You might have heard of hygge – or the viral art of relaxing with friends and family and enjoying life’s simpler pleasures. A large part of the appeal of this Danish concept falls in the cosy environment, which has been revealed as integral to improving and maintaining our mental wellbeing. Of course, we all love a bit of relaxation, but how can you implement it into your own home? In this guide on how to make a home feel cosy, we’ll reveal our top tips to achieving that warm fuzzy feeling – so grab a warm drink, snuggle beneath a blanket, and let’s take a look! We’ll cover:
9 Universal Tips
Before we delve into some room-specific advice, let’s take a look at some universally applicable tips to help you as you move from space to space. Whether you’re thinking about how to make your period home homey or how to add comforting character your new build, keep these things in mind and work through, room by room, to keep the process manageable and avoid burnout.
Bear in mind that what matters most in this process is what ‘cosy’ means to you: what makes you feel secure and restful, and what helps you to unwind? Keep that at the forefront of all your choices, together with your personal aesthetics, and you’ll have yourself a match made in heaven.
1. Use All of Your Senses
Cosiness goes beyond a fluffy blanket (as much as we love them!). Throughout the process, ensure that you cater to all five senses. That could be a calming lavender scented candle for smell; keeping some favourite snacks accessible for taste; integrating a splash of joyful colour for sight; or pulling up a plush leather seat for touch. Considering each of these elements creates a cosy experience, beyond a random assortment of items.
2. Soft Furnishings
Of course, we do still love a fluffy blanket! Adorn your upholstered seats and beds with soft throws and plump pillows to create a space to curl up in, or hang some thick curtains of choice to frame your windows. This doesn’t mean that you need to buy a whole new set of matching soft furnishings either – mismatched collections work a treat and add a quirky homeliness to any room.
3. Bring in Nature
When it comes to how to make a house feel cosy, there’s nothing better than adding some plants. Research has shown that greenery adds a liveliness that reduces stress levels and improves overall mood, making a houseplant a must-have for cracking down on those post-work blues. Plus, you can switch up your plants to match the seasons – think sunflowers in summer or holly in winter - adding a personalised touch that suits your home all year round!
4. Upcycle Wooden Furniture
Sometimes, even the smallest of changes can make the biggest difference! Consider your old wooden furniture, for instance: repainting and upcycling can breathe new life into your much-loved items. If you’re interested in how to approach such projects, especially on oak furniture, we have a whole guide dedicated to the matter here.
5. Embrace Warm Lighting
There’s nothing cosier than a warm twinkle when it hits the evening hours. Bring the subtle magic with an assortment of warm-hued fairy lights or consider a mishmash of lamps of all shapes and sizes to adorn your space. Plus, remember those candles we mentioned earlier? They double as intimate flickering lighting that is a welcome break for our eyes, so often victim to harsh blue-light throughout the day. Alternatively, you could switch it up with some fun coloured string lights or invest in customisable LED strips for an atmosphere that adapts with the click of a button!
6. Natural Materials, Always
To contribute to that sense of aesthetic warmth, consider choosing pieces crafted from natural materials such as linen, cotton, stone, or wood. Not only do such options tend to be of higher quality, thereby lasting longer, but they also offer a tactile connection to nature, which enhances the comfy feeling. As if that wasn’t enough, integrating natural materials into your interior is known to improve your mood and reduce stress, creating the perfect atmosphere to unwind.
7. Clean and Declutter
Whilst we’re not suggesting that your home has to be kept spotless, cleaning and decluttering can help to achieve the perfect happy medium between mind-quieting minimalism and usable homeliness. Grace your display cabinets with your most meaningful items to keep the happy memories rolling whilst using clever storage solutions such as blanket boxes, or even just a chest of drawers, to keep those less aesthetically pleasing objects at bay.
That being said, a spick and span space isn’t the best for everybody – which is why it is important to consider what comfort means for you. For instance, the mindfulness gurus over at Headspace suggest that creative individuals can actually benefit from a bit of organised chaos, at least in the short term. So, if you don’t feel like undertaking a whole house clean, don’t stress!
8. Neutral Colour Palettes
To pair seamlessly with your natural materials, a neutral colour scheme is your best bet. We’re thinking soft creams, warm browns, or even very delicate pastels. The specifics will vary depending on your own aesthetic as well as the dynamics of the space. If you’re working with oak furniture for example, we love pairing paler oak shades with lighter colour schemes to open up the space, or, if it’s honey hues you’re matching, a warmer undertone can bring out the natural snugness of the space. Check out our oak furniture ideas for more inspiration!
9. Pay Attention to Layouts
Whether you’re refreshing your living room or looking to create a welcoming kitchen, the layout of the space should not be discounted. Generally speaking, you should ensure that you complement movement throughout the space by placing furniture that fits well around natural pathways. Additionally, utilising layout to define and corner off specific spots for different functions can create a welcoming nook that you’ll just love to curl up in!
