Your home should be your favourite place in the world. While it may not be the dream home you envision as you scroll endlessly through the latest home makeover feeds, it can and should be someplace you want to be. If you feel that your home is fine, but not quite as comfortable and inviting as it could be, continue reading to learn about some tips you can use to make it cosy and relaxing.
Add Some Heat
When you are cold, especially in your own home, you tend to be a bit miserable. If your home is drafty, the first order of business is to locate the drafts and address them. The solution might be as simple as caulking the interior and exterior of the window sills and frames. Or it could be a bit more complex if there is some shifting. In the case of the latter, you might need to contact a licensed handyperson to take care of everything for you.
Once your drafts have been eliminated, it is time to bring on the warmth. A lovely addition to any home is a fireplace from Barton Fireplaces. You might want to install one in the master bedroom for maximum comfort day or night. Other areas to consider include the kitchen or dining area and the lounge or living room. Any of these spaces will benefit from a fireplace while encouraging you, your family, and your friends to spend more time together and linger over the warmth and ambience created by the fireplace.
The Garden Counts, Too
Your back garden is a place of respite. Assuming you have a fence, it is almost like an open-air room or an extension of your home. It is your own private oasis away from neighbours and the rest of the world.
Look around your outdoor space and assess the area. If you have room for a deck or patio, consider this your gentle nudge to do so. You will add usable space to your property while creating a new place in which you can enjoy your home, albeit outdoors. Add a pergola to give you some shade from the midday sun, or consider adding a full covering to keep the rain out, as well. A retractable shade is a nice option, too, but it might become more cumbersome than you would like, which might cause you to stop using it. The key to creating a more comfortable space is to make everything about it easy and reduce any friction or barriers.
Next, bring in an outdoor sofa set with a coffee table and end tables or a dining table with comfortable chairs. Add outdoor pillows, and you are all set. You will find yourself gravitating to the great outdoors to enjoy your morning cup of tea, to get lost in a book as the sun goes down, and to eat your meals and talk the night away.
Create a Reading Nook
The idea of comfort and a good book seems to go together quite well. If you appreciate the fine art of getting lost in a novel, you should think about creating a reading nook in your home. First, take a walk throughout your entire house. Look for small, tucked-away spaces, such as a corner or alcove, or a room that goes unused. You do not even need a separate space; if you do not have one, all you need to do is make the space inviting and cosy.
Regardless of the setup, there are some essentials you will need. The first one is a soft and comfortable place to sit. Having enough space to lie down is a nicety, but not an essential. Next, assess the lighting. You will need sufficient light to ensure you can see well and avoid causing unnecessary strain on your eyes. Add a hanging light overhead or some wall-mounted lights just behind the location of the chair. A freestanding corner light with an adjustment option and a task light set on a nearby end table also works well.
The end table just mentioned is vital to a functional reading nook so that you have a place to set down your cup of tea, water, book, and anything else you have. Finally, add a footrest or ottoman. That way, you can really stretch out and relax. For extra credit, you will need a couple of very soft pillows and blankets to artfully drape across the chair and pull over you as soon as you settle in.
Watch this video to see how one couple created a small reading nook in the master bedroom.
Cover the Floors
Wall-to-wall carpeting might not be your idea of beauty, and that is okay. But if you want to induce a more comfortable vibe in your home, you cannot go wrong when you look down at your feet. Think about the moment you hop out of bed in the morning. When your bare feet first touch the cold flooring, it is jarring. You can change that quickly and easily by investing in some new floor coverings.
Look for soft and plush rugs that feel good as you walk across them and sink your feet into the fibres when you are sitting down. Opt for washable rugs to make your life easier, and make sure they will fit into your washing machine. Place the rugs everywhere you spend time, like the space next to your bed, in your new reading nook, and in the lounge. Your new rugs will help dampen the sound throughout the house, add warmth, and help to create a new design aesthetic.
Creating a cosy home is a personal pursuit. What you identify as comfortable and comforting might be different from what the next person does. While it is helpful to understand what works best, it is always important to remember that what works best for you is what matters. Make your home warm and inviting and turn it into a place that you will be happy to spend time in. The idea of comfort and how you incorporate it into your home should leave you feeling content.
