Wondering how to make your living room cozier and more inviting? For most people, that's actually a goal in interior design, so you're asking the right question. Having researched this question and gathering tips from professional designers, we have some ideas you can use yourself.
Here are 15 easy and practical ways to add warmth and coziness to any living room:
- Position Your Plants Correctly
- Paint Your Walls in Two-Toned Colors
- Switch Out Your Coffee Tables for Ottomans
- Separate Areas with Console Tables
- Add a Large and Cushiony Sectional
- Bring Natural Light Into Your Living Space
- Create an Intimate Area
- Include Throw Blankets in Your Décor
- Fill an Empty Wall with a Bookshelf and Books
- Include Family Photos or Personal Art
- Add a Free-Standing Fireplace
- Make Good Use of Table Lighting and Floor Lamps
- Add Curtains That Run From the Ceiling to the Floor
Of course, you don't have to use them all. Definitely not all at once. Read on to see what these measures include and if and how you can work them into your own living room.
Why a warm and cozy living room is so important
Whilst some homeowners think that coziness should be reserved for larger spaces, any home can benefit from a warm and cozy appearance. The idea is to make your home look inviting, somewhere you can gather with friends, or hibernate on cold winter days. You can achieve this effect when you strive for a warm and comfortably cozy aspect.
If you are not certain how to achieve this effect, you only need to consult the experts for ideas. Whether you want to decorate a cavernous living space or wish to add intimacy to a smaller area, you will find that warm and cozy is the right design. You just need to remember that the most important part of décor is the function, and how it melds with the design.
By using the following techniques, you can deal with excess clutter, add warming tones to a neutral décor, and learn how to optimize an empty area. You do not need to take on a massive refurbishment. You just need to learn strategic placements and use paint and colors to their best advantage.
1. Add plants and Position them correctly
If your room features high ceilings, add tall and voluminous houseplants to fill up voids and vertical spaces. Just make sure you place the plant so that it will survive. The plant should be positioned so that it receives the required amount of sunlight.
Also, make sure the plants receive the proper amount of water and fertilization. Otherwise, you will lose the whole point of the exercise. Dead plants really do not give a living space a warm and cozy feel. You can always fill in empty spaces with the right potted plants.
Sounds too daunting?
There are so many fantastic plastic plants to choose from. We won't tell if you won't!
2. Paint Your Walls in Two-Toned Colors
If you need to make a large room more comfortable and cozy, you should paint the wall a couple inches short of the ceiling. That way, the whole room will look smaller.
You can also try the same strategy to make a room feel larger. Paint the wall so you end the paint several inches onto the ceiling. You may also think about adding an accent wall, regardless of the size of the living area. One popular color used for this purpose is dusky red. It looks great when it is applied behind a fireplace. On a cold winter’s day, the room seems to be doubly warm.
3. Switch Out Your Coffee Tables for Ottomans
When you think of comfy and cozy, you often think of “plush.” Instead of coffee tables, use ottomans to add a more comfortable look. Plus, ottomans encourage relaxation – something you can truly appreciate when your décor’s theme is cozy.
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If you want to erase any clutter, choose ottomans that feature storage options. Choose a button-tufted ottoman to add texture and elegance. A rectangular design nicely accommodates a medium-sized or larger space. If your room is smaller, choose ottomans that are circular in design.
4. Separate Areas with Console Tables
To make a space appear smaller, or define areas in your house, make good use of a console table or tables. Doing so will give you added versatility. Push the console table against your sofa or wall, creating a barrier, whilst leaving the room feel open.
You can use the console tables to divide a large living space or separate the seating arrangements in a large living room or lounge. Make sure you choose a table that also provides storage, so you can keep your area clean and organized.
5. Add a Large and Cushiony Sectional
If your living room is rather large, add a large and cushy sectional to good effect. Doing so will make you feel more secure and give you the ability to entertain and welcome guests.
For instance, why not choose a beautiful royal blue sofa in a space with dove grey walls. Push the sectional away from the wall to close in the space. Use potted plants to fill in the space behind the furniture.
6. Permit the Natural Light to Stream Into Your Living Space
If you want your living space to feel more inviting, you need to make sure you make the most of the natural light. A darkened room does not exactly look welcoming.
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Therefore, add window treatments that permit you to control the natural light that comes into the room. A window treatment, such as a stylish blind enables you to keep your room warmer in the winter and cooler in the summertime, as it can be adjusted accordingly. Always make sure your room’s lighting imparts a friendly ambience.
7. Create an Intimate Area with loveseats of a chaise
To make things more romantic or to cozy things up a bit, you need to make sure you place your seating arrangements so they invite closeness. You can do this in a larger space or in a smaller area. It does not matter.
The idea is to make the seating arrangement warm and inviting. Think about creating arrangements for groups of two. That means using wing back chairs in traditional settings, or love seats in more contemporary venues. A chaise that features a back on each side also produces a more relaxed and cozy look.
If your space is lengthy, it helps to warm it up a bit by including seating groups that shorten the length of the space. Add a loveseat, sofa, and two chairs. Place the love seat on one side of the sofa and the two chairs on the other side of the sofa to even out the look. For example, if you have a broad archway separating the living room, you can use this type of arrangement in the two spaces.
8. Include Throw Blankets in Your Décor
You really cannot achieve a warmer look without the use of blankets. Throw blankets are the ideal accessories to include in a décor that supports a warm and cozy theme.
Not only does this type of blanket add color, texture, and warmth, it automatically makes anyone feel right at home. Who does not like the idea of surrounding themselves with a blanket’s warmth when there is a chill in the air, or when it is snowing outside?
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9. Fill an Empty Wall with a Bookshelf and Books
Nothing says warm and cozy like a bookshelf filled with antique tomes and the latest bestsellers. People often think of a den as a place to go to feel secure or read. You can still create this effect in a large living area.
Make sure the shelves are filled with books to enhance the warm and cozy effect. Give your living space the look of an inviting reading room – a library and entertainment center. Include a TV in the built-in bookcase. If your space is smaller, add bookshelves that feature some interesting knick-knacks along with the books to open up the space a bit. Add a large piece of interesting artwork and some empty shelves over your sofa.
10. Include Family Photos or Personal Art
If you want to enhance the feeling of warmth – or make a room feel more inviting, nothing says it like a grouping of family photos or personal artworks.
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Adding family photos enables you to feel happy and secure, and can always be removed if you plan to sell your home at a later date. Place a special photo above your fireplace mantle, if you have one.
11. Add a Free-Standing Fireplace
If you do not have a fireplace, you can always add a free-standing fireplace to increase the feeling of coziness. You can choose from fireplaces that do not need to be vented to work. These kinds of “wood” burners make it possible for you to enjoy the warmth of a fireplace in a contemporary or traditional setting.
12. Make Good Use of Table Lighting and Floor Lamps
Cozy abodes also use lighting in the evenings that is enchanting and welcoming. If you wish to exert a warm glow in your living space, you need to make a careful selection of your lights.
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Keep your space well lit after it is time to draw the blinds or close the shades. Doing so will make you feel warmer and safer.
13. Add Curtains That Run From the Ceiling to the Floor
Add warming colors and lengthen a small space with floor-to-ceiling curtains. Doing so will make the space appear larger, as well as infuse it with additional warmth.
Enjoy your cozy living room!
As you can see, you can find a number of ways to make your place feel more inviting. Take time now to review your space and see how you can improve it and make it feel friendlier.