravitates towards colour, texture and bold choices; Elle leans more refined and restrained. They laugh when asked if they balance each other out: “Yeah, we try.” But they meet in the middle on what matters most – spaces that encourage people to spend time together.

Softer lighting makes people want to stay

If you’re only changing one thing before winter, make it your lighting. “Lighting creates emotion and mood,” says Alanah. “To create a warm and moody environment, one of the simplest ways to do that is with lighting – floor lamps, wall lights, rather than super harsh lighting.”

It’s a shift they’re making across projects. “In a bedroom, instead of just having six downlights, we might have two more feature lights on the walls, a floor lamp and then potentially just one longer blade-looking light so that it actually splays the light throughout the whole space rather than coning in certain sections,” Elle explains.

Lighting can make a real difference to how a space feels when you’re in it. Warm, layered lighting makes people want to settle in and stay, even if everything else in the room leans cooler.

Choose layouts that connect, not separate

If you’re building with entertaining in mind, layout matters most. The goal is to keep everyone feeling connected as the evening flows from drinks to dinner to dessert. Elle says “opening up the living and dining areas, not having separate rooms” and “making sure that those zones are as big as possible” are key. “I don’t think your home can ever feel too big if you’re entertaining.”

What makes the biggest difference is an island bench linking the kitchen to the dining and living areas. “When you’re entertaining, and you’re sitting in the living room whilst people are mingling around the dining area, you’re still connected. You’re not completely separated,” Elle explains.

Outdoor connections matter, too. “Big, nice openable doors that flow and spill out into the outdoors, and then creating a nice al fresco and indoor-outdoor area that has outdoor heating,” says Alanah.

Even in smaller spaces, zones should feel intentional rather than crowded. “Rather than trying to prioritise oversized furniture to fit more people in, keep within your zone,” Elle suggests. “You want to feel like you’re in a dining zone right now, not with your chair half on the rug in the living room or staring straight at the TV because the dining table’s positioned in the living room.”

Her advice: opt for slimline furniture over chunky pieces and consider movable ottomans you can tuck away when not in use. “They could sit in your wardrobe and you can [take them] out if you’re hosting.”

Mix textures, but find the balance

Winter calls for home furniture and decor that invites you to slow down and settle in, though there’s a real line between cosy and cluttered. “It’s about mixing materials and textures – not having a home that’s too heavy on just stone or hard surfaces,” Elle says. “Mixing timbers with stone can soften your space, and then layering textures – making sure that there are rugs and using fabrics like cashmere and linen.”

The goal is to soften sharp lines and create a space that feels more welcoming. For winter, think browns, rust and bronze tones alongside deeper burgundies and wine hues. Shapes matter just as much as colour. “Curved furniture and things that have a softer edge tend to look more friendly and inviting,” says Alanah. “But not everything needs to be organic in form. You’ve got to have a balance between edgier and softer pieces.”

Get your outdoor space right

A well-designed outdoor space should feel connected to the rest of the home, rather than existing as a separate zone. In the Portofino display home, a central courtyard sits at the heart of the floorplan, creating a unified outdoor area with a balance of edgy and soft pieces that connect the living, dining, kitchen and multipurpose rooms. Strong sightlines throughout the home and seamless indoor-outdoor flow make it easy to move between spaces, whether entertaining guests or spending time with family.

Melbourne’s unpredictable weather means outdoor spaces need to be designed for year-round use, not just sunny days. “People underestimate the value of good outdoor furniture … proper outdoor furniture that has the right woven materials throughout it so that the water actually drains,” Elle notes.

One thing to skip: thin cushions on wicker. “They look great when you buy them, but just given Melbourne’s climate, they just don’t hold up outside,” she says.

Instead, look for outdoor furniture that complements your interiors. “A lot of the furniture suppliers that we use internally have really started to bring out a good outdoor range that follows the same style,” Alanah says. She mentions Sydney-based designers Ellison Studios as an example of a brand that creates cohesive indoor-outdoor collections. “Their indoor slouchy armchair, they’ve replicated the same thing for an outdoor range. You get that same slouchy armchair that you can really relax in, but it’s in an outdoor fabric.”

Turn your table into a conversation piece

If you’re short on time before hosting, focus on the table. “You could even use a flat sheet – a linen flat sheet – lay that over the table, let it drape a little bit on the floor on either side. Automatically, that whole space just feels softer because it’s got some layer to it.”

Add varying heights, fresh flowers and candles to create a more lived-in setting. “It takes the pressure off how the rest of the home looks,” Alanah says.

“When you’re hosting, it’s about the moment that you’re going to spend together around the table and talk and laugh and share memories there,” Elle adds. Winter hosting isn’t really about having everything perfect, it’s about making people feel welcome enough to stay.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Boutique Homes. Boutique Homes is part of the ABN Group, leaders in property, construction and finance. It has crafted a collection of home designs ideal for entertaining – including the Grange, Portofino, Barcelona and Toorak – to provide a well-considered canvas for welcoming people in. If you're looking to elevate your space, Boutique Homes offers consultations with interior designers to help you bring your design vision to life. To learn more about Boutique Homes’ range of home designs for entertaining, visit boutiquehomes.com.au.