how to make your home cozier
It’s that time of year where everywhere you go seems warmer and more cozy than usual. From your local coffee shop to the downtown department stores - lights, decorations, and even scents are added to give you that cozy feel.
I’ve laid out a few key ways that you can bring that feeling into your home and turn your space into the hygge den of your dreams.
LIGHTINg
There’s a reason that lighting is the first step to creating the right atmosphere, it truly will make all the difference.
So please, for the love of all that is holy, ditch that cold overhead lighting. Turn it off and never turn it back on again, because it’s doing you no favours.
Instead, make sure you have an abundance of light sources, table and floor lamps, candles, and ambient lighting. Creating different pockets of illumination will help set the mood and make your space seem inviting rather than creating dark spaces with only a single cool light.
If adding additional lights and re-jigging your lighting situation is out of the question for you, at least make sure you are only using warm bulbs throughout the rooms that you want to cozy up.
Warm lighting promotes relaxation and the almost yellow glow helps to create a warm and pleasant atmosphere for you to unwind.
The colour temperature of light is ranked on the Kelvin scale, the warmer the colour, the lower the temperature. The numbers represent where each tone is on the scale.
Creating a cozy atmosphere with lighting doesn’t have to be pricey or complicated.
Simple additions you can add to your room:
Strings of light (fairy, Christmas or globe)
Warm lighting features like a Himalayan salt lamp or this Saje diffuser
Flameless candles
Tea lights in light diffusing holders (example from CB2)
Ambient lighting with smart bulbs or diffused led strips (Phillips Hue are my personal favourite, they’re dimmable and work with Google Home & Alexa or can be accessed through an app on your phone)
IKEA has a lot of really great, cheap options for good mood lighting. Like this simple table lamp or this bamboo one.
The key things to remember about lighting is that it should be warm and diffused.
Your lights should be softly glowing and scattered about your home so your whole space feels cozy and inviting.
textures
Introducing natural textures to your space is an easy way to add depth and coziness to a space. Creating texture is not simply just about how decor and soft furnishings feel, but it's also about 'visual texture' – using different materials to add interest and breathe life into a room.
Without texture, a space will fall flat. Using mixed materials throughout a room will create vibrancy and warmth. It's a way of adding depth and dimension as well as comfort
There really are a myriad of ways to add depth and texture to your home with a variety of materials, fixtures and furniture.
Choose textiles in different fabrics - chunky knit, velvet, cotton or faux fur
Add extra pillows and throws to your chairs and sofa or place them in woven baskets on the floor
Add accessories in leather, ceramic or wood to your coffee table, bookshelf or mantle
Find an accent chair or pouf in a textile that you like
Include a light fixture made with bamboo, linen or stone
Rugs are also an easy way to add texture and warmth to a room. They will easily cozy up any hardwood floor and can also be layered on top of carpet.
Big rugs are great for your living room and bedroom, but it doesn’t have to end there. Add textural elements into the rest of your home to create warmth that extends throughout your space.
Include a vintage-style or colourful runner in the kitchen area to make things a little more cozy and stylish. Your entrance way, hallway or bathroom are other great places to throw down a runner and create a more inviting space.
And don’t forget to have an extra plushy bathroom mat to avoid that cold-tile feeling in the mornings.
plants
Adding greenery to your space will literally breathe life into a room. House plants create a more relaxing and serene vibe that makes us feel comfortable and at ease.
They can transform cold and empty rooms into cozy, warm places as if by magic.
Great for filling an empty corner or pulling focus to a shelf or mantle, add your plants to any surface you’d like. Don’t have any available surfaces? One of the best ways to add more plants to your home is by hanging them, from the ceiling or by the window.
The more greenery you have, the more you get to play around with interesting vessels. Choose from classic brass or terracotta planters to baskets to unique vintage containers. They’ll add textural pops of interest and help to create the atmosphere you’re trying to achieve.
Choosing a few key plants for your space can really add the kind of warmth you might be looking for.
Don’t feel confident taking care of plants? Faux greenery will do the trick if you feel that you don’t have a green thumb or the right kind of light. There are also a wide range of dried flora and fauna available these days that will lend a textural element to your space.
Of course it is the holiday season, if you celebrate, so adding some Christmasy greenery will always adds that element of festivity and warmth to your space.
scents
When it comes to decorating and designing, the power of scent is often an afterthought. But it’s actually an important part of creating a pleasant atmosphere in your home and goes hand-in-hand with every other aspect of creating your space.
Luckily, making your home smell good is both super easy and super customizable. Choose whichever scents you like to smell in your space. Personally, I like to switch it up based on the season. For example, I love the richer scents of pine, bergamot and cinnamon in the winter but prefer fresher ones like linen and lavender in the summer.
There are so many different ways to perfume your space, so just pick your favourite and indulge! Some options are:
Scented candles
Essential oil diffusers
Wax melts
Stovetop potpourri
Fresh fragrant flowers
Room sprays
Plugin scented oils
one last thing
Although the cozy aesthetic is often shown through a boho-inspired lens, it is entirely possible to make your space cozy within your own desired style. Whether that be minimalist, eclectic maximalism, mid-century modern or anything in between. It might take a little more searching or finessing but it is definitely achievable.
Good luck and Happy Holidays!
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Need more inspo?
Check out my Cozy Home Pinterest Board.
