How to make your home cozier?

8 Easy Ways to Make Your Home Cozy

When it’s hot outside, you want your home to be minimal and airy, with no extra layers to trap moisture or retain heat. But once it cools down, you want those layers back at home to feel warm and cozy. Fortunately, it doesn’t take long to make your space inviting and cozy for winter. Small moves as simple as putting slippers on the front door or switching on soft lighting can transform your home into a winter-ready retreat. Here are eight small ways to make your home cozy.

Update your bedding

Crisp cotton and linen are great for summer, but flannel is where it’s at in winter! Trade your crisp satin sheets for ones that retain heat, such as flannel or jersey. While you’re at it, fold a quilt or blanket over the foot of your bed to help on the coldest nights.

Swap in snuggly throw pillows.

Finally, an excuse to splurge on a big furry pillow! Add a textured throw pillow or two to your sofa (or change the covers on your existing pillows) to make your space more elegant and comfortable. Other options: knobby buckle, a wool cable knit, or a rich velvet. Don’t forget the faux fur throw either!

Add heat underfoot.

Sisal and flat-weave rugs are great when it’s warm outside, but you’ll want a little pile for the winter. If you don’t have the budget for a large area rug, consider placing small rugs in strategic places, such as next to the bed, under the coffee table, or in front of your favorite reading chair.

Consider soft lighting.

When the nights get dark, your bed may tempt you before it’s time to rest. Good lighting can help you fight this movement and stay on your normal sleep schedule. Pair a table lamp with warm-toned LED lights for a cozy candlelight that’s not too harsh but will still keep you awake.

Heat up your window treatments.

If you have linen curtains, consider using them for velvet curtains or any heavy curtains with a thermal lining. Apart from making the space warm and cozy, they will protect the room from the cold air escaping from the old windows.

Rethink your sofa cover.

If you have a slip-covered sofa or if you don’t, but your sofa is a standard size — try a new slipcover for the colder months. Opt for darker accents and softer fabrics than your standard crisp white cotton to give the living room a cozy feel.

Layer your kitchen cloth.

Start from the bottom: a small kitchen rug on the floor in front of the sink, a runner or tablecloth on the breakfast table, and linen slips on your wooden or metal cafe chairs. Whenever you can put a layer of fabric between you and the bare wood or tile, it will feel a little warmer.

Put your memories on display.

They won’t technically warm your space, but a mantel full of holiday cards or a wall full of personal photos will keep your heart full of warm memories as you move through the next few months.

7 Secrets to Creating a Cozy Home

Let’s take a look at some simple decorating tips that will help you achieve a truly cozy feel in your home.

The biggest compliment I can get from someone is when they say “Your home is so cozy”! It makes me think that my guests feel comfortable in my home.

Many times I am asked how I make my home cozy, so I decided to write this post. I’ll talk about the things I try to do when I’m decorating, and hopefully, you can try some of these things to make your home more inviting!

Having a comfortable home that you know you can retreat to is one of the most important elements of health.

Everyone wants to feel good in their space.

The need for a place to feel safe dates back to prehistoric days when we lived in caves: at first it was a small space lit by a warm fire.

Whether it’s a cave, a studio apartment, or a 15-bedroom mansion, the principle remains the same.

It’s part of being human and essential to feeling calm and relaxed.

• Maybe you just bought a new home and it’s filled with builder-grade colors and finishes and feels sterile and lacking in personality.
• Maybe you’re a student living in a college dorm and want to make your room more inviting.
• Or maybe you’ve never decorated before in your life but you feel like something just isn’t “right” about the ambiance of your home.

When it comes to giving your home a certain “feel,” many of us don’t know where to start.

Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint what’s wrong and it’s hard to know what changes we need to make.

Why does it feel like this?

Because when you take a step back and look at all the pictures you’ve saved, you realize that none of those inviting and inspiring pictures actually look like your own bedroom or living room.

So the million dollar question is: How do you make your home comfortable?

The good news is that it’s not as difficult as you might think!

It doesn’t take long to create a cozy and comfortable home for winter or any other season.

You may even already have what you need!

There are some important elements that we will look at together below, which will help you achieve a sense of comfort inside your home.