How to Make a Home Cosy: Tips by Room
Now that we’ve covered some general tips when it comes to how to make a home cosy, let’s delve into each room a little bit more to think about some specific considerations. After all, no two spaces are the same – even within the most cohesive of cosy homes…
Living Room
As the heart of the home for many, the living room is perhaps the ultimate space to make cosy. Of course, as with most of the rooms on this list, the specific means of doing so will vary depending on your own circumstances and the restrictions of your space: if you have a low ceiling, for example, pendant lights or abstract lamps can add a quirky charm to your cosy home haven.
Pairing a soft feature rug with a fireplace (be it real, fake, or even on your smart TV) can bring forth a sense of nostalgia, especially in the colder seasons. If you cast your mind back to our ‘natural materials’ tip, you might also think about bringing in an array of houseplants during the warmer months and pairing them with thin, flowy soft furnishings. All year round, carefully selected art or photos hanging on the walls can make your living space feel truly yours, cocooning your relaxation and socialisation area in fond memories. Ultimately, your living room should epitomise your sense of home, whatever that means for you.
Kitchen and Dining Room
When it comes to the kitchen and dining room, organisation might take precedence. With so many cooking and dining utensils to stow away, cluttered sides and stray crumbs can be a real downer on your sense of calm. The good news is that there’s plenty of attractive solutions out there, from aesthetically pleasing utensil pots to raw-looking wooden cutting boards that add charm, particularly to a small cottage kitchen design.
Additionally, you might want to pay particular attention to our layout tip. As you likely know from experience, the kitchen and dining room (or even the kitchen diner combo) can be a chaotic and busy space, meaning that workflow can really be the make or break to avoid unnecessary stress. Even the most awkward of kitchen and dining room layouts can be transformed to streamline the space and make it somewhere you’ll love to spend your time.
Further, have you considered incorporating social spaces to your kitchen? Utilising breakfast bars and kitchen islands by adding comfortable bar seating can be a dream when it comes to promoting laid-back chatter whilst cooking. For the dining room, seating becomes all the more important. To make your space cosy, consider luxurious options that suit the entire family. That could be as simple as high-quality dining chairs, or as lavish as implementing a booth-style dining set.
One of our favourite tips is to create a coffee or tea nook somewhere throughout these two spaces. Think two comfortable armchairs perched alongside a nest of tables that houses your beloved coffee machine or kettle along with your favourite warm drink products – now that’s what we call cosy!
Bathroom
The bathroom – whether that be a small under stairs toilet or a large spa-like space – ultimately serves as a space for hygiene and refreshment. So, when it comes to making the room cosy, these two functions should remain at the forefront of your thinking. Opt for clean and crisp surfaces along with ample task lighting. That being said, avoid making it feel too sterile by also offering the option for warmer lighting (such as candles) and steering clear of too much symmetry. Upgrading your soft furnishings is another great way to go – soft towels and fluffy bathmats are one of life’s simplest joys.
Office
Home offices are on the rise, alongside the growth of home working. So, as we spend more time at our desks, comfort is key. Really, making your office cosy depends on what you’re using it for. Perhaps you’re a creative who, as we’ve learned, can benefit from a little chaos, or maybe you’re an organised individual who needs plenty of negative space to think clearly. Whichever it is, mindfully combine function and aesthetics for a room that does what it’s intended for, without feeling too stressful to be in.
For example, if you’ve got a bookcase, try organising and coordinating in some way – alphabetically, by genre, by level of use, or even by colour. Knowing where everything is that you might need for your project can work to quiet your mind and relieve those moments of panic. This extends to desk organisation too – consider investing in desk supplies that match your personality whilst fitting well into the surrounding space.
But it shouldn’t be all work, work, work… Implementing a break nook can be a great way to add a touch of softness to your office: cosy seating and bundles of blankets can be welcome comforts when it all gets a bit much.
Bedroom
Ah, the bedroom, the space where most of us end our day, and in accordance, where we’ll end this blog. Since it is likely to be the room where comfort is most key, we’ve got an entire blog dedicated to making your bedroom cosy, which you can check out in a bit more detail when you’re done here! But for now, allow us to give you the lowdown.
It all stems from the bed – choose a quality mattress that works well with your bed frame to create the ultimate snuggly surface. Once that’s sorted, add texture with carefully thought-out blankets and cushions that complement the overarching design. Accessorise with personal touches, a few chosen pieces of art, or a plant or two, and you’ll have created a space that isn’t just somewhere to sleep, but a place where you can truly feel at ease.
And, Relax!
Phew! That was a lot of information. Remember: when it comes to how to make a home feel cosy, take it easy. After all, there’s no use stressing to create a space where you won’t be stressed. Work room by room and implement manageable changes. You’ll likely be surprised by just how much of a difference the smallest things can make!
So, where will you start? If you’re looking for more inspiration and design guidance, you’re in the right place. Explore our other furniture and interior design blog posts to craft the ultimate cosy home!
