A house needs a lot more than visual appeal to truly be a home. Some people focus so much on incorporating a certain style that they forget about one of the most important aspects of all: whether or not it’s has that cozy factor. If your home’s feeling a little on the uninviting or cold side, here are a few ways you can immediately add a little coziness.
Color is important
Visually, there’s a lot you can do to make a home feel coziest, of course. Perhaps the most impact is going to be made in your choice of colors. You might like light, airy colors, but sometimes they can feel cold and impassive in a room that doesn’t suit them. Warm, deep hues like plum and scarlet can create a room that feels much more intimate. These colors work especially well if your home has a natural look to it using materials like wood, too. Otherwise, those materials can feel a little too hard and uninviting.
Texture is as important as look
Of course, a home should invite you to do a lot more than look at it. It should invite you to feel at home and to accomplish that you should think about the tactile nature of the space, too. Little accenting pieces like throws, cushions, and wool rugs can immediately add a lot of pleasing sensation to even the cleanest and most contemporary of spaces. You should choose your furnishings carefully, too. If you want to keep leather feeling comfortable, then you have to be prepared to care for it regularly. Otherwise, it dries out and cracks, becoming anything but comfortable.
Let there be light
How light works in the home changes depending on what kind of look you’re trying to accomplish. If you want it feeling bright and spacious, then you want to maximize natural light as best as possible. For the cozy appeal, however, the answer might very well be in using accent and task lighting to keep things well-lit, but not overbearing. It helps maintain a warm glow without exposing the whole room. Even better if you want to create comfortable little zones like a reading nook or a cozy dining area.
Appeal to all the senses
One of the most emotionally engaging senses is the sense of smell. Carefully consider the fragrances you use in the home. In the bedroom, for instance, lavender is a favorite because not only is it soft but natural at the same time, but it’s well known to help you get a good night’s sleep. Houseplants can be a great way to invite real, natural scents into the home as well. They have an impact on improving mental health and de-stressing as well, not to mention adding some life to the home.
The next time you think about changing up your interior, make sure that how cozy it is ranks amongst one of the most important factors in the choices you make. That means appealing to all senses, from color, to touch, even to smell.
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