Creating a Cozy Space
According to the Webster Dictionary the definition of cozy is: giving a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation.
Having clothes that are cozy is one thing or taking that first sip of morning coffee or tea that gives you immediate comfort is wonderful, but what about having a space to live in that just embodies the word, comfort?
Here are 12 ways I bring comfort to my own home and you can too:
1. Making Memories-Be YOU!
Whether you're decorating a house, an apartment, a room, or whatever space you may be decorating, the most important way to make it cozy is to make sure the space reflects who YOU are and the memories you would like to be made there. Don't get too caught up in what looks just right. If it makes you happy, go for it! My fridge is the prime example! Is it aesthetically pleasing? Nope, not really. But does it reflect who I am, make me happy, and show some fun memories? Absolutely! So save yourself some trouble and just be yourself when you decorate.
2. Tidy it Up
If my house isn't clean, all I can think about is how I need to clean it. My teenage self had no issues with this, but my adult self has grown to see the value in a clean space. I'm so proud of myself. lol I look at it this way: clear space, clear mind. I am in a much calmer state of mind if my home is tidied up. Coming home to a clean environment rather than a messy one, can take a chaotic day and turn it into a cozy evening, resting up at home. Clean spaces make a difference....trust me!
Tip: Take 10 minutes each day to just tidy up your space. You will be amazed at the power of 10 minutes.
3. Pillows & Blankets
Coziness = fluffy. Just sayin. So if you really want to amp up the coziness in your space, you'll want to invest in some big, soft fluffy pillows (and lots of them). Most nights you'll find me on the couch with a fortress of pillows around me. I. LOVE. THEM. Also, having a nice basket full of throw blankets ready for you and your guests to use whenever is a God send. It just creates a vibe of "come on in and cozy up!"
Tip: I use pillow covers from Amazon. It saves money and I can switch them out to change up the vibe of the room. When I'm ready to switch it up, I simply unzip the cover, take it off of the pillow, order some new covers (or use ones I have), and zip them over the pillow. It's a simple and inexpensive way to change up a room.
4. The Magic of Three
This one is an interesting and one that took a lot of experimenting to finally get the hang of. Creating cozy spaces means figuring out how to display things just right. I have learned that if you arrange items in groups of three, you'll get it right almost every time. Typically you'll want one taller item, one medium sized item, and one smaller item and arrange them in a grouping of three. See some examples below! :)
Tip: This works in landscaping too, but you don't have to worry about height as much! I'll do a blog on landscaping closer to spring. 🌸
5. Check Your Sniffer
Have you ever walked into a space and wanted to walk right back out just because of the odor ruminating through the room and up to your nose? I hear ya...me too. Sometimes that's happened in my very own house thanks to mainly Kai (my dog). However, if this is a constant issue in your space, that's going to be impactful in a negative way for you and guests. Regular vacuuming, disinfecting, carpet cleaning, and cleaning in general helps a ton with this. Also, I love using soy based candles to add a variety of yummy scents to my home.
6. Sweet Seasons
My favorite way to show creativity in my home is decorating for each season. I love the feeling you can create in a space with just the colors, scents, tones, items, and memories from each season. My all-time favorite season is fall because I love the warm colors, weather, and fall activities. If you haven't tried decorating for each season, I would definitely recommend it to add a little bit of coziness to your home.
Tip: When decorating for the seasons, think of ways to bring the outdoors in.
Fall- pumpkins, harvest items, leaves, warm tones
Winter- evergreens, snow accents, crisp white/natural tones
Spring- florals, light pastel colors
Summer- water & fruit accents, bright colors, fresh scents
A Few of My Seasonal Favorites:
Flameless Wicker Moving LED candles
Twinkle Light Winter Birch Trees
Simply browsing the aisles of Hobby Lobby, TJ Maxx, Target, Kirklands, Home Goods, IKEA, etc will provide you with exactly what you want too!
7. Live Plants
I didn't start buying live plants for my house until the lockdown with COVID. I was so bored I started buying all kinds of varieties of house plants, and I'm not mad about it one bit. They add a level of aliveness, comfort, and warmth to my home that I love. Plus, they naturally filter your air and provide oxygen. Also, most have been easy to take care of and not kill within the first week. Gotta love that! Some of my favorites: Snake Plant, Fiddle Leaf Fig (I call mine Freddy the Fig lol), Trailing Pothos, Succulents, String of Pearls, and Peperomia Hope.
8. Mirrors
Mirrors are the absolute best way to take any room and make it more spacious and fill it with more light. Here‘s the perfect example: I have a room in my house that doesn't get any natural sunlight through the windows, because of where it's positioned. So, I decided to take two mirrors and placed them on the wall that is on the opposite side of the windows. First, it creates the illusion that the room is bigger, because you can see the reflection of the windows in both mirrors. Second, it brings in so much more light because the light from the windows is being doubled. I have mirrors in every room. They just add a level of openness that creates so much comfort.
9. Artwork & Pictures
The best way to add depth to a space is by adding beautiful artwork and pictures that remind you of some of your favorite places, people, things, and memories. Love the ocean? Put up some coastal artwork. Do you find joy looking at pictures of family and friends? Hang up some pictures of them! Is there a quote that inspires you to be your best self every day? Hang it up! Having your favorite things on the walls of your home will automatically bring you instant comfort!
Best Frames: IKEA Frames- Affordable and Stylish
10. Color Pallet
Find a color pallet that you love and don’t deviate too far from it within the same space. Conflicting pallets can be pretty overwhelming to take in and won’t create a feeling of relaxation/comfort in your space. For example, I love toned down pastel colors, both warm and cool along with neutrals, so having a bright green pillow on the couch would be very…alarming with the other colors in the room. However, if my color pallet was bright reds, blues, yellows, oranges, etc., it wouldn’t be as odd to see. Find a pallet within a room and stick to it!
11. Lighting & Ambience
I will admit it. I am weird about lighting. I have been ever since I can remember. Lights that are in the same room look best when they all have the same type of lightbulb with the same wattage in each of them. Trust me!!! Having warm, 40/60 watt bulbs in all lamps except for one that has a bright LED bulb truly messes with the whole mood of the room. Bright blue LED lights mess with the vibe in general, but just something to think on. Same with outdoor lighting too...no bright LED lights please! (I told you I'm picky!) Also, a fun way to instantly cozy up any room is to add twinkle lights and turn on a YouTube channel with a continual cozy background. See some of my favorites below!
12. Get Inspired & Be Practical
Take note whenever you're in an environment and just feel comfortable. See what it is about that space that makes your feel that way and try to emulate it in your own home. Recently, I stayed at a Bed and Breakfast in Saugatuck, Michigan that was so cozy and relaxing. I kept looking around to see what it was about this place that I loved and I realized it was the artwork, lighting, live plants, and amazing hospitality. (See pictures below).
You also just have to be practical when you're trying to make your place look cozy. Everything isn't going to look like a showcase. You want your house to look lived in and loved. Be realistic with the expectations of your home and just know that it takes time to create exactly want you want for your home. My house is still a work in progress, but I sure do love what I have. I am blessed. ❤️
Thanks so much for reading! It really means so much to me!
💛Ali