Most of these elements can be replicated in whatever room you feel needs the most “coziness”. They are applicable in any room of the house.

7 Interior Design Tips for a Cozy Home

1. Generate heat through light.

The importance of good lighting

There’s a reason why lighting is the number one tip for making your home cozy! There is perhaps nothing more important to creating a relaxing atmosphere than good lighting.

If you’re not sure how to design a warm room, start by assessing your lighting situation.

How many sources of light are there in your room?

What is the design of each light? do you like it?

Are the bulbs you are using warm or cool?

Any harsh, single overhead lighting should be avoided.

Instead, make sure you have task lighting, table and floor lamps, candles (preferably scented!), and ambiance lighting.

When the sun goes down, create clusters of light where you want to be focal and conversation points.

If introducing additional lights and revamping your lighting situation is out of the question for financial reasons, at least make sure you’re only using warm bulbs in the rooms you want to make comfortable.

Light temperature

What is cold light vs warm light? The temperature of your light bulb tells you how yellow (warm) or how blue (cool) your bulb is.

Warm white is around 3000k and cool white is around 5000k. So the higher the K (Kelvin), the colder the light.

This is why candlelight is so comfortable – a candle has a color temperature of around 1850k – a very warm light!

If you have cool temperature lights in your house, turn them off! They are not doing you any favors! Seriously, guys, this is very important.

I remember spending a lot of time in a kitchen lit by overhead neon tubes and feeling so sick of comfort, I just wanted to run away. I felt like I was sitting in an interrogation room instead of having a nice family dinner!

Change those cold bulbs to warm bulbs and I promise you the change alone will make a huge difference.

If the world of light temperature and light bulbs fascinates you, check out this article which explains it much better than I can.

String lights

String lights add a wonderfully bohemian vibe to any room. You can put them anywhere and if that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t go wrong.

In the photo above, you can see how I have some loose ends on a painting that hangs above the headboard of my bed.

If fairy lights are a bit too whimsical, you can try a sophisticated string of globe lights instead.

Cozy bathroom lighting

What’s in the bathroom?

Well, you can make your bathroom cozy by installing a beautiful night light with low wattage and leaving it on for most of the day.

This is especially great for dark, windowless condo bathrooms like mine. 🌚

Lately, I’ve been using this Scandinavian-style candle burner that doubles as a super cozy dimming lamp in my bathroom.

You can even install a motion sensor light strip under your vanity so that it gives your feet a nice glow every time you walk in at night! A very inexpensive yet effective way to create a comfortable bathroom!

1. Smart lighting

 I have also slowly started filling my house with Philips Hue light bulbs. I love the fact that you can change the color of each light bulb to whatever mood you’re in.

In the evening I like to dim all the lights to a soft warm orange color. Or sometimes I’ll use HueSynch while I’m watching a movie, for a full immersion experience!

Hue bulbs are also dimmable and work with Google Home and Alexa, so you can control the color, dimming, and turn them on and off with your voice!

Hue bulbs don’t come cheap, but they last for years and are well worth the investment if you’re a lighting and smart home freak like me.

2. Add life to plants and flowers.

If you don’t have plants, you should seriously consider adding some now!

Any living element in the home will help contribute to the cozy feeling (unless it’s a spider). 🕷️

Plants are comfortable because they are living things.

Be warned though: at some point, some of your plants will die. This happens to even the most experienced gardeners so don’t despair! This is part of the learning process.

Plants can be expensive, but there are many ways to save money and still have a green home:

• Learn how to propagate your existing plants.
• Ask your friends and family for cuttings.
• Pick up fallen succulent leaves from garden centers and advertise them (just ask the store manager for permission – they always say yes because they’re going to be thrown out anyway!).

The other wonderful thing about having lots of plants means you’ll have access to just as many wonderful pots!

Plants in pots, planters, and baskets are very relaxing on their own and have the advantage of adding a textural pop of interest to any room.

→ Choose pots and planters in a warm tin like terracotta or warm metals like brass.

→  Choose baskets in sea grass or other natural woven materials.

• These 9 indoor hanging plants are incredibly easy to care for and look great!
• And these 9 low-light plants are perfect for those with dark homes!
• You can even grow plants directly in water – these plants are fantastic for doing just that!

