7 Tips For a Cozy Home
We don’t know about you, but we’ve really gotten into the interior decorating swing of things as of late. Maybe it’s because we’re in so many of your gorgeous homes each week that we’re now feeling inspired to do a little upgrade of our own! One of the biggest things I like to focus on when decorating or redoing a home is to ensure the coziness factor is high. It’s easy to buy a house and put some furniture in it, but it’s another to really take your home to the next level of sophistication. There’s certainly an art to interior design and I’m excited to share some of the things I’ve learned these past few years that really turn your house into the home you’ve always imagined.
An Appealing Entrance
This is the first space of your home that you and your guests walk into, so it’s no surprise that this would be first up on the list! Although it’s a small space, it sets the tone for the rest of your house. In our opinion, it all starts with the door! Sometimes swapping out your front door makes a HUGE impact on not only this little space but on the outside of your house as well. Once you’re inside, we suggest adding elements that provide scale while layering in light with a beautiful lantern or table lamp that adds a unique style to the space in addition to the glow.
2. Use Appealing Textures & Patterns
This can be tricky! Sometimes adding too much color and too many textures can make your home feel overwhelming, which is probably the exact feeling you’re trying to avoid. Texture and pattern should be used to create areas of interest to guide the eye to particular focal points. Be sure to balance strong patterns with more subdued ones to avoid overpowering a room. It help to think of these elements in layers, from strong to subtle, creating a balanced look and feel.
3. Stock Your Bar
In our opinion, there is nothing worse than having a designated space for something and either not utilizing that space, or using it for something that’s not it’s intended purpose! If you have a built-in wet bar or even a bar cart detail in your home, don’t neglect it. Stocking the bar with several different options of alcohol along with the appropriate glasses for each specialty drink is essential. Maybe we’re just feeling fancy, but there’s something about drinking champagne out of a champagne glass opposed to a regular old wine glass.
4. Create Good Mood Lighting
Yes! Probably one of the most tips on this list. Having more than one light source in a room is a great way to create a cozy ambiance. We recommend putting light sources adjacent to each other - meaning, if you have a lamp in one corner of the room you should balance it out with a lamp kiddy-corner to it. Choosing a light bulb that’s not too harsh will ensure that your different lighting sources don’t overpower your room.
5. Use Area Rugs
Area rugs are a great way to add in some patterns and simultaneously soften an area of your home that has hardwood floors. If we had to choose, we’d choose hardwood floors over carpet any day! But that doesn’t mean we want our space to feel so stark without anything on the floors at all. Don’t overdo it with a rug in every room or hardwood surface but instead, be strategic on where you place the rug. Try to balance out every other room or high-traffic area with a rug that adds depth and character, opposed to a cheapie you threw down to collect dirt.
6. Mix Tableware
Matching can be so overrated (and a little boring!).— and expensive. Be sure to following the tips above about different patterns and textures, as to not overdo it. Mixing tableware is a great way to have a unique home that adds your personality to it. After all, do you really want the same exact matching set from Target that Jill down the street does?
7. Don’t Spread Out the Furniture
This is a big no, no! Sometimes with larger spaces, people make the mistake of really spreading out the furniture, thinking it will make the space look bigger. In reality, it just makes your home feel stark and uncomfortable. By keeping furniture in closer proximity, with still enough room to move around, you’re allowing the space to elicit a cozy vibe.