How To Create A Cozy Room

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When Winter hits the first thing I think of doing is heating up some tea or creating a nice creamy batch of hot chocolate, but since work at an Architecture and Design firm doesn't stop, the next best thing is creating a warm, comfortable and cozy room to return to. Besides, most of us want our homes to always feel inviting to spend time in. So what makes a space cozy? Is it the size of your space, the furniture arrangement, the fabrics, lighting or accessories? Listed below are a few helpful tips on creating your perfect cozy room, along with some stellar rooms to see how they were done:

Cast A Warm Glow
Decorating with string lights or lanterns is a great way to add soft light to the room and give a magically cozy feeling to your room year-round. Try hanging string lights on a mirror, or place lanterns on a hard tile or wood floor, or on your mantel (away from a child's' reach) to cast reflection off of your hard surfaces. For additional help check out modernize for ideas on getting the most style with light.

Add A Good Read
Surrounding yourself with literature is simplest way to warm a home. Fill the shelves, coffee table or mantel with stunning travel and photography tomes, or your latest favorite. Try adding volumes of poetry on the nightstand in the guest bedroom, or turn  that tiny study into a wall full of sturdy shelves supporting your book collection. Books create intimate, quite retreats, places to relax and they rejuvenate the home.

Keep It Low. Keep It Simple.
Don't always take decorating so seriously. The most comfortable homes feel inviting throughout because they feel like you and your family. A great design is brought forth from many different tricks, but the best one to follow is keep what you love and what has meaning, then find a room to store it in. A great way to make that room feel cozy is keeping it low - wether it's your couch or a mattress, sometimes loosing the frame of a traditional furniture piece invites child like playfulness and thus comfort. To keep that room forever trendy, choose a simple palette with pops of color with either a blanket, pillows or a beautiful piece of art.

Window Coverings
When it comes to color and sun the two are dependent on the other. Consider the position of the room’s windows and the amount of light coming through. East, South and West-facing windows receive an intense amount of light at different times of day, while North-facing windows maintain a constant stream of milder light all day. Warm hues often help a room feel heavier and thus easier to relax in (think of a nice thick blanket); if you've chosen a wallpaper, draperies in a mattering pattern  or hue close in the space to make it feel more cozy.


Mixing Old With New
Maybe it's the fact that when loved ones pass away we are accustom to acquiring their used stuff. But having furniture that comes with memories and history is often beautifully paired with modern or contemporary pieces. So beautifully that any space that can use old and new effectively the space is instantaneously made comfortable and warm. One of the fastest routes to a boring room is sticking to a single style or period. The most livable and inspiring rooms combine old and new pieces in a variety of styles to give them an effortless sense of having been assembled over time.

An easy way to mix old and new is to consider a room’s architecture. If you live in a 1930s house, you can incorporate some period pieces, and then add contemporary lighting, rugs, or accessories to bring the rooms into the 21st century. If you live in a brand new high-rise apartment, choose a Persian rug, an antique mirror, or a vintage chandelier to create a sense of history and warmth. But if, like many people, you live in a cookie-cutter space, mixing vintage and contemporary pieces will give your home personality and dimension. Stick to a neutral color scheme and your flea market finds will blend right in with your IKEA staples, creating texture and subtle contrasts.

Finally the key to any cozy space is making your space feel welcome and keeping your space legitimately warm with a fire or freshly baked cookies for your guests is a sure way to please anyone that stays at your residence.