Fresh flowers

Of course, fresh flowers are always a lovely touch – any interior designer or decorator will tell you that.

It may look like a shrub, but fresh flowers can actually last a long time if you’re diligent about changing the water and trimming the stems.

You can also divide a bouquet and spread it among several vases in the house.

Having random flowers around the house will make you feel like they’re always in your home—not just around events.

Using the wrong greenery

Intimidated by live plants? Use faux vegetables instead.

If you prefer to decorate with fake plants and flowers, there is nothing wrong with that. Don’t feel bad about it!

However, I would try to stay away from anything that is obviously fake (think 90s fake ivy draped over kitchen cabinets)…

Stretch your budget a bit and go for realistic greenery.

For example, I love the fake flowers and greenery of Fox Flowers – it’s honestly impossible to tell that their flowers aren’t real!

3. Warm up your space with rugs and fabrics.

Why are rugs cozy?

Hardwood and laminate flooring are great, but in colder weather, your feet can feel cold. The same goes for tiles.

By placing layers between you and the floor, you’re guaranteed to feel instantly warmer and more comfortable.

There isn’t a single place in the house that doesn’t benefit from having a beautiful rug.

In the bathroom and kitchen, you can also use rugs – a lot of people these days are decorating their bathrooms and kitchens with beautiful Persian rugs!

But if that’s not for you, don’t forget a plush bath mat in the bathroom!

There’s nothing worse than stepping onto a cold, damp bathroom floor after a shower. Not comfortable! (And dangerous.)

Treat yourself to a luxurious bath if you don’t have one, you deserve it!

Personally, I like to buy my bath mats white, so I know when it’s time to wash them (it’s always sooner than you think).

Then I only use bleach when I need them to look like new again.

Using rugs makes your rooms cozy!

If you have a jute or natural fiber rug, try putting a Moroccan or Persian style rug on top – it looks great. Maximum comfort!

When warmer weather approaches, you can always peel back the layers and store the warm rugs until next year’s fall/winter. It’s also fun to change the decor this way.

Do you have carpets? Well, then you’re already a step ahead in the coziness department. Carpets insulate, soften, and warm rooms.

However, if you have carpets, don’t discount adding carpet to your home. You can even use carpet over carpet if you want.

Just try to make sure you choose a rug with a color scheme that works with your existing rug.

Best places to shop for affordable rugs

Carpets can be expensive, but they don’t have to be.

There are certainly some perfectly acceptable mass-produced machine-made rugs that are very affordable.

• Global market
• TJ Max
• Carpet America
• Wayfair
• Overstock
• Amazon

For affordable vintage rugs, check out:

• Etsy (you’ll need to shop around to find deals)
• E-Carpet Gallery
• Homestead Seattle
• Loom and Kiln
• Southern Loam
• Rebecca and Genevieve

4. Add texture.

How do I add texture to my home?

Easy! Place textural objects in your home that you like to touch, or feel compelled to touch.

When you shop, think about this: Do you touch things you feel drawn to? I do this all the time! Often, “touchable” objects have interesting textures.

Encourage this behavior in your home too!

Texture is the surface quality of a material. Texture adds depth and helps add comfort to the space.

Here are some quick ways to add texture that will make your rooms cozy.

• Keep woven baskets with extra pillows and throw blankets.
• Use fabrics in inviting fabrics such as chunky knits, velvet, faux fur and linen.
• Pile on the pillows!
• Mixing accessories in materials such as leather, ceramic and wood will also create appealing tactile experiences and sensations.
• A simple but well-designed bookshelf is an inexpensive and effective way to add texture to a room.
• If you don’t have a shelf, stack your books. The piles are satisfying to see if they are clean!

Books

If your book covers aren’t attractive or cohesive, flip them around so you’re looking at the sides with the pages instead of the spine.

Some people are against doing this because you can no longer tell at a glance which book it is.

But guess what, it’s your house, so you do whatever you want!

You can also group your books by color to create an instant harmony.

There are many different terms other than cozy (or “cosy”, depending on where you’re from!) to describe the feeling of well-being indoors.

Cozy up with curtains “hedge”, “warm and inviting”, “haven”, “retreat”, “nest”, “restriction” – all variations on the same theme!

