I’m Sonja, a lifestyle blogger, mother of a 1-year-old child and an 8-year-old dog, wife, and an adventurer who loves interior design and travel. Our family lives in a row house apartment in a new development in the Helsinki metropolitan area, and my favorite place at home is our glazed terrace and backyard. I also spend a lot of time at our vacation home in Northern Savonia. I blog on Termomatto’s site in 2021, sharing about our terrace life through the different seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
There’s a special atmosphere in the first snow and cold winter days, and it’s wonderful to wrap up warmly under a blanket to enjoy a book and coffee. However, what I love most is the feeling when winter starts turning into spring at the end of January. Mornings begin bright no matter what time you wake up, and it’s still light when coming home from work. Our family spends as much time as possible outdoors after coming home and on weekends!
Our terrace makes it comfortable to be outside in any weather. Even if it’s cold outside, the thermal mat on the glazed terrace insulates an incredible amount of cold rising from the ground, and the glass protects against wind or rain. With the terrace heater, working remotely is also easy while enjoying the sunshine “outdoors,” as the space is warm enough to be without outerwear.
We got the thermal mat in spring 2020 after much consideration, and we haven’t regretted it for a moment. The mat is incredibly warm, comfortable underfoot, and easy to vacuum off dirt brought in from outside or to clean stains that often come with a family with children and a dog. Plus, the mat fits the decor beautifully, as it has a lovely tone and a simple design. Best of all, the mats come in several different shades, so you can match them to any space. We had tried more conventional mats before, but then the time spent on the terrace was very limited because the space was too cold to stay in. Now, with the thermal mat installed, we spend almost half of our home time in the backyard.
Choosing the mat’s shade was easy because I ordered samples directly from Termomatto’s website and used them to conveniently match a mat to our interior and house colors. Our thermal mat consists of four parts placed side by side. We measured and installed the mats ourselves, but Termomatto also offers installation services. However, I found self-installation very easy, and shaping the mat with a utility knife was simple. The terrace mat arrived a couple of days after ordering, so ordering and delivery were super easy. I wanted a mat made of several parts so that one section is light enough to shake off or lift, for example, for washing.
In winter, a lot of snow is brought onto the terrace on shoes, but the thermal mat doesn’t suffer from this. When the snow melts, the mat dries by itself and doesn’t leave ugly stains, for example. On cold days after a long walk, our family often gathers on the terrace on weekends to enjoy snacks and hot cocoa in the sheltered space.
I love burning candles during the darkest times of the year both indoors and in winter. Luckily, the thermal mat is made of non-flammable and fire-safe material, so it’s possible to enjoy candles in lanterns on the terrace, creating a lovely atmosphere on winter evenings. I have a habit of decorating our terrace according to the seasons, so it’s great that the thermal mats come in neutral shades that suit every style. In November, I gather lots of spruce branches on the terrace and add mood lighting until February. In this atmosphere, it’s been wonderful, for example, to celebrate the changing New Year wearing warm socks and a cozy sweater while watching the fireworks. Thanks to the thermal mat, the whole family doesn’t have to dig out heavy winter gear, and it’s warm enough to toast the New Year on the terrace even in the cold.
Luckily, winter is slowly turning into spring now, so I’ll share more about the thermal mat when spring has fully arrived!
Best regards,
Sonja
