Create a cozy home – Creating a cozy atmosphere in your home is not as difficult as some may think. If you want your family and guests to feel as if they are walking into a warm, cozy blanket every time they enter your home, you need to remember to appeal to as many of the senses as possible (sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound) without being overwhelming.
It really is that simple!
Here are 20 ideas to create a cozy home.
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1. Consider your lighting.
Overhead lighting can use useful if you need bright light, but it is overbearing most of the time. Instead, use lamps and twinkle lights to create a warm ambiance. Softening your lighting goes a long way towards creating that cozy feel you want in your home.
Think beyond ordinary table lamps. Add small lights to a bookshelf, kitchen counter, or an entry foyer to bring a warm glow to darker corners of your home. This battery-powered lamp is perfect…
Small battery-powered accent lamp
2. Make use of the sun.
Opening the curtains and allowing the sun to flow in during the day creates a cheerful, warm environment. Bonus: it’s free!
3. Remove clutter.
I’m a firm believer in the idea that “cluttered surroundings make for a cluttered mind”. Keep surfaces like the countertops, end tables, and the coffee table free of too much stuff.
If clutter constantly collects in your house (as it does mine!), and you don’t have the time right now to go all Marie Kondo with your clutter, make use of storage bins and baskets to, at least, keep the clutter in designated spots in the house. Plus, storage baskets are cute and inexpensive.
Cute, useful, and inexpensive storage container
4. Make your beds.
Keeping your beds made during the day is one of the simplest ways to make a bedroom look more inviting and relaxing. A neat and tidy bed, along with soft lighting, makes the bedroom a nice place to retreat for a few minutes when the kids are driving you crazy, or you just need some time alone.
5. Light candles.
There’s just something about candlelight that relaxes the mind. Candles are also a great way to appeal to the sense of smell. Even if you have small children and worry about them getting too close, you can still keep candles lit on high shelves or countertops.
These unique candles also come with a choice of sayings, such as “Home Is Where the Heart Is”…
Unique, three-wick scented candles
6. Keep bathrooms clean.
Adopting a clean as you go routine in your bathroom keeps them looking nice and inviting. Wipe down the counter every day, keep towels neatly on a rack, and keep shower curtains closed. If you have young children you can start training them on cleaning up after themselves every time they use the bathroom.
7. Appeal to the sense of smell.
There are a number of ways to make your house smell warm and inviting (even if you have a teenage boy in the house!). You can use scented candles, as mentioned in #5. I also like to make a stovetop heated potpourri. In a deep saucepan add 4 cups of water, a sliced orange, 2 cinnamon sticks, and a pinch of nutmeg. Simmer on low, adding more water a little at a time as it evaporates. Your house will smell amazing!
8. Add fresh flowers.
Bringing fresh flowers inside immediately brightens your home. You don’t need to buy expensive bouquets. You can just use what is in your yard if you’re lucky enough to have flowers in your landscape. I like to cut a bloom or two off my big, blue hydrangea and place them in a big bowl of water. They float on top and add a light scent to my home.
9. Pillows, pillows, pillows.
Adding overstuffed throw pillows to your sofa, chairs, and beds appeals to the sense of touch. Who doesn’t love to snuggle a big pillow while lounging on the sofa watching a movie?!
Here’s a tip: invest in different pillow covers. This is an inexpensive way to quickly change your decor each season.
Inexpensive pillow covers to add a fresh touch to each room
10. Use throw blankets.
In the Fall and Winter, keep a few beautiful, cozy throw blankets on the sofa or chairs. Like the pillows in #9, throw blankets create warmth, literally and figuratively. Throw blankets are also a great way to add color to a living room.
Cozy, snuggly throw blanket to add warmth, texture, and style to your home
11. Make use of music.
Keep soft music playing in the background while the TV is off, or while cooking in the kitchen. Not only does this appeal to the sense of sound, classical music has been proven to calm the mind. By playing the right kinds of music, you can actually create a peaceful feeling in your home.
12. Tame the messes.
Beyond the clutter issue, we often just have to deal with regular messes. Don’t keep dirty dishes in the sink. Wash them as soon as possible, or put them in the dishwasher. Keep clothes in the closet, dresser, or the hamper… never in a pile on the floor. Keeping the mess at bay makes a home more inviting.
13. Keep floors clean.
Admittedly, clean floors are my “thing”. I know not everyone is as crazy about this as me, but I sincerely believe that at least 50% of a room’s cleanliness is based on how clean the floor is. Vacuum, sweep, and/or mop regularly to keep rooms looking tidy and neat. This is a great task to delegate to your children!
If you hate cleaning floors, consider investing in a robotic vacuum that cleans carpet and hardwoods.
Coreda Robot Vacuum – rave reviews for just a quarter of the cost of a Roomba!
14. Use rugs.
Seems everyone is changing out their carpet for hardwoods these days. And for good reason. They are beautiful and easy to maintain. Unfortunately, they can also look cold and barren. Adding plush rugs helps a space look and feel softer and warmer.
15. Have a place for everything.
“A place for everything, and everything in its place” should be the mantra of anyone looking to create a cozy home. This goes along with keeping clutter at bay and cleaning up messes immediately. But, having a place for everything also saves your sanity.
Have a place for the scissors and put them back as soon as you’re finished. Next time you or someone in your house needs them, you will know where they are.
16. Incorporate different textures in your decor.
Blending wood, stone, brick, soft cotton, wicker, and iron provides an earthy feel to your home that adds a sense of “grounding”.
You don’t need to go all out and brick an accent wall or add shiplap to the ceiling. You can simply use thick natural wood picture frames, wicker baskets, or sturdy stone accent pieces. The grounding that these earthy textures provide creates a sense of warmth in the home.
Earthy, farmhouse wood picture frame to add texture to any room
17. Add greenery.
Live plants or high-quality silk greenery work well to bring the outdoors in, creating a softer feel to your decor. If keeping plants alive isn’t your thing, or you don’t like the idea of constantly having to dust tons of faux greenery, simply add smaller bunches of greenery to your room. Wreaths and smaller greenery bunches work well for wall decor.
Simple, but stylish 18″ eucalyptus wreath
18. Add seasonal touches.
Seasonal touches do not have to be overbearing or even holiday-related. Make a centerpiece of small gourds in the Fall, or fresh flowers in the Spring.
19. Simplify your color palette.
Too many colors in a home can create visual chaos. On the other hand, using too few colors can create a stark, cold monotone. Find a nice balance, using a good neutral base tone on your walls like Revere Pewter. Use solid color sofas and chairs, but add pops of color with pillows and throw blankets. By building color intentionally in any room, you can create a lovely, but not over-bearing feeling.
20. Keep your own attitude warm and inviting.
You can decorate all you want. Your home can be magazine photoshoot ready, but, at the end of the day, if you exude tenseness, bitterness, and a curt attitude, your home will feel tense and uncomfortable. The quickest way to lose the cozy feel of a home is to have a bad attitude.
What are your tips and tricks to create a cozy home? Please share in the comments below.
Create a cozy home
Be sure to check out these posts in Homemaking:
How to Be a Good Homemaker When You’re Not Very Good at Homemaking