5. Comfortable with curtains

Do you use sheer or blind? For an extra layer of comfort in the winter, try swapping your lightweight curtains for some luxurious heavy curtains with a thermal lining.

Not only will they help retain warmth, but also add extra softness and – you guessed it! – Comfort in the room.

The tasseled, macrame style curtains in the photo above from Anthropologie aren’t lined but they sure are gorgeous!

6. Hang artwork and mirrors

Avoid completely blank walls

If you have nothing on your walls and are wondering why your space feels so stark, hang on!

It can be an absolutely incredible design choice to leave the wall completely bare and feature just one piece of art. But if you’re going this route with your art, make sure it’s intentional and not just because your wall art was an afterthought.

If you’re not in a place where you can invest in original artwork, prints are always a good and (usually) economical option.

Try these sites for beautiful artwork at reasonable price points:

• Etsy – You can buy beautiful artwork printables in any style for little more than the price of a coffee. The catch? You need to print it yourself. But you save a lot of money. You can also buy printed pieces directly but they will cost a little more. And as always Etsy offers original art if you have a little more wiggle room in your budget.

• Red Bubble – On-demand art printed on a wide variety of items. Your purchase supports independent artists by shopping on Redbubble because they receive a small commission if you purchase their work.

• Society6 – Just like Redbubble, they have a more interesting variety of items that you can get art printed on. There are hundreds of thousands of different artists on both platforms so it’s worth checking them both out.

• Desenio – Check out Desenio for more curated selections of on-trend artwork.

• Mint – Great art by independent artists!! If you’re on a budget, buy frameless.

In addition to paintings and prints, you can also hang:

• Fiber art
• Textile wall hangings.
• Beautiful quilt
• Your own personal photos
• Mirror
• Your children’s artwork

If you’re renting and you’re not allowed to use nails, choose adhesive command strips or hooks that won’t leave holes in your walls.

7. Don’t forget fragrance and fragrance

The power of fragrance

What you see is important, but what you smell is just as important! Never underestimate the power of fragrance.

If your house looks amazing but still smells like the cod you fried last night… you’re doing your house and all the hard work you put into it is a waste!

There are many ways to scent your home, all you have to do is decide which one is your favorite, and of course choose the scent you love.

Try wax melts, scented candles, incense, DIY stove pots, fresh scented flowers…whatever pleases your nose!

If you set out to create a home that smells amazing, trust me, you’ll never want it any other way.

Designer-approved tips to make your home more comfortable than ever

While we love a good renovation or Insta-worthy room makeover, we definitely appreciate simple home upgrades, too, and are always eager to ask designers to do more. How to make a space feel beautiful and fresh without it. This time, we talked to the pros about how we can make our homes more comfortable than ever — a most important task if ever there was one.

Read on to hear what they had to say.

Add warm tones.

For designer Rebecca Rollins, warming a space is key to making it feel like home, starting with incorporating wood tones. “Wood accent walls, wood beams, wood cabinets, wood mantels — you get the picture now, right?”

But that’s not all: Rollins is also a fan of using paint to get heat. “Painting your walls a warm greige color like Sharon Williams’ Drift of Mist is a great option,” she explains. “And many textures like linen and raw and organic materials are important to layer.”

Layer, layer, layer

To make your space cozy, add layers,” says designer Michelle Gage. All types are fair game. “In these spaces, we’ve added layers of pillows, blankets and even plants,” she says. Share.

Use 3L.

Designer Elizabeth Birch encapsulates many of the tips highlighted above into a simple catchphrase. “I follow the three Ls when creating a cozy home for my clients: light, layers and love,” she says.

Birch again emphasizes the importance of sentimentality when it comes to ‘love’. “Always surround yourself with things you love – a piece of art from your travels or your grandmother’s chest of drawers. Let your home tell a story!”

I follow three Ls when creating a cozy home for my clients: light, layers and love.

Go monochromatic

Designer Katasha Singleton finds that sticking with just one color is key when creating a relaxing space.

“Whether the all-neutral room trend stays or goes, nothing says comfort like using color consistently throughout the room,” she comments. “My favorite monochromatic look is ivory on a natural jute rug with hints of light brown accents.”

Add some fire.

