Does your home feel sterile and impersonal? Do you find it difficult to relax in your living room or fall asleep in your own bedroom? Well, with a few design hacks, you can instantly make your house feel like the cozy space that you’ve always wanted.
What Makes a House a Home?
They say home is where the heart is…but what does that mean? What is it about a house — which is ultimately nothing more than wood, drywall, windows, doors, and mechanical systems — that captivates our identities?
As one homeowner writes, “Home is a safe haven and a comfort zone. A place to live with our families and pets and enjoy with friends. A place to build memories as well as a way to build future wealth. A place where we can truly just be ourselves. And whether our houses are big, small, fancy or modest, they are our shelters and our sanctuaries.”
That quote is beautiful for a number of reasons, but there are a few words that stick out — words like “safe haven,” “comfort zone,” and “sanctuaries.”
The best homes in the world aren’t the most expensive or luxurious. They aren’t the largest or most posh. They’re the ones where we feel at ease. They’re places where we’re so relaxed, we can be ourselves.
If you want to make your house a home, it needs to feel safe and comfortable. It needs to be a cozy retreat from the chaos of the outside world.
5 Tips for a Cozier House
Creating a cozy home is an endeavor of unique expression. It’s about knowing what makes you comfortable and infusing those design elements into your living spaces. And while every individual is different, here are a few tips we think you might should try:
- Swap Out Lighting
Nothing screams “college dorm room” quite like Ikea lighting or builder-grade fixtures. Swap out your cookie cutter lighting for something more unique. Be sure to layer your lighting so that you have a variety of fixtures at different levels throughout the room (table, floor, overhead, etc.). And don’t underestimate the power of changing up light bulbs!
“The next time you’re in the lightbulb aisle debating between ‘cool white’ and ‘warm white,’ take a peek at the Kelvin temperature listed on the box,” Apartment Therapy suggests. “For a warmer, more golden glow, choose one with 2,700 Kelvins or less.”
This might seem like overkill for lighting, but it makes a huge difference. It’s also one of the most cost-effective ways to change the ambience of any environment. Trust us on this!
- Mix Styles
If you walk into most of today’s homes, you’ll find one style throughout. And while there’s something to be said for consistency, too much congruency can quickly feel stale and impersonal. Consider mixing up styles to achieve a more welcoming look.
A contemporary armoire or wardrobe, for example, can add a sense of refinement to your master bedroom. Combine that with a vintage chair or footstool at the end of your traditional bed and the dichotomy of design elicits feelings of warmth. There’s something refreshing about layering different styles together.
- Fall in Love With Your Sofa
You spend a lot of time on your sofa. While it should look good, it also needs to feel good. This is one piece of furniture that you should never buy online without testing. If you’re dissatisfied with your current sofa, consider upgrading!
- Pay Attention to Scents
We spend a lot of time thinking about how things look and feel, but if there’s one element that can quickly make a house feel warm and cozy, it’s a pleasing aroma.
Pay attention to the scent of your home. You can make it more welcoming by infusing it with scents like cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, mint, and other fresh aromas.
- Tell Your Story
Stop trying to replicate the designs you see in magazines and on Pinterest. Instead, tell your story. Show off unique items, old photos, family heirlooms, and special mementos. That’s what makes a house personal.
Transform Your Home
It doesn’t take much to turn a house into a home. With a few simple tweaks and minor renovations, you can make even the most generic space feel like a cozy retreat. Commit to making some small improvements this week and see where the progress leads you!