When you’re in the process of renovating your house, the temptation can be to go for showy centrepieces and go expensive to really display what your house is all about- oblique angles, sparse spaces, and the like. But with the winter months approaching, does a house of empty space, greys and browns really entice you? The winter months are all about warmth, cosying down on the couch, big fluffy slippers, and a steaming mug of cocoa. So, from an interior design perspective, but also a human one, how can you create a comfortably cosy concoction like this?
Softness
It’s simple really, the thoughts associated with comfort are all those fluffy, soft touchstones. So make sure you’ve got materials that are soft to the touch. From curtains that are thick and luxurious to a wool carpet that you can feel through your feet, softness doesn’t have to be an overly expensive option. For those people who can’t afford a new carpet, go for the simple ideas. Rugs and throws, with plenty of chunky knitted patterns, don’t just create that tangible cosiness between your fingers, but they look so rustic that it automatically conjures up relaxation.
Set Your Scene
To create a cosy feeling in the house, it is about a developing all of the senses. While touch has been covered, sight needs to be addressed, and specifically, the lighting and ambience of every room. You want to come home after a stressful day and switch to relaxation mode automatically. Setting the mood is a lot to do with this. And the lighting is such an important part of creating an indelible feeling of cosiness, but it doesn’t have to be overstated. Dimmer switches can be easily installed so you can choose the strength of the light. Floor and table lamps immediately create a warm tone, instead of the bright fluorescent overheads. And don’t forget candles! They can very quickly transform a space and that warming glow of a scented candle can encourage you to take a few deep breaths and settle in for a long night’s relaxing.
What Does The Place Smell Like?
If you unlock the front door, step into an intoxicating aroma, you can feel your stress melting away. And while we can’t all have the joys of a home cooked meal, if you step through the front door and all you can smell is microwave curry, you’re not going to want to hunker down in the warm environment of this place at all! The aforementioned candles are a great way, not just to create a relaxing aroma, but it can very easily cancel out the smells that have been etched into the walls of the home. Lavender candles, vanilla essence, and, as it is the season, numerous Christmas scented candles are so strong that they can very easily mask horrible cooking smells! And if you’re looking to overhaul the smell, but also creates and vibrancy, flowers are a great and cheap option. Flowers can bring some natural beauty into a space, and while you want to go for the upmarket bouquets, the skill is all in the arranging!
Creating A Relaxation Space
If you are in the position where you’ve got a spare room going begging, and you’re not able to make drastic changes to the house, make a space that is for the purposes of relaxing and from there, you can dress it up any which way you want. You don’t have to have a spare room, even a corner can turn into a lovely relaxation nook. Set up an armchair, put a blanket over it, maybe a headlamp and a footrest, and you’ve automatically created a singular space just for you.
Creating Layers
A very simple and effective way to make a space more enticing is to add layers. Blankets and pillows over a couch, or by adding a soft comforter then piling pillows of different shapes and sizes gives you an abundance of relaxation options for every contour of your body, whether you are just lying down or reading. Layers are striking, but also practical. And by adding all of these layers, you are automatically creating additional heat. While this isn’t a science lesson, in order to create a nice, cosy environment, adding that little bit of extra warmth, even if you don’t want to wear a chunky dressing gown, can be achieved with the minimum of effort.
When you are making changes to your space, style can be the overarching goal. But when we want everything to look good, we can compromise that feeling of comfort. Play with your space, but give a few of these a try.
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