No, really — designer Ashley Roy Jenkins is serious here! “Candles and fireplaces are essential in my homes,” she says. “I also have a plug-in fireplace that I bought online and assembled. It plugs in with a remote, lights up and throws the heat away.

As a bonus, Jenkins doesn’t have to worry about the fixture getting too hot for little kids to play around.

Declutter

Designer Elle Jupiter promises it will be worth it in the end. “It’s not the most glamorous step, but it has a profound effect on how we interact with our spaces,” she notes.

Jupiter suggests saying goodbye to anything that doesn’t bring you joy. “When you have junk mail and piles of toys everywhere, it can make it incredibly difficult to truly relax,” she says. “I recommend engaging in the Konmari method in addition to assigning specific landing spots to clutter.”

Throw pillows and blankets.

Yes, you can use it as an excuse to buy more. “Sherpa, waffle knit, and woven throw pillows are a quick and easy way to make any couch super cozy,” says designer Nicole Martell. “And who doesn’t love a chunky knit throw? With a purpose that’s both functional and stylish, it’s a win-win.

Designer Maria Palantino agrees, suggesting: “Variations of texture layers with pillows and plush blankets.”

Add personal touches.

A comfortable home is one that is nice and personal. “Add pictures of family and friends on side tables, consoles, walls,” suggests designer Audrey Strick. “You have something to smile about when you walk.”

Jupiter agrees. “Highlighting emotional pieces that evoke positive memories can really affect your level of comfort and happiness.”

Think of those light bulbs

According to many of the designers we consulted, lighting can play a key role in creating a relaxing environment.

“Make sure you’re using the right color temperature for your light bulbs to promote a relaxing space,” advises designer Samantha Williams. “I recommend warm white, which is about 3,000 kelvins. Anything called ‘daylight’ or over 3,500 kelvins feels too cold and blue at night.

Designer Alex Yeske agrees. “Don’t underestimate your lighting when trying to create a cozy space,” she stresses. And that means the more variety, the merrier.

“It makes such a big difference when you have multiple light sources in one room that you can use at different times of the day,” adds Yeske.

Add a dose of life.

“Bring life to the space by adding fresh flowers or greenery,” advises Palantino. Whether you visit your local corner store in town or clip branches from your backyard is up to you.

8 Easy Recipes That Will Spice Up Your Home

Add warm colors.

While warm tones and colors won’t actually radiate warmth, they will make the mind’s eye feel warmer. Warm colors like red, orange, yellow and beige give a more upbeat feel. Although stunning, dark grays, blues and blacks feel cold, and it can be difficult to relax in rooms where the colors are cold and uninviting.

If peace and quiet is what you’re looking for, target colors found in nature (greens and blues) and mix them with beiges and pinks for a space that feels relaxed but not cold.

Choose warm lights.

You’d be surprised how much light can affect your room. If you take a look at the box of a light bulb, you will see many numbers for watts, color rendering index (CRI) and color temperature. The number you need to look at is color temperature.

Color temperature, measured in Kelvin, tells you how bright the light will be. A 5000K Kelvin bulb is as bright as daylight. For a warm feel, you want a light bulb or fixture with a 2700K color temperature. This color of light is less white and bright and more mellow and soft with some yellow hints.

For even warmer lighting, candlelight options below 2000K set the mood. In your living room, keep the bulbs in your table lamps and fixtures at around 2700K and then add LED candles around the room when you want to soften the light even more. Having options allows you to lighten the mood when you’re feeling romantic or just want to spend a warm evening by yourself or with some good friends.

Install a diffuser.

Scent can have a big impact on how you feel about your space. Whether you prefer an essential oil diffuser, plug-in diffuser or incense, the scent of your home can welcome and warm guests the moment they walk in the door.

Scents are very unique to each person, but if you want warmth in your scent, try cinnamon, cloves, sage, nutmeg or cedar wood.

Add blinds and/or curtains.

Even if you have a great view from your apartment or house, you will need to add blinds, curtains or even both. Blinds help you maintain your privacy, and if you invest in more expensive ones, they can also block bright morning light or cool air from entering the windows and into your home. can stop

But blinds rarely add much to the decor, so for a warm, cozy feel, add a set of curtains to your windows to brighten up the space while also keeping it warm. Heavy curtains, especially those with velvet or extra lining, will help block the cold air that can come in through the windows. If you find your bedroom chilly in the morning, heavy, velvet curtains can block that cold air and keep you warm when you get out of bed in the morning.

Curtains also add some style and design. If you rent your apartment or house, you may not have the option to paint the walls or hang art on the wall. Curtains can elevate a space without violating the lease.

Pile on pillows, blankets and poufs.

Warm colors and a nice sofa can only do so much. If you really want your living space to feel cozy and inviting (even if you’re on a budget), add some throw pillows, blankets, and even a pouf.

Fuzzy pillows are soft to the touch, and cool, soft blankets definitely add warmth. When your friends are over for a movie night, they can snuggle up with your pillows and blankets.

For extra seating and table space, a pouf does double duty. In warm colors, these furniture options offer versatility, which can be a game changer in a small apartment.

Change your sheets every season.

In summer, you want cool, crisp sheets. But in the winter, those cool sheets can feel like a shock to the system. When the weather turns cold, swap your sheets for flannel. They retain heat better, and will feel warmer when you sleep at night.

Invest in a good rug.

Do you have hardwood floors in your home? What about the concrete floor in your basement apartment? While these flooring options may make sense depending on the unit, there’s no doubt they’re cool, especially first thing in the morning.

To make your space feel cozy, add area rugs to your space to make it more pleasant to walk around. In long hallways or narrow kitchens, lay a runner, a long, narrow rug that will make walking and cooking more enjoyable. In living spaces, the rug should be large enough for all furniture to have at least two legs on it. In the bedroom, two feet under the bed should be on the carpet and an extra foot or so on each side so your feet touch a warm surface in the morning.

Of course, area rugs can be expensive, so if you don’t want to buy a large rug for your bedroom, add a runner on each side of the bed instead.

Personalize your space

A home with no pictures or decorations can feel bare and cold. Bring it to life by adding framed photos and meaningful decorations and artwork.

When a space has a lived-in feel, it feels warmer and more inviting to guests. If you’re a renter and can’t hang pictures on the walls, choose a few nice frames and fill them with your favorite photos.

A comfortable home starts with a place that is clean, well-maintained and run by a thoughtful property management company. Check out some of the properties available from Atlas Lane in Washington DC here.

Top tips to make your bedroom cozy this winter season

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, it’s inevitable that you’ll want to spend more time indoors. And what better time than to curl up in bed under a warm, cozy blanket with a hot drink and your favorite book.

It’s important that your space reflects a comfortable and relaxing environment that you can enjoy spending time in, especially during the colder months. While we start and end the day in our bedroom, it’s worth taking some extra time to kick back after a long, busy day to make your space a relaxing, warm place.

From textured bedding to super comfy pillows and the perfect lighting, our designers have put together the best tips to create a warm atmosphere that will make your bedroom cozy this winter.

Splurge on quality bedding

Investing in quality bedding is investing in better sleep as well as increasing the comfort of your bedroom. We recommend choosing quality cotton bedding to ensure a good nights rest and a relaxing environment.

Cotton is a pure, natural material that is woven using a fine weave, making it breathable. Cotton bedding will also give your space a timeless design no matter what your style.

Bedding and other textiles are great options for transitioning your bedroom from one season to another because you can change them easily and it doesn’t take much time or effort to change them.

Our bedroom is our sanctuary, so it is very important that we feel good in it.

Discover our new collection of cozy, cotton bedding to instantly create a warm atmosphere in your home.

Let there be light

Lighting makes such a big difference to the feel of a space. Get ready for a warm winter indoors by adding stylish lighting to your bedroom. An endless amount of lights and lampshades are available, whether you prefer boho ceiling lighting, elegant bedside table lighting or stylish floor lighting to create a warm atmosphere.

Be sure to choose bulbs with warm heads to bring warmth to your space. Adding candle lights to any space can also enhance the final space.

Make your bed.

Another way to achieve a cozy look in your bedroom is to layer with textures.

Prepare your bed with a thick bed cover, throw and pile it with pillows. Volume is important to create the perfect cozy look because you want to make your bed look like something you want to sink into after a long day.